EP2707290A2

EP2707290A2 - Rotatable packaging machine, and method for filling open bags

Info

Publication number: EP2707290A2
Application number: EP12727585.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Willi Vollenkemper; Frank Wältermann
Original assignee: Haver and Boecker OHG
Current assignee: Haver and Boecker OHG
Priority date: 2011-05-09
Filing date: 2012-05-02
Publication date: 2014-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2032-05-02
Also published as: EA027049B1; ES2551402T3; EP2707290B1; EA201391667A1; US20140083560A1; EP2707290B9; CN204078187U; DE102011101047A1; WO2012152402A3; US9352860B2; WO2012152402A2

Abstract

Rotatable packaging machine, and method for filling open bags, having a plurality of circumferentially distributed, co‑rotating filling units, each having a filling nozzle with a filling opening, onto which the open bags can be fitted by an upward movement directed relative to the filling nozzle. A handling unit configured as receiving means is provided for receiving the filled open bags from the filling units and has a gripping arm with a gripping unit provided thereon. The gripping arm is arranged in a rotatable manner on the receiving means. The gripping unit is arranged in a pivotable manner on the gripping arm in order to execute a pivoting movement relative to the gripping arm, this pivoting movement accompanying the gripping‑arm rotation.

Description

Rotatable packing machine

and method for filling open bags

Besehreibung

The present invention relates to a rotatable packaging machine and to a method for filling open sacks. The packing machine according to the invention can be provided for filling bulk goods of all kinds. However, such a plant is particularly preferably used for filling fine products, ie for filling fine and dusty

Products that require a correspondingly long filling and, in particular, compaction time.

In the prior art a variety of packaging machines for filling open bags have become known. For example, so-called FFS packaging machines ("form-fill-seal-packaging machines") are often used to effectively fill bulk materials into open sacks, and in such FFS packaging systems, the open sack is manufactured inside the machine or in a directly upstream facility A considerable advantage of such an FFS packing machine is that the open bags can be produced in their actual required length, not on prefabricated sacks be used, which are also more expensive.

FFS packing machines process open bags of plastic film, which is waterproof. Therefore, open sacks filled with moisture-sensitive materials such as cement can also be used in the

CONFIRMATION COPY Be stored outdoors as the contents are reliably protected from moisture.

A disadvantage of known packing machines for filling open sacks is the limited capacity, in particular if

dusty fine products are to be bottled, as these

Products usually need to be compacted to one

stable container to provide, in which as little air is contained. Contained air also reduces stackability.

To increase the throughput packing machines for filling open bags have become known, which are designed to be rotatable and distributed over the circumference have a plurality of filler, are appended to the open bags for filling. In order to ensure a secure attachment of the bags to the filler neck, a known packing machine for filling open bags with four filling nozzles in clocked mode is rotated in each case by 90 degrees and then stopped. in the

standing condition, the open bag is attached to the bottom of the filler, while at the next filler neck is already filling. Due to the clocked operation of such a rotatable packaging machine, a higher filling rate is achieved. While an open bag is attached to the first filler neck, the filling operation can be carried out on a second and on a third filler neck, while at the same time vibrator devices act on the open bags to be filled in order to lower the product level and to provide compaction.

Vibrators are regularly used when filling fine products into open sacks to lower the product level as much as possible. As a result, the required bag length can be reduced for a certain amount of product, which can significantly reduce the cost of the open bags used, since less tubular film must be used to produce an open bag. In continuous Lichem operation of such a packing machine for filling open bags considerable cost savings can be achieved if the bag length can be reduced by only one centimeter.

Another argument for the use of vibrators is that the filled with the product open bags are filled tightly after closing and are therefore visually much more appealing than sacks that still contain a lot of air volume and have a large film protrusion at the ends.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a packing machine for filling open bags, which allows a high throughput - even with filling of fine bulk materials.

This object is achieved by a packaging machine having the features of claim 1 and of claim 13 and by a method having the features of claim 14. Preferred

Further developments are the subject of the respective subclaims. Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the general description and the description of the embodiment.

The packing machine according to the invention is considered in particular

Continuously rotatable packaging machine and used to fill open bags. The rotatable packaging machine comprises a plurality of co-rotating filling units arranged distributed over the circumference, each having a filler neck with a filling opening, to which the open bags can be attached by means of an upward movement directed relative to the filler neck. It is designed as a transfer device handling unit for taking over the filled open bags provided by the filling units. The transfer device comprises at least one gripping arm with a gripping unit provided thereon. The gripper arm is rotatable at the take-over arranged direction and the gripping unit is in particular arranged pivotably on the gripping arm to a rotation of the gripping arms superimposed pivotal movement relative to the

Perform gripping arm.

The rotatable packaging machine according to the invention has many advantages. A significant advantage of the packaging machine according to the invention is that it is possible by the transfer device to operate the packaging machine continuously rotating. A clocked operation is not necessary because by the rotation of the gripping arm of the transfer device takeover of the filled open bag during the continuous

Rotary movement of the rotatable packing machine is possible. A pivotable recording of the gripping unit allows a longer transition phase, whereby a higher speed of the

Packing machine is allowed. As a result, a higher performance can be achieved. The gripping unit is pivotable on the

Gripper arm arranged to perform a pivotal movement relative to the gripping arm.

In particular, the gripping unit is pivoted in such a way that a longer transition phase is made possible.

Preferably, the packing machine rotates at a constant speed and in particular the speed is almost constant over at least one complete revolution. It is also possible here, however, that the packaging machine is operated at a variable speed over the circumference. However, a constant speed is preferred, since the throughput is thereby greater. In addition, there is no need for constant braking and acceleration of the rotating part of the packaging machine, which saves energy.

It is possible that the open bag is attached to the filler neck from below. During this movement, the filler neck can remain stationary. The open bag is attached by an upward movement on the filler neck. But it is also possible that the filler neck is inserted from above into the open bag. In such a movement, the open bag can remain stationary and the filler neck can be moved. Overall, this results in an upward movement of the open bag relative to the filler neck, even if the filler neck is moved downward in this case.

Alternatively, a simultaneous movement of the filler neck and the open bag is possible. In all cases, a relative movement of the bag takes place to the filler neck, which is at least partially directed upwards relative to the filler neck.

A considerable advantage of the rotatable packaging machine according to the invention is also that a plurality of filling units can be provided, each with one or two filling nozzles, which are filled continuously or discontinuously and within the rotation of the packing machine sufficient time to vent the bottled product or to have a lowering of the product level, so that on acceptance or at the latest when closing the open bags bulging open bags are present that are designed visually appealing and consume at the same time only a little foil material.

It is advantageous in all cases that the gripping unit

is pivotally mounted on the gripping arm to perform a superimposed pivotal movement relative to the gripping arm. In fact, it has been shown that a gripping unit which pivots along a predetermined path in synchronism with the peripheral speed of the filling nozzles makes possible a longer parallelism of the movement. The movement of the rotating filling unit with the filling nozzle provided thereon and the movement of the pivotable gripper arm can be tuned much better to each other, so that the gripping unit of the gripper arm over a much longer period parallel to the at

Filling unit arranged open sack is aligned. This considerably lengthens the period in which the grippers on the filling unit still hold the open bag in a defined position. This simply makes it possible for the gripping unit on the rotating gripping arm to grasp the upper bag walls of the open bag to be taken over. Only then are the grippers released at the filling unit, so that at any time a precisely defined positioning of the open bag can be ensured. As a result, the shortest possible bag lengths can be realized, which reduces the effort for the film material used and additionally makes the bags visually appealing, as unnecessary bag overhangs can be avoided.

It is preferred that the transfer device has at least two gripper arms, on each of which at least one gripping unit is pivotally provided. The transfer device is provided in all configurations for taking over the filled open bag from the filling unit and transferring it to a closing device or a conveyor belt.

In all embodiments, it is particularly preferred that the gripper arm of the transfer device rotate in opposite directions to the packaging machine. The rotating filler neck and the transfer device are positioned to each other so that the circles touch tangentially or slightly overlap, so that in a well-defined angular position, the assumption of a filled open bag of a filling unit is possible. Preferably, a takeover of the filled open bags only takes place when the gripping unit of the gripping arm engages the upper bag wall of the filled bag. It is thus possible, for example, for the gripping unit not to grasp the open sack which is present on the filling unit if, for example, the filling has not yet been completely completed. This configuration allows the open bags to rotate for a second round before they are removed from the packing machine and transported away with the transfer device. In general, it is also possible that the bags always two or more rounds remain on the filler before they are removed and transported away from the transfer device.

Due to the rotating configuration, it is possible to provide a multiplicity of filling nozzles, so that a high filling rate is made possible for each individual

Offensack a considerable period of time to lower the product level is available. Especially with fine and dusty products, such as building materials and cement in particular, the filling rate can be significantly increased.

Preferably, at least one compression device is provided. The compacting device may be designed as a vibrating device and comprise a vibrating plate and / or a vibrating bottle and / or a vacuum lance or the like.

While up to about 1000 open bags per hour can be filled with conventional packaging machines in clocked rotating mode, the number of filled open bags per hour can be significantly increased with the rotary packaging machine according to the invention, so that 2000 filled open bags per hour and even 2500 filled open Sacks per hour and more are possible.

Particularly preferably, the gripping unit comprises at least two grippers in order to grasp an open bag. Also possible and preferred is the use of three or four grippers to ensure a defined positioning at any time. Preferably, at least two grippers are arranged approximately symmetrically to the pivot axis of the gripping unit. By virtue of the fact that the gripper unit is pivotably provided on the gripper arm, the gripper arranged on one side of the swivel axis has an increased peripheral speed at some point in time. on speed, while arranged on the opposite side of the pivot axis gripper has a reduced peripheral speed. Due to the different peripheral speeds of the grippers of the gripping unit ensures that the acquisition of the filled open bag over a larger angular range and thus a longer period is possible than if the gripping unit would be firmly mounted on the gripper arm.

In all embodiments, it is preferred that the rotatable packaging machine is designed as a continuously rotatable packaging machine. Preferably, the transfer device comprises at least one drive for rotating the gripping arm. In this case, a circumferential speed or rotational speed of the gripper arm is preferably adapted to a peripheral speed of the filler neck. In particular, the peripheral speed of the gripper arm corresponds at least to the time of acquisition of the peripheral speed of the filler neck. Again, it is possible that the gripper arm with a

continuously variable rotational speed is rotated. However, it is particularly preferred that the peripheral speed of the gripping arm is approximately constant and the circumferential speed of the filling nozzle at least substantially corresponds. This ensures that the open bag retains its constant rate of travel substantially throughout the process. From the filling unit rotating at a certain circumferential speed, the open bag is removed with the gripping arm, which preferably has the same circumferential speed. Finally, the open bag is transferred to a processing device such as a closing unit or a discharge belt or the like at the same speed, so that an acceleration in the direction of movement is not required. As a result, the forces on the bag are kept relatively low.

In preferred embodiments, the drive is used for rotation the gripping arm also for pivoting the provided thereon

Gripping unit. As a result, the number of drives is kept low, which reduces the effort and error rate. In addition, a forced synchronization is achieved. But it is also possible that a separate drive for rotating the

Gripping unit is provided. Then the drives are operated synchronously for rotation of the gripping arm and for pivoting the gripping unit or at regular intervals

synchronized to ensure the required movement.

Preferably, the rotational speed of the drive crank of the gripping unit is a multiple of the rotational speed of the gripping arm. Particularly preferably, the rotational speed of the drive crank of the gripping unit is twice as large as the rotational speed of the gripping arm. In preferred developments, it is also possible that the rotational speed of the drive crank of the gripping unit is an integer multiple of twice the rotational speed of the gripping arm.

At a twice the rotational speed of the drive crank of the gripping unit compared to the rotational speed of the gripper arm ensures that at two positions on the circumference, the gripping unit is aligned, for example, at right angles to the orientation of the gripper arm. This is achieved that at two circumferential locations the gripping unit

is oriented tangentially to the orientation of the gripping arm, so that the gripping unit is also aligned tangentially to the existing on the filling unit and provided for takeover open bag.

If, for example, three gripping arms are provided, the pivoting speed of the gripping unit can be adjusted accordingly.

In all embodiments, it is preferred that the gripper arm and the gripping unit provided thereon are designed to initially rotate or pivot in opposite directions during the transfer of the sack. Such a design results in that the gripper of the gripper unit trailing in the direction of rotation of the gripper arm reduces its center distance to the center of rotation of the gripper arm until the gripper unit is aligned transversely to the gripper arm. Subsequently, the corresponding gripping unit is pivoted again in the opposite direction, so that the period of parallelism is increased to the bag to be accepted. The gripping unit thus performs a pendulum motion relative to the gripping arm. The pendulum movement is dimensioned so that the different turning circle diameter of packing machine and gripper arms are compensated. This can vary

configured plants are sized larger or smaller.

During the times of bag transfer, the pivoting movement or pendulum movement of the gripping unit leads to a nearly parallel arrangement of the gripping unit and the upper bag wall. After the transfer, the gripping unit oscillates again in the other direction, ie in the same direction back to the gripper arm to pivot in the opposite direction when passing to the processing device. Even when transferring to the processing device results in a longer angular range in which the open bag extends substantially parallel to the processing device, so that a simple transfer to a linear guide is possible.

In all embodiments, it is preferred that below the gripping unit, a holding device is arranged, the

is moved synchronously with the grippers of the gripping unit.

By the holding device ensures that the bag to be accepted is not only taken on its upper bag wall, but also supported in a lower lateral area, so that the accepted open bag is guided both at the top and in a lower area defined. As a result, the loads on the upper bag wall and the open bag are significantly reduced overall, when the open bag is passed from the rotational movement of the filler in the rotational movement of the gripper arm with a significantly reduced radius of rotation.

The holding device is preferably fixedly connected to the gripping unit. Grippers provided on the holding device are actuated synchronously or at least substantially synchronously with the grippers of the gripping unit.

Preferably, the gripping unit comprises at least one clamping unit with which an upper bag wall of the open bag can be pulled flat and tensioned. When filling open bags, filling nozzles with large cross sections are used. After the removal of the open bag from the filler neck, the upper bag wall should be pulled apart at both ends, so that at the cross section of the

Filler adapted top bag wall is again flat on top of each other to allow a wrinkle-free closing. A wrinkle-free closing is important in open bags made of a film material to the necessary

To ensure tightness and load capacity of the sealed open bags.

In preferred embodiments, the transfer device is provided to transfer the filled open bags to a processing device. The processing device may comprise a linear guide and / or a closing device. It is possible and preferable for a transfer device to transfer the filled open bags to a closing device.

Preferably, at least one support unit is provided, which supports the open bag during transport with the transfer device from below. This will make the top one Sack wall and the gripping arm relieved.

It is preferred that the support unit comprises at least one compression device in order to allow a further lowering of the product level even during the transport of the open bag with the transfer device. It is possible that the support unit comprises a sliding bleach and / or a belt and / or a roller guide or the like. In all embodiments, it is preferred that a bag forming device is provided which produces the required bags from, for example, a tubular film.

Preferably, a running as a hitch

Handling unit provided, which is provided for attaching the open bags to be filled. It is also conceivable that two hitch devices are used on a rotating packaging machine. The hitch is used to attach the open bags to be filled and preferably opens the bags before attaching, so that an opening corresponding to the cross section of the filler neck is provided. For attaching an open bag is attached from below to the filler with the filling opening provided in particular below.

Another rotatable packing machine according to the invention for filling open sacks is equipped with a plurality of co-rotating filling units distributed over the circumference, each having a filler neck with a filling opening. The open sacks are attached by an upward movement relative to the filler neck. At least one handling unit designed as transfer device is provided for transferring the open bags to be filled to the filling units, which comprises at least one gripping arm with a gripping unit provided thereon. In this case, the gripping arm is rotatably arranged on the transfer device and the gripping unit is in particular pivotally arranged on the gripping arm to perform a pivoting movement relative to the gripping arm. According to the invention, open bags can be taken over by the filling units after filling with the handling unit. It is also possible to transfer empty bags with a handling unit to the continuously rotating packing machine.

The method according to the invention serves to fill open sacks with a rotatable packaging machine which comprises a plurality of filling units arranged distributed over the circumference and continuously co-rotating. The open bags are hung during rotation from below to the filling opening of the filler neck. It is provided a transfer device, which has a rotating gripping arm with a gripping unit. The gripping unit is in particular arranged pivotably on the gripping arm in order to carry out a pivoting movement relative to the gripping arm. During rotation, the gripper unit takes over the open sacks from the filling unit.

The method according to the invention has many advantages, since it allows a high filling rate and a safe handling of the open sacks.

Preferably, the gripping unit is made pivotable relative to the gripping arm to allow a longer transfer phase. As a result, a greater distance along the circumference of the packing machine can be used for transfer.

At the same time, the transfer distance is relatively small compared to the overall circumference, so that a large number of filling nozzles can be arranged over the circumference. Depending on the number of filling nozzles, the angular range available for transfer is, for example, between 15 ° and 45 °.

In all embodiments, a filled open bag is preferably removed from the filler neck and kept defined before the open bag is taken over by the transfer device.

Overall, the invention provides a rotating packing machine and a method for filling open sacks which allows a high filling rate with defined filled sacks. The required film requirement is low, so that the bags can be filled exactly defined.

Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiment, which is explained below with reference to the accompanying figures.

In the figures show:

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of an inventive

Packing machine;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the packing machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic and enlarged view of

Transfer device of the packing machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, the transfer device of FIG. 3 in another

Position;

5 is a highly schematic plan view of the packing machine and the transfer device in a first position.

Fig. 6 is a representation according to FIG. 5 in a second

Position;

Fig. 7 is a highly schematic plan view of Figure 5 in a third position.

FIG. 8 shows a highly schematic plan view according to FIG. 5 in a fourth position; FIG.

FIG. 9 is a highly schematic plan view according to FIG. 5 in a fifth position; FIG.

FIG. 10 shows a highly schematic top view according to FIG. 5 in a sixth position; FIG. With reference to the accompanying figures, an embodiment of a rotatable packaging machine 1 according to the invention is explained below, which is shown in Fig. 1 in a schematic plan view. The rotatable packaging machine 1 is used to fill open sacks 2 (see Fig. 3) and has a plurality of filling units 3, which are each equipped here with a filler 4. At the packaging machine 1 shown here, between about two and sixteen filling units 3 can be arranged. In principle, it is also possible to grow even more filling units on a rotatable packaging machine 1.

The rotatable packaging machine 1 is operated continuously rotating, so that the filling units 3 rotate at a substantially constant speed about a central axis. The material to be filled is fed via an inlet funnel 28 and a silo 32 the individual filler 4 of the filling units 3.

The filling nozzle 4 for filling the open bags 2 are vertically aligned here, so that the filling opening 5 points vertically downwards. But it is also possible that the or

at least one filling opening is aligned inclined to the vertical. For example, an angle of five degrees, ten degrees or even twenty degrees to the vertical may be provided. Open sacks 2, which are also referred to as open sacks 2, from below to the lower filling opening 5 of

Filler 4 attached.

For this purpose, an open bag 2 is grasped and the upper bag wall 18 is opened so that the upper bag opening 35 is formed. It is preferable to use suction cups and / or grippers which introduce a sack opening 35 corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the filling nozzle 4 into the open sack 2 and hold the open sack 2 with its upper sack wall 18 until the open sack 2 is pushed onto the filler neck 4 and held there defined by grippers, not shown here becomes .

The attachment of the open bags 2 is carried out with a hitch 27, which is connected downstream of a bag forming device 26. In the bag forming device 26, the individual open sacks 2 are produced from a tubular film during continuous operation. This is done by the

Tubular film each cut off a corresponding length and inserted the bottom seam in the open bag 2. However, prefabricated or prefabricated open sacks 2 can also be used.

During the rotation, which is counterclockwise here, the open bags are filled. At the same time a compression of the product is achieved via the compression means 19, which are provided adjustable in height at each filling unit 3, whereby the product level is reduced. As a result of the compression of the product, shorter open sacks 2 are required overall and a bulging open sack 2 is produced, which not only requires little film material, but also looks visually appealing.

The film used to make the open sacks 2 results in the open sacks 2 having a relatively low inherent rigidity compared to sacks of paper, so that a precisely defined guidance of the open sacks 2 should be ensured at all times, by relatively little To allow bag lengths and small bag overhangs.

If the open bag 2 is filled with the intended amount, and reaches the angular position of the transfer device 6, the open bag 2 is removed from the filler neck 4, but supported by the compression device 19 from below. At a suitable angular position, the transfer device 6 takes over the open bag 2 with the gripping arms 8 and 9 rotating about a common center 34 and transfers it to the linear guide 21 with a closing device 20 For closing the upper open ends of the open sacks 2. Due to the fact that the open bag 2 is kept defined and guided at any time, a defined closure of the open sacks 2 can be ensured.

A protective fence 33 may be provided to prevent entering the danger area.

The rotatable packaging machine 1 is preferably suspended on a frame 30, wherein carriers 31 hold the rotatable packaging machine. In the upper region of the rotating part, a silo 32 may be provided for intermediate storage of product.

FIG. 3 shows a highly schematic view of the handling unit 7 embodied as transfer device 6 in a position in which the transfer device 6 is currently in a position

Open bag 2 with the gripping unit 10 on the gripper arm 8 of the packing machine 1 takes over. For better clarity, not all components are shown.

The open bag 2 is supported from below by the compression device 19 of the filling unit 3. In the illustrated position, the gripping unit 10 of the gripper arm 8 with the grippers 12 and 13, the upper bag wall 18 has taken. At the same time, the holding device 15 surrounds a lower part of the filled open bag 2. The bag opening 35, with which the open bag 2 has hung on the filler neck 4, is still open virtually unchanged. With the pivoting of the open bag 2 of the packing machine 1, the transfer device 6 enters the position shown in Fig. 4, in which the open bag 2 is supported from below by the sliding plate 25 in the direction of the linear guide 21 is pivoted. The grippers 12 and 13 of the gripping unit 10 hold the upper bag wall 18 defined.

The gripper arm 9 passes in the illustration of FIG. 3, the open bag 2 to the linear guide 21. In the illustration 4, the gripping arm 9 with the gripping unit 11 has released the open bag 2 transferred to the linear guide 21 and pivoted in the direction of the rotating filling units 3 in order to take over the next open bag 2 reaching the removal position.

For the rotary drive of the transfer device 6 is a drive 14 which drives the transfer device 6 about a rotational axis 34 in rotation.

In this embodiment, the drive 14 drives not only the rotational movement of the gripping arms 8 and 9, but also the pivotal movement of the gripping units 10 and 11 via a fixed transmission ratio. Here, a fixed transmission ratio is chosen so that the gripping units 10 and 11 are pivoted at twice the frequency, such as the rotational frequency of the gripping arms 8 and 9.

As a result, parallel alignment of the gripping units 10 and 11 with an open bag 2 arranged on a filling unit 3 in the removal position is ensured in exactly two positions. At the same time, an open bag 2 with a gripping unit 10 arranged in parallel is taken over by the filling unit 3, while a gripping unit 11 arranged parallel to the linear guide 21 transfers the corresponding open bag 2 to the linear guide 21.

The holding device 15 ensures during the pivoting of the packing machine 1 to the linear guide 21 for a secure hold of the filled open bags 2 in a lower region. This also leads to a relief of the upper bag wall 18. The holding device 15 may be adjustable in height.

With reference to FIGS. 7-10, the mode of operation of the transfer device 6 as a handling unit 7 will be described below with reference to schematic plan views.

The superimposition shown in FIG. 5 in a first position. The lifting device 6 approaches with open grippers 12 and 13 of the gripping unit 10 of the rotating packaging machine 1 and the open bag 2 arranged on a filler neck 4.

As a comparison of Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 shows, the pivoting of the gripping unit 10 via the crank mechanism 36 with the coupling rod 37 and the crank 38 causes the gripping unit 10 over a fairly wide angular range parallel or substantially parallel remains aligned with the longitudinal extent of the upper bag wall 18. In Fig. 5, the side of the gripper 12 of the gripping unit 10 leads the gripper arm 8, while in the following, the effective speed of the pivoting is reduced, so that in the illustration of FIG. 8, an acute angle between the gripping arm 8 and the gripping unit 10 on the Side of the gripper 12 is present.

The crank mechanism 36 causes via the crank 38 and the coupling rod 37, a pivoting of the gripping units 10 and 11, which lead to an advantageous overlap in the transfer areas on the packaging machine 1 and the linear guide 21.

The grippers 12 and 13 initially grasp the upper bag wall 18 of an open bag 2 before the corresponding grippers on the filling unit 3 release the open bag 2. In the following, the open bag 2 with the gripping unit 10 and the

Retaining device 15 is withdrawn from the compacting device 19, which is designed in particular as a vibrating device (cf., FIG. 4), and is supported by the support unit 22 for the linear guide 21. In this case, the support unit 22 may be designed as a roller guide 23, compression device 24 or as a sliding plate 25 or the like.

On the linear guide 21 in turn results in a relatively large angle segment with an overlap region in which the open bag 2 is transferred to the linear guide 21.

During the pivoting movement from the filling unit 3 to the linear Guide 21, a clamping unit 17 is activated, whereby the distance between the grippers 12 and 13 is increased, and thus the upper bag wall 18 is tensioned. This allows a wrinkle-free closing of the upper bag wall 8 of the open bag 2.

In Fig. 9, the direction of rotation 28 of the packing machine 1 is located. The direction of rotation 39 of the gripping arms 8 and 9 is reversed.

Overall, an advantageous continuously rotating packaging machine 1 is provided for filling open bags, in which a high filling rate is possible.

At the same time, the effort can be reduced because a total of only a single closing device is necessary, instead of each filler to provide its own possible but z. B. also the use of two closing devices. The filled open bags 2 can be taken over by the transfer device 6 and fed to a closing device. Thus, only one closing device for a number of filling nozzles is required at high filling rate. By the opposite rotational movements of the transfer device 6 and the filling units 3, a reliable acceptance and transfer of the filled bags is possible in particular in connection with the pivotable gripping units.

List of reference numbers:

1 Rotatable packing machine 24 compacting device

2 open sack 25 sliding plate

3 filling unit 26 bag forming device

4 filler neck 27 hitch

5 filling opening 28 direction of rotation

6 transfer device 29 inlet strainer

7 handling unit 30 frame

8 gripper arm 31 carrier

9 gripper arm 32 silo

10 Gripping unit 33 Safety fence

11 gripping unit 34 axis of rotation

12 grippers 35 bag opening

13 gripper 36 crank mechanism

14 Drive 37 Coupling rod

15 holding device 38 crank

17 Clamping unit 39 Direction of rotation

18 bag wall 40 direction of rotation

19 compaction device 41 processing device

20 closing device 42 drive

21 Linear guide 43 Vibrating bottle

22 support unit

23 roller guide

Claims

Claims :

A rotatable packing machine (1) for filling open bags (2) having a plurality of circumferentially spaced co-rotating filling units (3) each having a filler neck (4) with a filling opening (5) to which through a relative to the filler neck directed upward movement the open bags (2) are attachable,

characterized,

in that a handling unit (7) designed as transfer device (6) for taking over the filled open bags (2) is provided by the filling units (3), which comprises at least one gripping arm (8, 9) with a gripping unit (10, 11) provided thereon wherein the gripping arm (8, 9) is rotatably mounted on the transfer device (6) and wherein the gripping unit (10, 11) is pivotally mounted on the gripping arm (8, 9) to provide a pivoting movement superimposed on the rotation of the gripping arms relative to

Carry out the gripping arm (8,9).

2. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the

Gripping unit (10,11) comprises at least two grippers (12,13) to engage an open bag (2).

3. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed to be continuously rotatable, and wherein the transfer device (6) comprises a drive (14) for rotating the gripper arm (8,9), wherein a peripheral speed of the gripper arm (8, 9) is adapted to a peripheral speed of the filler neck (4).

4. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the drive (14) for pivoting the gripping unit (10,11) is used, and / or wherein the rotational speed of the crank (38) of the gripping unit (10,11) a multiple the rotational speed of the gripping arm (8,9) is.

5. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping arm and the gripping unit provided thereon are adapted to pivot in opposite directions during the bag transfer.

6. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a holding device (15) below the gripping unit (10,11) is arranged and is guided synchronously.

7. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping unit (10,11) comprises a clamping unit (16) with which an upper bag wall (18) can be pulled flat and stretched.

8. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the filling unit (3) comprises at least one compression device (19) which is provided below the filler neck (4), and which is arranged in particular height adjustable.

9. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transfer device (6) is provided to pass the filled open bags (2) of a processing device (41).

10. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a support unit (22) is provided, which supports the open bag (2) during transport with the transfer device (6) from below.

11. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the support unit (6) comprises at least one compression device (24).

12. Rotatable packing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one bag forming device (26) is provided.

13. Rotatable packing machine (1) for filling open bags (2) with a plurality of circumferentially distributed co-rotating filling units (3), each having a filler neck (4) with a filling opening (5) to which by a relative to the filler neck (4) directed upward movement the open bags (2) are appendable,

characterized,

a handling unit (7) designed as transfer device (6) for transferring the open sacks to be filled

(2) is provided to the filling units (3) which

comprises at least one gripping arm (8,9) with a gripping unit (10,11) provided thereon, wherein the gripping arm (8,9) is arranged rotatably on the transfer device (6).

14. Method for filling open bags (2) with a

continuously rotatable packing machine (1), which comprises a plurality of circumferentially distributed continuously co-rotating filling units (3), wherein the open bags (2) during rotation from below to the filling opening (5) of the filler neck (4) are attached, characterized in

in that a transfer device (6) is provided which has a rotating gripping arm with (8, 9) a gripping unit (10, 11) and which with the gripping unit (10, 11) the open bags (2) during rotation of the filling unit

(3) and wherein the gripping unit (10, 11) pivots relative to the gripping arm (8, 9) to allow a longer transfer phase.

15. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein a

open bag is removed from a filler neck and kept defined before the open bag is taken over by the transfer device.