GB2225981A - Method and apparatus for feeding material - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for feeding material Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2225981A
GB2225981A GB8923702A GB8923702A GB2225981A GB 2225981 A GB2225981 A GB 2225981A GB 8923702 A GB8923702 A GB 8923702A GB 8923702 A GB8923702 A GB 8923702A GB 2225981 A GB2225981 A GB 2225981A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
strip
article
leading end
container
predetermined
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8923702A
Other versions
GB8923702D0 (en
Inventor
Uwe Lehnhardt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
DOBOY Ltd
Original Assignee
DOBOY Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by DOBOY Ltd filed Critical DOBOY Ltd
Publication of GB8923702D0 publication Critical patent/GB8923702D0/en
Publication of GB2225981A publication Critical patent/GB2225981A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/04—Applying separate sealing or securing members, e.g. clips
    • B65B51/06—Applying adhesive tape
    • B65B51/062—Applying adhesive tape to the mouths of bags
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/78—Means for handling the parts to be joined, e.g. for making containers or hollow articles, e.g. means for handling sheets, plates, web-like materials, tubular articles, hollow articles or elements to be joined therewith; Means for discharging the joined articles from the joining apparatus
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
    • B29C66/1122—Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/47—Joining single elements to sheets, plates or other substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/472—Joining single elements to sheets, plates or other substantially flat surfaces said single elements being substantially flat
    • B29C66/4722—Fixing strips to surfaces other than edge faces

Abstract

A leading one of a succession of articles 1 is brought along a feed path 2, to a predetermined position at which the leading edge of article 1 defines a datum position 7. The leading end 5A of a strip or elongate material 3 is also brought, from a supply 4 thereof, to position 7. The article 1 and strip 3 are fed together along common feed path 2 to a sealing device 13 until perforations made on strip 3 by a perforator 10 align with position 7. The strip 3 is clamped by means 12 between points B and C so that strip 3 separates at the perforations from the rest while being pulled by the feeding thereof. A new leading edge of strip 3 is thereby produced at position 7 and the clamp 12 is released and the cycle repeated. The device 13 incorporates means for feeding strip 3 and article (container) combination 15 through device 13 at such a rate that strip 3 is heated sufficiently to activate heat responsive adhesive applied to strip 3 and incorporates pressing means. <IMAGE>

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING MATERIAL This invention relates to the control of the feeding of material in elongate or strip form.
In particular, the present invention is concerned with the feed of strip material which is required to be brought into a predetermined relationship with respect to other material, articles, objects or the like, hereinafter collectively referred to as articles.
A particular application of the concepts of the present invention is in the forming of and/or the sealing of containers such as bags, sacks or the like which lie flat when empty and which are conventionally initially in tubular form and which are formd into containers and also sealed by closing the ends of the tubular member.
Often such containers are formed from sheet material which during the initial production stages of the containers is folded over so as to define a continuous tubular length of the material in which overlapping longitudinal edges of the tubular length are suitably secured together by adhesives.
Following this production stage the continuous length of tubular material is separated into individual container lengths and a first end of each such length is sealed in such manner as to provide a container sealed at one end.
There are many modes of closing this first end of the container and the nature of the closure adopted is related to the manner in which the initial tubular form was folded i.e., with or without gussets, pleats or the like.
The containers as so far produced can be regarded as the finished bag, sack or the like.
During the use of such a container the latter is filled with what ever material a user requires and following such filling operation it is clearly necessary to close and seal the now filled container.
In practice, this sealing of a filled container has presented a number of problems which are frequently related to the speed or rate at which it is required to close and seal the filled containers, the nature of the container filling, the required degree of security for the sealing mode adopted, and the realisation that the subsequent opening and/or handling of the container needs to be facilitated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide methods of and apparatus for for the handling of material in strip or elongate form in conjunction with a series of descrete articles.
A particular object of the present invention is the provision of and the feeding, predetermined lengths of strip material for the purposes of forming and/or sealing a container, to a location at which the strip can be brought into a desired relationship with an open end of a container or the like so that the strip material is correctly positioned for the purposes of being usable for sealing the container.
Broadly, according to a first aspect of the invention thee is provided a method of bringing a length of strip or elongate material into a required positional relationship with an article (as hereinbefore considered), comprising the steps of bringing the leading end of the strip and a predetermined region or zone of an article into a predetermined positional relationship to each other , advancing the strip and article along a predetermined combined feed path to a location at which a desired operation is to be effected upon the strip and article, physically separating a predetermined length of the strip material from a supply thereof in such manner as to establish a further leading end to the strip material and controlling said further leading end for subsequent cooperation with a following article.
Conveniently, the method includes the step of introducing a line of weakness across the width of the strip, and separating the strip along the line.of weakness when the leading end of the strip has reached a predetermined position in the strip and article combined feed path.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for bringing a length of strip or elongate material into a required positional relationship with an article (as hereinbefore considered), and comprising means for bringing the leading end of the strip and a predetermined region or zone of an article into a predetermined positional relationship to each other, means for advancing the strip and article along a predetermined feed path, means cooperating with the feed path for effecting a desired operation upon the strip and article, means for enabling the physical separation of 8 predetermined length of the strip material from a supply thereof thereby to form a further leading end to the strip material from the supply, and means for controlling said further leading end for subsequent cooperation with a following article.
A further aspect of the invention provideds apparatus for bringing a length of strip or elongate material into a required positional relationship with respect to an opening in an article, bag, container or the like for the purposes of sealing the article, bag, container or the like, including means for feeding the leading end of the strip material into a predetermined location in the feed path thereof; means for bringing a predetermined region of the article, bag, container or the like to said predetermined location; means for advancing the strip material leading end and the article, bag, container or the like along a predetermined combined feed path, means for cooperating with this combined feed path for effecting a desired sealing operation between the strip material and the article, bag, container or the like, means for enabling the physical separation of a predetermined length of the strip material from a supply thereof thereby to produce a further leading end to the strip material; and means for controlling said further leading end for subsequent advance by the leading end advancing means Before considering the proposals of the invention in detail it is convenient to note that a particular application of the apparatus of the invention is to bring predetermined lengths of strip material into positional alignment with an opening at an end or side of a tubular blank for forming a container or an opening of a filled container so that the strip material and the opening in the blank or container can be simultaneously moved to a zone wherein the strip material can be secured to the container in such manner as to seal or at least to contribute to the sealing of said opening.
In so far as the present invention is concerned it is of practial importance that the strip material correctly aligns with the container end or blank end to be closed in the sense that the strip material is correctly set at the correct level lengthwise of the container or blank end and, in addition, such that the length of the strip material presented to the container or blank end is as close as possible of the same length as the length of the opening of the blank or container end, and in addition is not positionally offset with respect to the opening.
To achieve this desired relationship between the strip material and the blank or container end it is necessary to provide means for locating the leading end of the strip material accurately relative to the leading edge of the blank or container opening, and means for determining the length of the strip length it is required to cut or otherwise remove from the continuous length, whilst at the same time maintaining control over the leading edge of the strip material whereby the next strip length can be brought into the desired positional alignment with the open end of the next blank to be formed into a container or container to be sealed.
This above discussed combination of requirements is achieved with the apparatus of the invention as will be considered in relation to the accompanying drawings which it is shown how to carry the same into effect, and in which: Figure 1 very schematically depicts the principles upon which apparatus incorporating the features of the invention is based, the Figure illustating a first operational stage in the use of the apparatus; and Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the apparatus of Figure 1 when in a further operational setting.
Referring now to the drawings arrangements (not shown) are provided for feeding filled containers, bags, sacks or the like 1 in succession along a primary feed path 2.
Feed arrangements to be discussed hereinafter are provided for feeding strip material 3 i.e., a tape, from a supply thereof 4 such that the leading end portion 5 of the tape 3 is caused at least during the final stages of its movement to move along said primary feed path in close proximity to the container end that is to be sealed (or formed if it is required to form containers from tubular blanks) and such that the leading end 5 of the tape 3 is aligned with the leading edge 6 of the container during its movement along said primary feed path 2.
In the apparatus as shown, means are provided for defining a datum or reference position 7 at which it is ensured that the actual tape end 5A and the container leading edge 6 are correctly positioned relative to each other.
The tape is guided from the supply 4 a along tape feed path by quide arrangements including rolls 8,9 which can be arranged singularly or in pairs.
A tape perforating device 10 which is selectively positonally adjustable lengthwise of a reference scale 11 and a tape clamping or movement braking device 12 are positioned so as resepectively to engage with a tape during its passage along the tape feed path.
The perforating device 10 is selectively positionally adjustable with respect to its reference scale ill so that the length of the tape between the datum position 7 and the perforator device 10 is set as close as possible equal to the length of the open end of the container that is to be closed.
As may be noted from the drawing this particular tape length is equal to the sums of the tape portions A to B, B to C, and C to D.
The actual securing of the tape to the blank or container is effected by a tape and blank/container sealing unit 13. When the tape is coated with a heat responsive adhesive the sealing unit includes adhesives a heating unit (not separately shown). The sealing unit incorporates means for feeding the tape and container combination 15 through the sealing unit at such a rate that the tape is heated sufficiently to activate the heat responsive adhesive applied to the tape. Also the unit will incorporate means (not Shown) for pressing the tape/strip firmly against the container to ensure a satisfactory bonding of the tape length to the container.
It will be appreciated that various forms of adhesive could be used and that the means provided for the activation of the adhesive would be appropriate to the form of adhesive being used.
The operation of the apparatus as so far dicussed will now be considered. It will be presumed that the blanks/containers 1 are being delivered in succession along the primary feed path 2 and that the leading end 5 of the tape 3 is located at the datum position 7.
When the tape leading end is at this position the perforator device 10 is actuated so as to produce a line of perforations in the tape which defines a line of weakness across the width of the tape i.e., a line easy separation in the tape. Following the perforation operation operation the tape and the blank/container are moved together by a tape feed roll arrangement schematically shown at 14 towards the tape sealing unit 13. In practice, there will be a plurality of rolls such as 14 spaced along the primary feed path 2 which serve not only to advance the tape container combination in unison but also make sure that relative displacements cannot take place.
Arrangements (not shown) are provided for detecting when the line of perforations has reached the datum position 7 and when the perforation line is thus detected the tape clamping device 12 is operated to lock the tape portion between the points B and C against movement.
In practice, there are various possibilities for locating the arrival of the blank/container and trailing end of the strip length at the datum position. For example, arrangements can be provided for detecting when the blank/container passes a particular position in the travel thereof along the primary feed path 2.
Since the arrangements (not shown) provided for advancing the tape and container combination 15 into the sealing unit 13 are still operating pull is exerted upon the tape which is separated at the easy severing line i.e., the perforation line. At this point the tape length plus container combination continues to advance into the sealing unit 13.
Meanwhile, the next blank/container combination 15 to be sealed has been advanced to position at which its leading edge is detected at the datum position or line 7. The feed rolls 14 for the tape plus blank/container combination 15 are then caused to commence effective drive to the tape and the further blank/container together. At the same time the tape clamp device 12 is unlocked thereby to allow feed of the tape. In addition, the perforator device 10 is actuated so as to produce a new line of perforations in the tape 3.
It will be appreciated that all of the operational movements of the various devices are suitably synchronised with each other and with the feed of the blanks/containers.
The Figure 2 illustrates the situation at which the tape has separated at the line of perforations and the tape and container combination 15 is partially entered into the sealing unit 13 and is moving into region of the adhesive activation arrangements provided i.e.,in the heating unit. At the same time said further container has advanced towards the datum position to be in a setting to be brought into cooperation with the new leading end 5 of the tape 3.
It is to be appreciated that whilst the above discussion has been directed to the sealing of an end of a blank/container that is the conventionally shorter length of the blank/container #ectangular shape the apparatus could be used for sealing longer edges in the event that openings to be sealed are at the longer edges of the blank/container.

Claims (14)

1. A method of bringing a length of strip or elongate material into a required positional relationship with an article (as hereinbefore considered), comprising the steps of bringing the leading end of the strip and a predetermined region or zone of an article into a predetermined positional relationship to each other , advancing the strip and article along a predetermined combined feed path to a location at which a desired operation is to be effected upon the strip and article, physically separating a predetermined length of the strip material from a supply thereof in such manner as to establish a further leading end to the strip material and controlling said further leading end for subsequent cooperation with a following article.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, and including the step of introducing a line of weakness across the width of the strip, and separating the strip along the line of weakness when the leading end of the strip has reached a predetermined position in the strip and article combined feed path.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the advance of the strip to the supply side of the line of weakness is stopped whilst still advancing the leading end portion of the strip thereby to exert sufficient pull on the strip as to cause the strip to sever along the line of weakness.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3, and wherein the line of weakness is produced by introducing a line of perforations in the srip.
5. A method of bringing a length of strip or elongate material into a required positional relationship with an article, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6, An article and strip combination when produced by the method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5.
7. Apparatus for bringing a length of strip or elongate material into a required positional relationship with an article (as hereinbefore considered), and comprising means for bringing the leading end of the strip and a predetermined region or zone of an article into a predetermined positional relationship to each other, means for advancing the strip and article along a predetermined feed path, means cooperating with the feed path for effecting a desired operation upon the strip and article, means for enabling the physical separation of a predetermined length of the strip material from a supply thereof thereby to form a further leading end to the strip material from the supply, and means for controlling said further leading end for subsequent cooperation with a following article.
8. Apparatus for bringing a length of strip or elongate material into a required positional relationship with respect to an opening in an article, bag, container or the like for the purposes of sealing the article, bag, container or the like, including means for feeding the leading end of the strip material into a predetermined location in the feed path thereof; means for bringing a predetermined region of the article, bag, container or the like to said predetermined location; means for advancing the strip material leading end and the article, bag, container or the like along a predetermined combined feed path, means for cooperating with this combined feed path for effecting a desired sealing operation between the strip material and the article, bag, container or the like, means for enabling the physical separation of a predetermined length of the strip material from a supply thereof thereby to produce a further leading end to the strip material; and means for controlling said further leading end for subsequent advance by the leading end advancing means to said location at which it is caused to cooperate with the next article, bag, container or the like.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8,and including means for introduc:ing a line of weakness into the strip at a predetermined position therein with respect to the leading end thereby to define a predetermined length of the strip upon the separation of the leading end at the line of weakness.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, and including means for arresting the movement of the strip material to the supply side of the line of weakness whilst maintaining the advance of the leading end of the strip.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10, and including means for introducing a-line of perforations at locations where a said line of weakness is required.
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8,9,10 or 11, and including means for braking the advance of the strip material to the supply side of the line of weakness.
13. Apparatus for bringing a length of strip or elongate material into a required positional relationship with respect to an an article, bag, container or the like constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompa ying drawings.
14. A bag, container or the like when sealed by apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8,9,10,11,12 or 13.
GB8923702A 1988-10-21 1989-10-20 Method and apparatus for feeding material Withdrawn GB2225981A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB888824770A GB8824770D0 (en) 1988-10-21 1988-10-21 Method & apparatus for feeding material

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8923702D0 GB8923702D0 (en) 1989-12-06
GB2225981A true GB2225981A (en) 1990-06-20

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Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB888824770A Pending GB8824770D0 (en) 1988-10-21 1988-10-21 Method & apparatus for feeding material
GB8923702A Withdrawn GB2225981A (en) 1988-10-21 1989-10-20 Method and apparatus for feeding material

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB888824770A Pending GB8824770D0 (en) 1988-10-21 1988-10-21 Method & apparatus for feeding material

Country Status (1)

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GB (2) GB8824770D0 (en)

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB819509A (en) * 1956-03-13 1959-09-02 Od Vikar Christensson An improved method of and apparatus for applying strip material to packages
GB934866A (en) * 1960-06-23 1963-08-21 Od Vikar Christensson Improved apparatus for sealing packages which have closing flaps
GB940688A (en) * 1961-05-20 1963-10-30 Carl Neubronner A device for mechanically sealing packages with adhesive strips
GB2049607A (en) * 1979-03-28 1980-12-31 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Paper sheet bundling apparatus
EP0250353A2 (en) * 1986-06-20 1987-12-23 BEMIS COMPANY, Inc. Easy-open case taping
GB2203720A (en) * 1987-03-09 1988-10-26 Elliott Tape & Printing Compan Sealing tape with tear strip for packaging
WO1988008812A1 (en) * 1987-05-08 1988-11-17 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Process and device for application of a carrying grip during the automatic sealing of cartons

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB819509A (en) * 1956-03-13 1959-09-02 Od Vikar Christensson An improved method of and apparatus for applying strip material to packages
GB934866A (en) * 1960-06-23 1963-08-21 Od Vikar Christensson Improved apparatus for sealing packages which have closing flaps
GB940688A (en) * 1961-05-20 1963-10-30 Carl Neubronner A device for mechanically sealing packages with adhesive strips
GB2049607A (en) * 1979-03-28 1980-12-31 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Paper sheet bundling apparatus
EP0250353A2 (en) * 1986-06-20 1987-12-23 BEMIS COMPANY, Inc. Easy-open case taping
GB2203720A (en) * 1987-03-09 1988-10-26 Elliott Tape & Printing Compan Sealing tape with tear strip for packaging
WO1988008812A1 (en) * 1987-05-08 1988-11-17 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Process and device for application of a carrying grip during the automatic sealing of cartons

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8923702D0 (en) 1989-12-06
GB8824770D0 (en) 1988-11-30

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)