ES2516990T3 - Procedure and device for the manufacture of bags - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure for the manufacture of bags (40), in particular infusion bags, in which a flat band (2) is folded longitudinally for the configuration of a band (10) closed on the lower side by means of a fold (8), chambers divided one behind the other are divided in the longitudinal direction of the band (10), in which by means of a seam (124), which is configured between adjacent chambers, open sacks (30) are separated by one side of the band (10), the chambers are filled with product after the configuration of the separation seam (124) and by means of a welding seam (432) on the opposite side of the fold (8) and by means of band separation (10) they are removed closed and individualized bags (40), characterized in that the weld seam (432) is configured extending essentially at right angles to the fold (8) and by the fact that the sacks (30) opened on one side are pivoted before closing in such a way that The fold (8) is oriented essentially at right angles to the direction of advancement of the bags (30).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Procedure and device for the manufacture of bags

The present invention relates to a method and a device for the manufacture of bags, in particular for the manufacture of infusion bags.

The present invention starts in particular from a process as known from EP-A2-0 771 5 730. In this process a flat band initially provided as a flat band is folded longitudinally for the configuration of a band closed by a side by a fold. Next, separate chambers are divided into the closed band on one side, in this state of the art by welding. The cameras are also provided as parts of the band in one piece. Then, with the camera opening facing up, these chambers are filled in a filling station. For this, in the cameras opened above, product is introduced into the cameras. Then, still vertically, the band is provided to a sealing unit, in which the upper side of the bags is also closed, that is to say the side opposite the fold.

In this previously known procedure also closed bags on all sides are still transported as part of an endless band. By changing the orientation of the band, the bags with their lateral surface are deposited on a support band, to finally also be provided as a continuous piece 15 to a cutting device. This cutting device comprises a rotating blade, which acts from above against the support band in such a way that the sheet band is separated in the area of a seam that divides the chambers located one behind the other. Through this separation bags are made available independently of the band. Separate bags fall on a transport path, from where they are removed from the device. twenty

The previously known procedure is relatively complex, because considerable transport paths are required to perform the individual process steps at suitable stations for this.

In the procedure known from WO-A-1999/59875, the closed chambers on the opposite side of the fold deviate from an initially vertical extension for filling the chambers to a horizontal orientation and only afterwards does a separation of the bags by cutting with a subsequent individualization. The closure 25 of the bags in the continuous piece, that is, as part of the bag material provided endlessly limits on one hand the amount of filling, because the endless band is guided, subject to tensile tension, by the different stations , that is to say, it is also transported subject to tensile tension along a filling station and a sealing station. Furthermore, a welding seam that closes the bag material on the side opposite the fold can only be formed parallel to the fold, that is, in the direction of transport of the endless band. 30

A method with the features of the preamble of claim 1 and a device with the features of the preamble of claim 6 are known from WO-A-2007/089838. In the previously known procedure, a flat band is closed on the lower side by means of a fold, to create a folded band. The folded band is supplied to a welding wheel equipped with projections, to provide the camera band. Prepared in this way, the band leaves a sealing module as a continuous piece. The band is supplied to a filling module. In this, the continuous piece is first cut into a blade module by means of rotating blades. The bags still open on the upper side, individualized in this way, are evacuated by a conveyor belt with suction heads from the blade module and supplied to gripping units, which circulate in a circular path. The gripping units have a pivoting clamping jaw and a fixed clamping jaw, which in each case retain the sack by its front and rear vertical longitudinal sides 40, ie the sides that are separated by a vertical separation seam. The at least one clamping jaw can pivot in this respect around an axis that extends approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of a filling wheel, in whose circumference the bags are retained and filled through the gripping units. The pivoting movement of the at least one clamping jaw serves in this respect to open the sack. By means of the pivoting movement of the at least one clamping jaw, the 45 side edges of the bag are joined. Opposite side walls must necessarily deform. In this way the bags are opened from the top side, so that a funnel can be introduced into the bags.

The grip units grab the bags in each case below their inlet opening. Once filled, this area is sealed between two welding jaws of a welding unit, whereby closed bags are obtained. This welding also occurs in the outer circumference of the filling wheel. The individual bags are then grabbed through suction arms, which are arranged on the outer circumference of a rotary extraction wheel and which hold the bags retained therein between the last compression rollers and withdraw them from the circular movement to along the circumference of the filling wheel.

The device previously known from WO-A-2007/089838 leaves to be desired. The individual modules provided in different places lead to a relatively voluminous configuration. In addition, the web material 55 has to be guided and transferred between the individual modules, which makes additional effort necessary.

Document US-A-3 473 294 discloses the manufacture of bags from a flat band, which first

place is folded and then divided into chambers by transverse welding seams. Prepared in this way the cameras are separated. Then, the individual bags thus formed are additionally retained by gripping units, which have still moved below the continuous piece. The loss of the continuous piece is compensated by a guide, which delimits the bags on the upper side. Through an additional linear movement the open sacks are supplied on one side to the filling station. In the 5-turn path of this circulating movement, the bags opened on one side are closed and finally removed at the second turning point of the circulating transport path.

Document WO-A-2008/102250 refers to a welding device with two rotating elements, which in each case constitute a sonotrode and an anvil, the sonotrode and anvil entering each other in mutual contact, to form a bag. 10

The manufacture of tetrahedron infusion bags is known, for example, from WO-A-95/01907 and EP-A-1 549 548.

The present invention is based on the problem of indicating an improved process and a device for the manufacture of bags, which can be carried out in particular with space saving and therefore more easily. In this regard, the present invention considers in particular the manufacture of infusion bags, that is, bags 15 containing material that is prepared by infusion. In particular, the present invention aims to modify the method known from WO-2007/089838 so that it can be used to make infusion bags in the form of a tetrahedron, and to indicate a corresponding device.

In order to solve the problem as regards the process, a method with the characteristic of claim 1 is proposed with the present invention. In this, a separation seam is formed between 20 adjacent chambers, through which the individual bags of the flat band, and the chambers are filled with the product after the configuration of the separation seam. Correspondingly, in the process according to the invention initially a separation seam is configured, whereby a separation of the bags is produced. In the process according to the invention, the continuous part formed by the flat strip has already been interrupted before the filling of the chambers so that the individual bags can be individualized without a separate process step acting on the flat web material. producing a cut or separation. In the individualization, the lateral distance of the initially guided cameras as a continuous part is increased, that is, the cameras are no longer immediately adjacent with essentially contact side edges.

In this regard, a method is also implemented with the characteristics of claim 1 when, after the configuration of the separation seam, the chambers then formed are guided as a continuous piece, that is, with essentially adjacent side surfaces. It is only essential that, after filling, a separation operation does not have to occur, but that the chambers that make up the individual bags are separated from each other before or after or during the closing of the side opposite the fold by a relative movement, in if necessary, the chambers are also separated from each other by starting in the area of the seam of separation.

As for the manufacture of tetrahedron-shaped bags, according to the invention it is proposed to close the open sacks on one side on the side opposite the fold with a welding seam that extends essentially at right angles to the fold. Correspondingly, individualized sacks are welded, that is, they no longer touch their edges, specifically by means of a welding seam that extends essentially at right angles to the fold, whereby a tetrahedron-shaped bag is formed. .

For this purpose, according to the invention, the bags open on one side are pivoted before closing in such a way that the fold is oriented essentially at right angles to the direction of advancement of the bag. With the control of the method according to the invention, the bags are basically rotated around their own axis, while at the same time they are preferably pivoted along the approximately circular path of the station to configure the chambers until the withdrawal of the finished bag, that is, around a common pivot point. In this regard, the bags are usually pivoted during filling around their own axis, but in any case during the pivoting a filling tube is introduced into the bags to fill the bags. With this measure, the route through the different stations can be reduced until the withdrawal of the finished bag and thus the processing time. fifty

According to a preferred improvement of the present invention, it is proposed to continuously move the material that forms the bags at least from the formation of the fold to the closure on the side opposite the fold. In the process according to the invention, this continuous movement is preferably a movement around a pivot point. In this regard, certain parts of the movement can also occur in the radial direction, so that the movement of the material is only approximately a circular movement. In particular, in the context of the movement around a pivot point, the radial distance can be slightly increased from an input zone, in which the band closed on one side with a fold is provided to the processing path for the configuration of cameras, towards a station where the material is closed on the side opposite the fold for the configuration of a closed bag. This creates the possibility of providing between

an advance wheel that guides the band and the band material an anvil of a welding unit, which acts by closing the side opposite the fold.

According to a preferred improvement of the present invention, the material that forms the bags, before configuring the separation seam and until the closure on the opposite side of the fold, is grasped and transported by a grip unit associated with an individual bag, up to that the bag is manufactured by closing on the side opposite the fold. In this regard, several gripping units are usually involved simultaneously, each of the gripping units being associated with an individual bag, that is, with an individual longitudinal segment corresponding to a bag length of the belt to be transported. In other words, several gripping units grip in each case between the individual chambers in each case dividing compartments, which are formed regularly by transverse weld seams. In this respect, the grip unit usually acts before the configuration of the cameras, that is, it grabs the fold before the camera configuration. Usually this grip is released immediately after the closure of the finished bags. The grip by means of the grip units is also preferably produced so that the grip unit in each case grips the web material only in the area of the fold, but otherwise leaves the expected volume above the fold and usually does not touch between chamber divisions. In other words, the camera, despite the grip of the grip unit, can be filled to or almost to the bottom formed by the fold.

According to a preferred refinement of the present invention, open bags are identified on one side. Bags open on one side are segments of the double layer band, joined together by three sides that usually extend at right angles to each other, which on one side are closed by the fold and at their ends that extend at right angles to the they are closed by the division, that is to say the seams of welding 20 transverse. The bags are separated. These bags are filled, preferably during individualization. This preferred refinement offers the possibility of efficient chamber filling, because there is no longer an interaction of adjacent chambers during filling.

In order to solve the aspect as regards the device, a device with the characteristic of claim 6 is proposed with the present invention. This device has a folding unit for folding a flat band, such as is known for example in itself by WO-A-1999/059 875 A1 or EP-A2-0 771 730 or WO-A-2007/089838. Otherwise, the device has a gripping arrangement that grips the folded band with a plurality of gripping units, which move around a pivot point and in each case mounted in a pivotal manner, to hold the fold. By this pivoting, the grip unit grips the band in the area of the fold. In particular, before dividing the chamber, by means of one or more gripping units, the endless material provided is dragged and transported to the different processing stations to divide the chambers, fill and close the bags. The device also has a bag welding unit comprising a rotating toothed anvil wheel and a sonotrode that acts together with protruding anvil wheel teeth for the configuration of chambers by configuring a separation seam provided between the chambers. In this regard, the toothed anvil wheel has spaced projections according to the separation of the individual chambers, which in each case form an anvil to divide the chambers.

In addition, the device according to the invention has a rotating dosing disk with a feed side for applying the contents of the bag and an opposite loading side, from which a plurality of filling tubes protrude, which can be introduced into the chambers. Consequently, in each case a filling tube is introduced in each case. In this regard, the axis of rotation of the dosing disc is oblique with respect to the axis of rotation of the anvil wheel, so that the filling tubes, due to the oblique position by a certain angular segment of the chambers that are they meet at the outer circumference of the anvil wheel, penetrate them and forcefully exit the chambers due to the oblique position. In this respect it is not important if the chambers are still provided as a continuous part, that is, they move with essentially contact side edges, or have already been individualized, that is, the respective filling tubes are introduced in individual bags. Correspondingly, the dosing disc may also be oriented, alternatively or cumulatively, as regards its axis of rotation obliquely with respect to a rotation axis of the gripping arrangement. The device according to the invention also has a welding unit for closing the bags on the opposite side of the fold as well as a withdrawal unit for removing the bags. This withdrawal unit moves the bags regularly in the radial direction in relation to the direction of rotation of the anvil wheel and / or the grip arrangement. Withdrawal can take place, for example, by means of pressurized air or a drive element, which for example moves in the radial direction and / or at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the anvil wheel.

According to a preferred refinement of the present invention, the sonotrode is stationary and oblique oriented with respect to the anvil projections. In this regard, the sonotrode has an effective length, which covers at least 55 the width of the folded band. Regularly, the tooth projections of the anvil wheel are configured such that they protrude on both sides of the folded band transversely to its longitudinal direction, that is, in the width direction. In this regard, the sonotrode and the anvil wheel are synchronized with each other in such a way that, in the context of an approximation of the front side of the tooth projections to the sonotrode, a transverse weld seam is initially configured, but when they meet at a minimum distance, the material of the band between the sonotrode and the front side of the tooth projection is provided with a separation seam and, in the course of the additional pivoting movement, that is, with a radial gap

Increasingly, a transverse weld seam is formed immediately next to the separation seam. The separation seam then crosses two transverse welding seams provided side by side, which delimit chambers. In this regard, the oblique position of the sonotrode in relation to the essentially axial extent of the tooth projections causes careful handling of the material provided. The configuration of the separation seam occurs only with local heating in the longitudinal direction. As the pivoting movement increases, this point moves in the axial direction, so that a configuration of the separation seam does not occur once and for all the width of the band, but the frictional heat introduced to configure the separation seam in the web material, it moves in the axial direction of one end of the web material in the width direction to the other.

According to a preferred improvement of the present invention, the welding unit for closing the bags 10 has a stationary anvil, which is arranged between the anvil wheel and a sonotrode. In the case of the sonotrode it is in particular a rotary sonotrode, whose outer circumferential surface acts in conjunction with the anvil.

According to a preferred improvement, the grip unit is pivotally mounted on a grip base, which pivotally supports at least two folding arms acting on the open end of the bag. In this regard, the folding arms are usually mounted by means of an articulated quadrilateral mechanism and are preferably operated in such a way that they act together on both sides with the open end of the bag and act on it to place the surfaces of the bag facing each other between yes against each other before closing, before the bag is manufactured by closing on the side opposite the fold. twenty

To establish a radial distance between the anvil wheel and the individual bags, the grip units are mounted on the grip arrangement so that they can move radially in translation. Thus, the individual bags, held by the gripping units, not only swing around the pivot point of the gripping arrangement, but at the same time move out radially in translation.

According to a preferred improvement, which in itself may be essential for the invention, a dosing unit and a weighing unit are arranged on the feed side of the dosing disc. The dosing arrangement provides a mass flow to the feed side, which initially strikes the weighing unit and is detected therein. The weighing unit and the dosing unit are linked, as regards the control, by means of a control that compares a real value of the mass flow detected by the weighing unit with a theoretical value and, based on this comparison, controls the mass flow supplied by the dosing unit. This regulation section ensures that essentially a constant mass flow is deposited on the feed side of the dosing disc. In this respect, the deposition of the mass flow usually occurs in the form of a product strip, which is provided on the dosing disk on the radially internal side in relation to a mouth of the filling tubes. A scraper is usually associated to the feed side of the dosing disk, which is stationary mounted and can move relatively with respect to the rotary dosing disk, and which displaces the product, deposited on the loading side and moving from rotating way, radially outward and into the mouths towards the filling tubes.

The preferred improvement with a regulation section between the dosing unit and the weighing unit offers the possibility of compensating effects that may occur, in particular in the case of a material that is prepared by infusion, especially tea, caused by a disintegration In the case of a constant flow of material that is prepared by infusion provided, this disintegration leads to a greater mass flow of a lower initial content of the dosage unit compared to the extraction of the content located above, because due to the disintegration it changes The density in the filling level and in the lower part of a hopper or transport tower is present in bulk with a density greater than in the upper part. Consequently, variations in bulk density due to the nature of the product can be compensated by the regulation section.

Further details and advantages of the present invention are obtained from the following description of two embodiments in relation to the drawing. In these they show:

Figure 1, a schematic representation of essential stations of a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2, a perspective representation of an anvil wheel with associated sonotrode for welding bags of a second embodiment;

Figure 3, a perspective representation of the second embodiment similar to Figure 2 with a dosing disk; 55

Figure 4, the dosing disk shown in Figure 3 in a plan view with parts of a dosing device;

Figure 5, a representation of the second embodiment similar to Figure 3 for another circumferential segment of the anvil wheel with a welding unit for closing the bags;

Figure 6, a representation of the second embodiment similar to Figure 3 with a grip arrangement;

Figure 7A, a perspective representation of a gripping unit of the gripping arrangement according to Figure 5 6 in an initial position;

Figure 7B, a perspective representation of the grip unit according to Figure 7A in a holding position;

Figure 7C, a perspective representation of the grip unit according to Figure 7A in a position that swings the bag around an essentially horizontal axis; 10

Figure 7D, a perspective representation of the grip unit according to Figure 7A shortly before the end of the pivoting movement around an essentially horizontal axis;

Figure 7E, a perspective representation of the gripping unit according to Figure 7A after finishing the pivoting movement around an essentially horizontal axis and at the beginning of the folding of the bag;

Figure 7F, a perspective representation of the grip unit according to Figure 7A when folding the bag; fifteen

Figure 7G, a perspective representation of the grip unit according to Figure 7A at the end of the folding;

Figure 8, a plan view of the lower side of the components shown in Figure 6 of the second embodiment; Y

Figure 9, an enlarged perspective representation of a circumferential segment of the anvil wheel of the second embodiment with the bags closed. twenty

In figure 1 the reference number 2 designates a flat band, which is removed from a supply coil 4. The flat band is composed of a water permeable fabric and is provided to a folding unit 6, in which it is transformed the flat band 2 by configuring a fold 8 on the lower side to give a band 10 closed on one side by folding. Through a deflection roller 12, the band 10 closed on the lower side is provided to a rotary welding unit 14. This welding unit 14 has welding jaws 17; 19 arranged distributed around the circumference of two welding cylinders 16, 18 and acting together, which in each case are operated together by rotating the welding cylinders 16, 18, so that when the closed band 10 is caught On the lower side, in each case, a transverse weld seam is configured, dividing transverse weld seams located behind each other chambers. 30

Next to the rotary welding unit 14, a nozzle 20 is provided, which blows pulsedly into the individual chambers now divided, to open them. Now, a separation unit 22 individualizes the open bags 30 above. This separation unit 22 may be formed by a blade that acts from the bottom side, which acts cyclically on the band 10 to divide the individual bags 30. While these bags are already cut with their free front end and with their rear end still attached to the band, the front end is grasped with a grip unit 24. This grip unit 24 comprises two circulating belts 26, in which approximately with the transverse distance of the transverse weld seams, retention ribs 28 are fixed, whose lateral distance from each other is sized such that they can hold the double layer material of the band together. In individualized and open sacks 30 on the upper side in this way, which are held with their front and rear ends in each case between the retaining ribs 28, a filling tube 32 is now submerged. This filling tube 32 is dimensioned with respect to the bag 30 in such a way that, after releasing the bag 30 by means of the grip unit 24, the bag 30 can be supported and guided vertically on a movement path 34.

On the movement path, the bags 30 are filled through the filling tube 32 and in this respect they are preferably rotated simultaneously 90 °, so that now the fold 8 is at a right angle to 45 with respect to the direction of movement.

The free open ends of the bags 30 are then deformed through a slide 36, so that the edges of the bags are placed against each other at a right angle to the edge 8. Prepared in this way, these edges are now welded with a welding device 38. As a result, a tetrahedron-shaped tea bag 40 is removed from the production path. fifty

Figures 2 to 9 illustrate a second embodiment of a device according to the invention, having removed in part 2 some parts of the device, so that Figure 2 only illustrates the path of a band indicated with the reference number 10, already folded once. Figure 2 shows a bag welding unit indicated with the reference number 100, which comprises a toothed anvil wheel 110, in which

a plurality of projections 112 are arranged which, through a widened foot 114, are joined with the external, otherwise cylindrical circumference of the anvil wheel 110. The front side of the projections 112 has a corresponding geometric configuration, in plan view, to an enveloping surface around all projections 112. However, the front side of projections 112 may also be curved with a convexity greater than this enveloping surface. The concrete contour of the front side of the projections 112 depends on the material properties of the flat band 2 that forms the band 10 as well as the parameters of a sonotrode indicated with the reference number 116.

As can be seen in Figure 2, in any case the band 10 closed by the lower side is deflected through a deflection roller and is provided to the anvil wheel 110 such that the band 10 is essentially supported tangential against the front side of the projections 112. In this regard, about 10 grip units, which will be described further below, grab the band 10 and drag it in the direction of rotation of the anvil wheel 110. In any case the band 10, in the area of the sonotrode 116, extends essentially in a straight line between the front sides of the projections 112, said gripping unit being located radially within an imaginary enveloping surface around the projections 112 and, therefore, does not collide with the sonotrode 116. 15

The projections 112 have a height greater than the band 10 closed on the lower side. Correspondingly, longitudinal segments of the projections 112 protruding from the band 10 above and below the band 10 can be seen. The sonotrode 116 has a sonotrode head 118, whose length in the direction of extension of a rotation axis 120 of the anvil wheel 110 essentially corresponds to the length of the projections 112 in this direction. The sonotrode head 118 has an essentially rectangular active surface, which can be arranged 20 in front of the front side of the projections 112. However, this active surface is arranged obliquely in relation to the front side of the projections 112, so that the active surface of the sonotrode 116 does not cover at all times the entire opposite surface formed by the projections 112. Correspondingly, the oscillation caused by the sonotrode 116 only acts on a small longitudinal fragment of the band 10 provided between the sonotrode 116 and the corresponding projection 112, the longitudinal fragment extending in the direction of the rotation axis 120.

The shortest distance between the sonotrode head 118 and the front side of the projection 112 is sized such that the double material of the band 10 is separated by the oscillating head of the sonotrode 116, while the surface areas of the band 110 arranged adjacent thereto, between the front side of the projections 112 and the sonotrode 116 are closed by welding, without considerable weakening of the material of the band 30. Correspondingly, the band 10 closed by the lower side by folding after passing through the sonotrode 116, at the height of the projections 116, in each case a separation seam 124, through which the band 10 is separated into longitudinal segments according to the width of the bags to be formed, as well as transverse welds 126 arranged on both sides of the separation seam 124. In this respect the separation seam 124 may be configured such that only one at a certain force of traction acting on the separation seam 124 it really separates the individual longitudinal segments of the bags 30 configured by the transverse welds 126, only not yet closed by the upper side. After passing through the bag welding unit 100, the bags 30 thus formed are essentially guided by the outer circumference of the anvil wheel 110. Additionally, the individual bags 30 are pivoted about their central longitudinal axis, until the fold 8 initially extending 40 tangentially between the front sides of the individual projections 112 is arranged radially with respect to the axis of rotation 120 of the anvil wheel 110 (see Figure 2, last bag 30 in the direction of rotation of the anvil wheel 110).

Fig. 3 shows a perspective plan view of the anterior circumferential segment of the anvil wheel 110 shown in Fig. 2, in addition to the components shown in Fig. 2, a round dosing disk 200 indicated with the number reference 200, which in the circumferential direction has several filling tubes 210, the separation of which essentially corresponds to the passage of the anvil wheel 110 and protruding from a loading side 220 of the dosing disk 200. On a feeding side 225, top in the plan view according to FIG. 3, the dosing disk 100 has funnel openings 230 leading to the filling tubes 210 and leading flush with the feed side 225 of the dosing disk 200 flat 50 at that point , which are arranged with a reduced circumferential distance from each other.

The filling tubes 210 are chamfered at their free end and therefore are formed by finishing at the tip. In addition, as can be seen in Figure 3, an axis of rotation of the dosing disk 200 indicated with the reference number 240 is angled in relation to the axis of rotation 120 of the anvil wheel 110. In this regard, The axis of rotation 120 of the anvil wheel 110 or the axis of rotation 240 of the dosing disc 200 can extend vertically. In any case, the dosing disk 200 only tilts relative to the vertical with its axis of rotation 240, such that the filling product deposited on the feed side 225 does not slip. Due to the oblique position between the axis of rotation 120 of the anvil wheel 110 and the axis of rotation 240 of the dosing disc 200, the filling tubes 210 are only immersed in the bags 30 for a particular circumferential segment with respect to the circumference of the anvil wheel 110. The relative movement between the filling tubes 210 and the bags 30 in this direction, which is preferably strictly vertical, depends solely on the degree of the oblique position between the two axes 120, 240.

On the supply side 225 of the dosing disk 200 there is a weighing unit indicated with the reference number 250 (Figure 4) with a conveyor belt 242 which, with its loading end, is arranged below a dosing unit 260, specifically below an outlet tube 262 of the dosing unit 260, comprising a driven spindle 264, which penetrates a dosing funnel 266 and the outlet tube 262. The end of the conveyor belt 252 opposite the loading end ejects a product 5 continuously loaded on the conveyor belt 252 on the surface of the dosing disk 200, specifically between the funnel openings 230 and a pushing element 268, which is stationary associated with the weighing unit 250 and whose active thrust surface is arranged radially outwardly with respect to the weighing unit 250 and finally ends at the height of the funnel openings 230.

The spindle drive 264 and the output signal of the weighing unit 250 are linked to each other through a control unit not shown. The weighing unit 250 measures the weight of the product deposited on the weighing unit 250, which even with an ideal volumetric dosage can vary due to sedimentation. As a result of this variation, the weighing unit 250 measures variable masses of the product cord deposited on the conveyor belt 252. This weight signal is evaluated through the control and causes a change in the speed of rotation of the spindle 264 acting on the associated drive motor in the spindle 264 with the objective 15 that a predetermined longitudinal segment of the dough cord deposited on the feed side 225 of the dosing disk 200 has a constant mass weight. Particularly interesting is the dough cord that in each case is removed by a funnel opening 230. The objective is that despite the sedimentation and the different density of the bulk product a filling is achieved, essentially constant as regards by weight, of the 30 individual bags. twenty

Figure 5 shows a representation essentially corresponding to Figure 3 for another circumferential segment of the anvil wheel 110 and illustrates a welding unit, indicated with reference number 300, to close the bag. This welding unit has a stationary anvil 310, which is disposed between the bag 30 to be closed and the cylindrical surface that surrounds the projections 112. On the opposite side to the stationary anvil 310 is a rotary sonotrode 320, which can be operated at the speed with which the bags 30 are driven through the welding unit 300.

The components described above of the embodiment example can be seen in Figure 6. Additionally, a gripping arrangement indicated with the reference number 400 is shown, which is essentially provided on the lower side of the anvil wheel 110, directed in the opposite direction to the dosing disk 200. This gripping arrangement 400 has a plurality of units of grip 410 essentially rotating on a circular path, whose essential components can be seen in Figures 7A to G and 8. Accordingly, each grip unit 410 is supported by a grip base indicated with reference number 412, which supports pairs of grip arms 414 pivotally operated. At the free ends of in each case two folding arms 416 a folding arm 418 is arranged, whose free end protrudes from the grip base 412 and is provided with folding projections 420 as a hammerhead. The folding arms 418 in the anterior area are curved towards each other by way of a fork and, in the position indicated in Figure 7, enclose flat clamping jaws 422 of the grip unit 410, which are pivotally mounted around of an axis extending parallel to the fold 8, that is, around an axis that extends essentially horizontally, this pivoting axis of the clamping jaws 422 itself can pivot through a fork carrier around of an axis at right angles, which extends vertically. The fork carrier 426 40 is pivotally and operably mounted thereon on the grip base 412. The pivoting movement of the fork carrier 426 as well as the pivoting movement of the clamping jaws 422 can occur in a controlled manner through of slides that, depending on the angle of rotation of the grip unit 410 with respect to the center of rotation M (figure 8), cause the necessary movements of the grip unit 410.

Figure 8 shows a plan view of the lower side of the embodiment described above, the grip arrangement 400 being arranged upstream of the anvil wheel 110. The anvil wheel 110 and the grip arrangement 400 rotate around the center common M. In this regard, the grip arrangement 400 has for each grip unit 410 additionally a longitudinal guide, through which each individual grip unit 410 can move in translation in the radial direction. Figure 8 shows schematically grip holders 426, which are movably mounted in the radial direction on 50 radii 428 of the grip arrangement 400. Different radial positions of these grip holders 426 can be seen in relation to the point of turn or center M.

The functionality of the individual grip units 410 is shown below with reference to positions indicated in figure 8 with the reference numbers A to G. In these positions, the activation elements of the grip unit 410 have the respective positions according to figures 7A to 7G. 55

In the position shown in Figure 7A, that is, with a rotation angle of 0 ° of the fork carrier 424 in relation to the grip base 412 and open clamping jaws 422, the grip support 426 is in a radial position internal, which in figure 8 is indicated by the reference number A. In this respect, the deviated band 10 is disposed between the open clamping jaws 422, which in position B are closed by pivoting and hold the fold 8 of the band 10 closed at the bottom side. The corresponding position of the clamping jaws 422 is shown in Figure 7B. In this regard, the fork carrier 424 still has an angle of

pivoted from 0º, that is, it is in the initial position.

With this orientation, the band 10 passes through the bag welding unit 100.

The fork carrier 424 is then pivoted, submerging during this pivoting movement the filling tubes 210 in the bags 30 (see Figure 6). The folding arms 418 remain in their initial position indicated in Figures 7A and 7B. In position D (see Figure 8) the bag 30 has been pivoted 90 °, so that the fold 8 which initially extends tangentially in relation to the anvil wheel 110, is now oriented radially towards the center M (see Figure 7D). The pivoting movement of the fork carrier 424 ends with it. The pivoting movement of the pairs of grip arms 414, that is, of the folding arms 418 (see Figure 7E), begins. In this regard, the folding arms 418 rest against the transverse welding seams 126 of the bags 30 and slide towards the open end of the bag 30. In this respect the bag 30 is folded. The longitudinal sides of the band 10 initially opposed to each other they fold down the center (fold K - see figures 7D to F). Around this fold K a pivoting of the upper edge segments of the bag 30 occurs, until the longitudinal segments containing in the center the transverse weld 126 face each other at the mouth of the bag (see Figure 7F).

When the pivoting movement of the folding arms 418 continues, these open longitudinal segments 15 of the mouth of the bag are pressed against each other, so that a contact area 430 formed approximately with the thickness of the fold 8 is configured (see Figure 7G). Then the pivoting movement of the folding arms 418 from its initial position (see Figure 7A, B) to its final position (see Figure 7G) also ends. The stationary anvil 310 and the rotary sonotrode 320 are now guided to the contact area 430 and welded. twenty

Figure 9 shows in the left position this closure on the upper side of the bag 30 and thus the manufacture of the tea bag 40. In the next position H, the folding arms 418 have already moved down again. In the position indicated with I, the folding arms 418 have already been pivoted back to their initial position. In position J according to figure 9, the tea bags 40 terminated in the radial direction are removed, for example by a pressurized air blow, which is applied through an air nozzle disposed between the tea bag 40 and the 25 anvil wheel 110. In position K, the clamping jaws 422 are pivoted back to the initial position and opened.

The following procedure is then obtained:

In a continuous movement, the band 10 initially rested tangentially against the anvil wheel 110 is supported. In the bag welding unit 110 individual chambers are generated by 30 transverse welds 126. Different sacks 30 already obtained are essentially separated. by separation seam 124, which have not yet been individualized and which appear as a continuous piece. Now, by pivoting the fork carriers 424, the bags 30 are individualized. In this respect, the individualization is produced by superimposing a pivoted movement of the fork carriers 424 with a simultaneous radial movement of the grip holders 426 along of radii 428 out. In this way, a certain radial distance is created between the bags 30 and the surrounding surface around the projections 112, so that the bags open on one side can then be guided through the anvil 310 radially upstream of the anvil wheel 110 In the context of a continuous rotary movement around the center M, the bags 30 are pivoted 90 °, so that now the fold 8 adopts a radial orientation. The bags 30 are folded with their wall segments protruding from the fold 8, which are initially oriented parallel to the fold 8, so that these parallel wall segments are provided with the central double K. Next, the side walls of the bag 30 facing each other, provided with the transverse weld 126, are brought into contact with each other by an additional pivoting of the folded arms 418 with pretension and finally closed in the contact area 430 to configure an additional welding seam 432 by means of the unit weld 300. This additional weld seam 132 extends at right angles to the fold 8, so that a tetrahedron-shaped bag with four side surfaces, a bottom-side fold and three weld seams 432, 126 is configured. arranged at right angles to each other.

Then, while maintaining the support by means of the clamping jaws 422, the folding arms 418 are pivoted back to their initial position. Only after the withdrawal of the finished tea bags 40 occurs by opening the clamping jaws 422. After this station H, the fork carrier 424 is pivoted back to its initial position, in which the shaft pivoting of the clamping jaws 422 extends essentially tangentially in the center M. In the angular segment between the position 7 C and 7 D according to the representation in figure 8, the thrust element 268, on the supply side 225, pushes the dough cord of the product deposited therein into the funnel openings 230, so that the product is introduced into the bags 30 through the filling tubes 210. 55

List of reference symbols

2 flat band

4 supply coil

6 folding path

8 fold

10 closed band on the bottom side

12 deflection roller

14 rotary welding unit 5

16 welding cylinder

17 welding jaw

18 welding cylinder

19 welding jaw

20 nozzle 10

22 separation unit

24 grip unit

26 tape

28 retention nerve

30 bag 15

32 filling tube

34 movement path

36 sliding

38 welding device

40 tea bag 20

100 bag welding unit

110 anvil wheel

112 outgoing

114 foot

116 sonotrode 25

118 sonotrode head

120 axis of rotation of the anvil wheel

124 separation seam

126 cross welding

200 dosing disc 30

210 filling tube

220 load side

225 feed side

230 funnel opening

240 axis of rotation of the dosing disc 35

250 weighing unit

252 conveyor belt

260 dosage unit

262 outlet tube

264 spindle

266 dosing funnel

268 thrust element 5

300 welding unit

310 anvil

320 sonotrode

400 grip arrangement

410 grip unit 10

412 grip base

414 pair of grip arms

416 grip arm

418 folding arm

420 folding arm protrusion 15

422 clamping jaw

424 fork carrier

426 grip holder

428 radios

430 contact zone 20

432 additional welding seam

M center / pivot point

K fold

Claims (12)

1. Procedure for the manufacture of bags (40), in particular infusion bags, in which a flat band (2) is folded longitudinally for the configuration of a band (10) closed on the lower side by means of a fold (8) , cameras provided one after the other are divided in the longitudinal direction of the band (10), in which by means of a separation seam (124), which is configured between adjacent chambers, bags (30) open on one side of the band (10) are separated, the chambers are filled with product after the configuration of the separation seam (124) and by means of a welding seam (432) on the opposite side of the fold (8) and by means of separating the band (10) closed and individualized bags (40) are removed, characterized in that 10 The welding seam (432) is configured extending essentially at right angles to the fold (8) and because the bags (30) opened on one side are pivoted before closing in such a way that the fold (8) is oriented essentially at right angles to the direction of advancement of the bags (30). 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the material forming the bags (40), at least 15 before configuring the separation seam (124) and until closing on the side opposite the fold (8), moves continuously. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the material forming the bags (40) moves continuously essentially around a pivot point (M). Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the material that forms the bags (40), 20 before configuring the separation seam (124) until the closure on the side opposite the fold, is grasped and transported by a grip unit (410, 422) associated with an individual bag (40), until the bag (40) is manufactured by closing on the side opposite the fold (8). 5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that bags (30) open on one side are individualized. 25 6. Device for the manufacture of bags, in particular infusion bags, with a folding unit to fold a flat band, a grip arrangement (400) that grips the folded band (10) with a plurality of grip units (410) that move around a pivot point (M) to hold the fold (8); a rotary dosing disk (200) with a feed side (225) for applying the product and an opposite loading side (210), from which a plurality of filling tubes (210) protrude, which can be introduced into formed chambers by the band (10), whose axis of rotation (240) is oriented obliquely with respect to a axis of rotation (120) of the anvil wheel and / or of the gripping arrangement (400); a welding unit (300) to close the bag (40) and a withdrawal unit for removing the bag (40), 35 characterized by that the gripping units (422) are configured in such a way that they hold the flat band (2) by the fold (8), because a bag welding unit (100) is provided which comprises a toothed anvil wheel (110) and moves around the pivot point (M) and a sonotrode (116) that acts together with projections (112) of the anvil wheel (110) for configuring bags (30) that make up chambers and separated between the chambers by a seam of separation (124), because the gripping units (422) are pivotally mounted in each case so that the bags are pivoted before closing so that the fold (8) is oriented essentially at right angles to the direction of advance of the bags (30), and 45 because the welding unit (300) is arranged so that it can close the bag (30) with a welding seam that extends essentially at right angles to the fold (8). Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the sonotrode (116) is stationary and obliquely oriented with respect to the anvil projections (112). Device for manufacturing bags according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the welding unit (300) for closing the bags (40) has a stationary anvil (310), which is arranged between the anvil wheel (110 ) and a sonotrode (320). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the sonotrode is a rotary sonotrode (320). Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the grip unit (422) is mounted on a grip base (412), which pivotally supports at least two folding arms (418) that act over the open end of the bag. Device according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the grip units (422) are mounted so that they can move in translation in the radial direction of the grip arrangement (400). 10 12. Device according to one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that a dosing unit (260) and a weighing unit (250) are associated to the supply side (225) of the dosing disk (200), which detects a mass flow supplied by the dosing unit (260), and because a control is provided that compares a real value of the mass flow detected by the weighing unit (250) with a theoretical value and, based on this comparison, controls the flow mass supplied by the dosing unit (260).