IT202000026173A1 - EQUIPMENT FOR CONTROLLED HANDLING OF BAGS - Google Patents

Description

Description of the invention entitled:

"EQUIPMENT FOR CONTROLLED HANDLING OF BAGS"

FIELD OF APPLICATION

Embodiments described here refer to an apparatus for preparing and controlled handling of bags for filling them, with bulk sterilized products coming from a sterilization machine, and sealing them.

STATE OF THE ART

? note the need, for example in the pharmaceutical or hospital fields, but also in other fields, such as the food one, of having to transport or store, in packaged conditions, quantities? pre-established, or random, of sterile products, or in any case which must be protected from possible contamination. There? being necessary to avoid contamination, or alterations, by substances with which said products could come into contact, such as: bacteria, germs, other corpuscles, particles or potentially pathogenic or harmful agents.

Said sterilized products are normally present, in all the areas indicated above, and are normally loose products, even of small size.

In the hospital, pharmaceutical or food sectors, loose products can by way of example be closure caps for containers intended to contain substances to be protected, or to be subjected to laboratory analyses, or containing medicines or small objects or instruments used in operating rooms or in laboratories, or in other areas.

Can these bulk products be made in a considerable variety? of materials, for example in: rubber, plastic, metal or its alloys. Before being used in hospitals or pharmaceuticals, these bulk products must be washed and/or sterilized using special machines before each use.

This use poses the need? to keep these products in suitable containers, such as bags or envelopes, there? allowing the maintenance of their condition of sterility? and useful life for their correct use.

Manual or semi-automatic apparatuses are known for heat-sealing bags containing sterilized loose products, coming from a washing and/or sterilization machine, which require the presence of a specific operator to be able to carry out some stages of the process. enveloping.

The main drawback of the known devices? due to the fact that the intervention of the operators, in particular sensitive phases of the enveloping, can? easily lead, at least, to a lack of sterility? and therefore to a possible contamination of the bagged products.

Apparatus for heat sealing are known which limit the intervention of the operator in the step of heat sealing and evacuation of the bags from the sterilization machine.

However, the handling of the bags for their positioning in the sterilizer machine and their evacuation from the machine itself after heat-sealing? performed manually by?operator who can? also introduce sources of contamination to the detriment of sterility? of the product.

So is there a need? to perfect an apparatus and a method for handling bags which can overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

Normally the pockets are initially defined by two facing walls, welded together laterally and possibly also in the lower part. Said walls are widened to create a compartment for containing the sterilized products to be bagged. When the desired number of said sterilized products ? been introduced into said compartment, the fourth side is welded creating a closed environment containing the sterilized products, said environment thus resulting? insensitive to the outside world in terms of any harmful content.

In particular, an object of the present invention ? that of obtaining an apparatus and a method for making and moving bags towards a filling and heat-sealing apparatus with possible sealing. There? being aimed at reducing, or canceling, the manual introduction of sterilized products, is it to guarantee the maintenance of sterility? of the said products.

Another purpose? to provide a possible and additional apparatus for handling bags which, possibly, allows to cooperate with an autonomous apparatus for optional filling and heat-sealing of the fourth side.

To obviate the drawbacks of the prior art and to obtain these and further objects and advantages, the Applicant has studied, tested and implemented the present invention.

DISCOVERY DISPLAY

The present found ? expressed and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims disclose other characteristics of the present invention or variants of the idea of the main solution.

In accordance with the aforementioned purposes, ? supplied equipment for handling bags and sealing them by welding, after filling with bulk sterilized products.

Also provided is a method for automatic bag filling. Normally, though not necessarily, the bagging of sterilized bulk products is performed in a sterile operating area, usually confined within a sterile room, or "clean room".

The handling equipment comprises an automated operator provided, at one end, with a handling head equipped with pick-up means for picking up said bag with the two broad faces substantially facing each other and with three sides, the two substantially vertical and the bottom , right? terminally sealed.

The manipulation head ? configured to provide, each time, a box-shaped body comprising a first containment section and a second containment section associated, or associable, with the first containment section, said sections define, at least partially, a box-shaped seat for the bag placed therein .

The first containment section and the second containment section can be coincident, or can face each other so that, when the bag ? associated with the manipulation head, each containment section ? facing a respective wide face of the pocket.

According to one aspect of the invention, the first containing section and the second containing section are separated by a first dimension able to define the maximum lateral deformation of the bag along an opening axis of the bag, substantially parallel to the two vertical sides of the bag.

An advantage of this positioning? that the bulk products which are discharged into the open bag are mainly distributed along a filling axis, orthogonal to the opening axis, limiting the expansion of the aforementioned bag along the opening axis, thus allowing uniform filling to be obtained of the bag volume.

This solution keeps the position of the sides of the bag stable in the heat-sealing equipment, allowing to obtain a precise and stable position of the flaps to be heat-sealed to safeguard sterility. of the internal content.

In addition, the resulting reduced lateral footprint of the bag reduces storage and transport costs since takes up less space for storage.

The invention also relates to a method for automatically filling the bags to be filled with bulk sterilized products.

The method includes:

- withdraw one bag at a time from the bag supply magazine; - position the bag in cooperation with the unloading opening of sterilized bulk products;

- stretch the bag in the desired direction;

- selectively opening the bag located in cooperation with the discharge opening to receive the bulk sterilized products;

- close the bag and stretch it in the desired direction,

- heat seal the bag containing the sterilized bulk products,

- place the bag in the unloading warehouse.

According to one aspect of the invention, the bag taken from the magazine and positioned, initially, in cooperation with the unloading opening and, subsequently, in the unloading magazine, by means of the apparatus.

The invention also describes a method for handling bags to be filled with sterilized bulk products which comprises associating the bag to the handling head of the automated operator by means of picking means and providing for the box-shaped body comprising the first containment section and the second containment section each facing the wide walls of the bag to confine, at least partially, the bag in the seat defined by the box-like body.

This configuration has the notable advantage that, during the processing cycle from bag pick-up, to its filling, heat-sealing and storage, there is no required the intervention of an operator excluding sources of contamination and obtaining a bag with reduced dimensions and a configuration that optimizes storage and space.

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DESIGNS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

figures 1-3 are a top view of an operating sequence of an apparatus for handling bags in accordance with the embodiments described herein;

- figure 4 ? a perspective view of a component of the bag handling apparatus in accordance with embodiments described herein;

- figure 5 ? a partially exploded perspective view of a component of the bag handling apparatus in accordance with embodiments described herein;

figures 6a-6b are a top view of an operating sequence of a component of the apparatus for handling bags in accordance with embodiments described herein;

figures 7a-7b are a top view of an operational sequence of a component of the apparatus for handling bags in accordance with other embodiments described herein;

- figure 8 ? a top view illustrating a heat sealing apparatus in association with a component of the apparatus for handling bags in accordance with embodiments described herein.

For ease of understanding, identical reference numerals have been used wherever possible to identify identical commonalities in the figures. It should be understood that elements and features of one embodiment may be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further specification.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Will it be done? now reference in detail to the possible embodiments of the invention, of which one or more? examples are illustrated in the attached figures by way of non-limiting example. Even the phraseology and terminology used here? for non-limiting example purposes.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate exemplary embodiments of an apparatus 10 and a related method for automatically filling bags 12. Generally, the bags 12 usable in conjunction with the embodiments described herein are bags with large plane-parallel walls with mutually joined sides and bottom in the sampling condition.

A heat-sealing apparatus 14 can? be associated with the apparatus 10 to form an automatic packaging apparatus 100.

In particular, the apparatus 10 ? equipped with a mechanized operator 18 presenting a manipulation head 20 which ? selectively cooperating with a bag feeding magazine 22, with a sterilizing machine 16 and with a filled bag magazine 34.

From the sterilizing machine 16 the open bags 12 receive the sterilized bulk products to be packaged which, once filled, are sealed by a heat-sealing device 14.

The sterilizing machine 16 includes a discharge opening (not shown) from which the sterilized loose products emerge to be conveyed to the heat-sealing apparatus 14 and discharged into the open bags 12 which, once filled, are sealed. For sterility requirements, at least the discharge opening of the sterilizing machine 16 is advantageously located in a sterile containment chamber 101, or ?clean room? which defines a sterile operating zone S circumscribed by the aforementioned sterile chamber in which the apparatus 10 and the heat-sealing apparatus 14 can also advantageously operate.

Sterile containment chamber 101? provided with a structure that includes containment walls configured to define the sterile operating area S and prevent access from the outside of contaminants that can compromise sterility? for example bacteria, viruses, even of submicron size.

The heat-sealing apparatus 14, the apparatus 10, the bag feeding magazine 22 and the unloading magazine 34 are enclosed in the sterile containment chamber 101. comprising a second heat-sealing apparatus not shown.

Entering Sterile Containment Chamber 101 can be allowed by an access made in a wall that can be closed by a watertight door.

The sterile containment chamber 101 can? be equipped with devices configured to create an atmospheric pressure greater than the external one inside the sterile operating area S to prevent the access of external contaminants from any unwanted cracks, for example, from a faulty closure of the watertight door.

Desired airflows directed into the sterile working area S may need to pass through special filters, for example HEPA filters for the removal of contaminants.

For convenience? of exposure, figures 1, 2 and 3 are shown without the structure of the sterile room which delimits the sterile operating area S.

According to the invention, the apparatus 10 comprises an automated operator 18 configured to pick up and suitably prepare a bag 12 which is brought to the heat-sealing apparatus 14 where it is filled with sterilized products and immediately sealed; once sealed, the bag 12 is moved to a suitable unloading area 34 and possibly stacked there or inserted into a second bag (double bag) for a new heat-sealing in the second heat-sealing station according to requirements.

The bags 12, in the bag feeding magazine 22, are each stacked with three sides sealed and effectively flattened to take up less space.

According to an evolutionary variant, in the bag feeding magazine 22 ? present a squashed tubular roll, which from time to time presents the desired length of the tubular element to the manipulation head 20, eventually seals its tail and cuts it, making the bag 12 available to the manipulation head 20.

The automated operator 18 includes a fixed base platform 28 upon which it is placed. rotatably associated with the robotic articulated arm 30.

The robotic articulated arm 30 ? essentially an anthropomorphic robotic arm that includes a plurality of articulated elements so as to allow movement according to a number of degrees of freedom? sufficient to allow the automated operator 18 to perform all the necessary manipulations and positionings avoiding the intervention of an operator for example 4 degrees of freedom, preferably 5 degrees of freedom, plus? preferably 6 degrees of freedom.

With reference to figure 1, ? the automated operator 18 is illustrated in a picking position in which it withdraws the bag 12, for example from the bag feeding magazine 22, in which the bags are advantageously stacked one on top of the other and correctly oriented.

In alternative variants, the automated operator 18 can? cooperate with an automatic bag delivery device (not shown) which actively supplies the bag 12 to the automated operator 18 from time to time.

The automated operator 18 ? configured to automatically move the bag 12 for subsequent filling.

With reference to figure 2, ? the automated operator 18 is illustrated in a filling position in which it cooperates with the heat-sealing apparatus 14 so that the bag 12 is filled with the sterile products and thermo-sealed.

Referring to figure 3, ? illustrated the automated operator 18 in an unloading position in which, once the bag 12 is been filled and sealed, ? range at the unloading area where it can? be positioned in a suitable unloading magazine 34 and possibly correctly stacked there.

According to an evolutionary variant, in the unloading warehouse 34 ? Is there a second heat-sealing station, in which the bag 12 is inserted into a second bag and heat-sealed in turn making the bag 12 available inside a second bag for a greater guarantee of sterility? and ease? subsequent handling outside the sterile containment chamber 101.

Control and command means can be provided which manage everything automatically (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 4, the manipulation head 20 is configured to provide, each time, a box-like body 26 comprising a first containment section 38 and a second containment section 40 that can be selectively coupled which define, at least partially, a specific and desired seat 36 for the bag 12.

The manipulation head 20, ? provided with withdrawal means 24 configured to withdraw the bag 12 or, to cooperate with delivery means suitable for the purpose.

The box-shaped body 26 ? provided with an upper opening 42 and possibly with a lower bottom 44 with support functions for the filled bag 12.

The box-shaped body 26 ? configured to contain, at least partially, the bag 12 and be associated with the sterilization 16 and/or heat-sealing apparatus 14 so that the bag 12 can be filled with the sterilized product and subsequently heat-sealed.

According to a variant, when the bag 12? associated with the manipulation head 20, said bag 12 can? exposing, above the seat 36, part of it through the opening 42 or other suitable opening.

This exposed part can be advantageously then made to cooperate with filling means of the bag 12.

As indicated, bag 12 can? be filled directly by the sterilizer 16 and then subjected to the action of the heat sealer 14, ie the sterilizer 16 delivers, in any known way, the sterilized products to the heat sealer which provides for the bagging and subsequent heat sealing.

The first and second containment sections 38 and 40 of the box-shaped body 26, when associated with each other to determine the seat 36, face a respective wide wall 12a and 12b of the bag 12 when the bag 12? associated with the withdrawal means 24.

In particular, the seat 36 ? shaped to house the bag 12 and operates in such a way that the separation of the wide walls 12a and 12b, to provide access to said bag 12, takes place on a precise opening axis X which is suitable for facilitating the insertion of the sterilized products. The first containment section 38 and the second containment section 40 are separated by a dimension D1 suitable for interfering the deformation of the bag 12 along the opening axis X of the bag 12. In particular, during the unloading of the loose products into the bag 12, the wide walls 12a and 12b interfere with the respective containment section 38, 40, blocking its expansion along the opening axis X.

According to an evolutionary variant, before the final heat-sealing of the bag 12, it can a desired level of vacuum be achieved in the bag.

The dimensions D1 (depth), D2 (width) and D3 (height), substantially define the volume of the seat 36.

D1, D2 and D3 dimensions can be selected based on one or more? parameters, linked to the size of the material to be inserted and/or in relation to the number of components to be inserted or to other factors deemed useful or necessary from time to time.

With the invention, the loose products which are introduced into the bag 12 are distributed in the bag 12 allowing to obtain a uniform filling of the volume of the bag 12 by being configured with the broad sides substantially flat parallel or tending to flat parallel, which facilitates both storage and the stacking.

AND? It is evident that the choice of the dimensions of the seat 36 allows the volume of the bag 12 to be defined in an appropriate and desired manner, and therefore the volume/quantity? of the products introduced from time to time.

The manipulation head 20 includes withdrawal means 24 configured to correctly associate with the bag 12 ( Figure 5 ).

In embodiments, the withdrawal means 24 can comprise one or more? suction cups 32 through which pu? be carried out a withdrawal of the bag 12 through the Venturi effect causing a vacuum effect between the Moon or more? suction cups 32 and the bag 12.

According to embodiments, one or more? suction cups 32 are connected, by means of a fluidic circuit 33, to a vacuum pump or other similar equipment (not shown).

In other embodiments, the withdrawal means 24 can be an adhesive material with non-permanent adhesive power allowing a cyclic association and dissociation to the bag(s).

Advantageously they are provided more? of a suction cup 32 or an adhesive of a sufficiently long length, so as to distribute the load of the bag 13 and support it in such a way that it does not collapse during transport, but maintains a certain flatness.

In embodiments, the manipulation head 20 is provided with a bulkhead 45 configured to be selectively movable to deliberately open and close the bottom 44 at the bottom to possibly act as a temporary or stable support.

In accordance with embodiments, the bulkhead 45 is operable by any known means.

In a variant, the bulkhead 45? associated with an electric motor 31, which can be operated by means of a motion transmission member 35, to selectively open and close the bottom 44 of the box-like body 26.

In embodiments, the box-like body 26 is made, from time to time, by coupling of the first containment section 38 with the second containment section 40.

Each containment section 38, 40 can comprise respective side profiles 38a and 40a provided with association means by which it can their pairing be accomplished.

In other embodiments, the second holding section 40 is associated with the first containment section 38 and configured to pass from an open position A (Figures 6a and 7a), which allows association with a bag 12 to a closed position C (Figures 6b and 7b) which provides for the definition of a box-like body 126.

The second containment section 40 can? include two partial sections 50 and 52.

The box-like body 26 or 126 is advantageously formed automatically.

In accordance with embodiments, the second containing section 40 may be associated with the first section 38 in a sliding manner.

In a variant, the containment sections 38, 40 can be provided with sliding means, for example, a track-wheel pair, in correspondence with the respective lateral profiles 38a, 40a.

In another variant, the side profiles 38a are configured to fit and slide inside the side profiles 40a.

The box-like body 26 can be provided with at least one electric motor 46 associated by at least one motion transmission member 48 to the second containment section 40 and configured to alternate, in a desired manner, the closed position C with the open position A. The transmission member of the motion 48 can? include a system of levers, sprockets, drive belts or the like.

With reference to figure 8, the heat sealing apparatus 14 can comprise at least one bag stretching unit 54, at least one bag opening device 56, at least one discharge opening 58 and at least one heat sealing device 60.

The heat sealing device 60 can? comprising at least two opposite heat-sealing plates 6 la, 6 lb, each associated with one, advantageously two, plate actuators 63.

The bag stretcher group 54 ? configured to go in contact with the bag 12 when this ? carried in correspondence with the discharge opening 58 to cause distension of the bag 12 in the direction transverse to the opening axis X.

The bag opening device 56 ? configured to approach the bag 12 after this ? placed below the discharge opening 58 and then open it to allow the entry of the loose products coming from the sterilizing machine 16.

L?unloading opening 58 ? associated with an unloading device (not shown) configured to allow the loose products coming from the sterilizing machine 16 to be conveyed to the inside the bag 12 in a precise and timely manner without the bulk products losing their sterility condition.

The heat sealing device 60 ? configured to allow hermetic closure of the bag 12 when this ? been filled with the amount? of bulk sterilized products, allowing the latter to maintain their sterile condition over time, until they are reused, preserving them inside the bag 12.

The bag opening device 56 can be provided with sampling suckers 62 which are associated with the bag 12 through the Venturi effect causing a vacuum effect between the sampling suction cups 62 and the bag 12.

The bag stretcher group 54 can? include at least one gripper 64 and at least one gripper actuator 66.

Advantageously, the bag stretching unit 54 includes two grippers 64, acting one on each side of the bag 12 so as to be able to grasp it firmly and stretch it in an orthogonal direction with respect to the opening axis X.

In accordance with embodiment variants, the grippers 64 are in the open position at least until the bag 12 is positioned between them by the manipulation head 20.

The invention also refers to a method for automatically filling the bags 12 to be filled with bulk sterilized products.

The method includes:

- withdraw one bag 12 at a time from the bag supply magazine

- positioning the bag 12 in cooperation with the unloading opening 58 of bulk sterilized products;

- stretch the bag 12 in the desired direction;

- selectively opening the bag 12 placed in cooperation with the discharge opening 58 to receive the bulk sterilized products;

- close the bag 12 and stretch it in the desired direction;

- heat seal the bag 12 containing the sterilized bulk products,

- place the bag 12 in the unloading magazine 34.

According to one aspect of the invention, the bag 12 is taken from the magazine 22 and positioned, in a first moment, in cooperation with the unloading opening 58 and, in a second moment, in the unloading magazine 34, by means of the apparatus 10.

The invention also describes a method for handling bags 12 to be filled with sterilized bulk products which comprises associating the bag 12 with the handling head 20 of the automated operator 18 by means of picking means 24 and providing for the box-shaped body 26, 126 comprising the first containment section 38 and the second containment section 40 each facing the wide walls 12a, 12b of the bag 12 to confine, at least partially, the bag 12 in the seat 36 defined by the box-like body 26, 126.

In embodiments, the method provides for bringing the manipulation head 20 to the bag feeding magazine 22 and withdrawing the bag 12 directly or indirectly.

When the automated operator 18 ? in a ?filled? condition, the box-like body 26, 126 ? associated with the discharge opening 58 and the bottom 44? closed and brought into a position that provides support to the bottom of the pouch 12.

During the filling phase, the bag 12 can dissociate itself from the withdrawal means 24 of the manipulation head 20 to associate itself with the bag stretcher unit 54 and/or with the bag opening device 56.

The height to which the bag 12 is raised? such that the latter can be gripped by the bag-tightening unit 54.

In embodiments, the method provides for providing the first containment section 38 associated with the automated operator 18 and moving it until it is coupled with the second containment section 40 to form the box-like body 36.

In other embodiments, it provides for moving the second containment section 40, associated with the first containment portion 38, from the open position A to the closed position C to form the box-like body 126.

Once the bag? filled and heat-sealed, the automated operator 18 ? operated to move the bag towards the unloading magazine 34.

The method can provide for the opening of the bottom 44 of the box-shaped body 26 to evacuate the bag 12 from the seat 36 at the same time possibly positioning it.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or phases can be made to the apparatus and method for handling bags and for automatic filling described up to now, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

In the claims that follow, the references in parentheses have the sole purpose of facilitating the reading and are not to be considered as limiting factors as regards the scope of protection extended in the specific claims.

Claims (11)

1. Apparatus (10) for the controlled handling of bags (12) made of flexible material, to be filled with bulk sterilized products and sealed, characterized in that said apparatus (10) comprises an automated operator (18) provided, at one end, with , of a handling head (20) provided with withdrawal means (24) to acquire said bag (12) from a bag feeding magazine (22), said handling head (20) being configured to supply, from time to time, a box-like body (26, 126) comprising a first containing section (38) and a second containing section (40) which can be selectively coupled and define, at least partially, a seat (36) for said bag (12). 2. Apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said first containment section (38) and said second containment section (40) face each other so that, when said bag (12) ? associated with said manipulation head (20), each containment section (38, 40) ? facing a respective wide wall (12a, 12b) of said pocket (12). 3. Apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said first containment section (38) and said second containment section (40) are separated by a dimension (D1) able to interfere the deformation of said bag (12 ) along an opening axis (X) of said bag (12). 4. Apparatus (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said manipulation head (20) is ? provided with a bulkhead (45) configured to be selectively movable to deliberately open and close a bottom (44) of said box-shaped body (26, 126) at the bottom to possibly act as a temporary or stable support. 5. Automatic packaging apparatus (100) of bags (12) with sterilized bulk products, said automatic packaging apparatus (100) comprising a heat-sealing apparatus (14) which comprises at least one bag-tightening unit (54) configured to stretch in the direction desired said bag (12), at least one bag opening device (56) configured to selectively open said bag (12) placed in cooperation with a discharge opening (58) configured to receive said sterilized bulk products and at least one heat sealing device (60) configured to heat-seal said bag (12) characterized in that it comprises an apparatus (10) as per one or the other of claims 1 to 4 configured to withdraw said bag (12) from a bag supply magazine (22 ), moving said bag (12) in correspondence with said discharge opening (58) and subsequently moving the bag (12) filled and sealed by said thermoseal device lading (14) towards an unloading magazine (34). 6. Automatic packaging apparatus (100) as per claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a sterile containment chamber (101) provided with a structure comprising containment walls configured to define a sterile operating zone (S) in which are enclosed said heat-sealing apparatus (14), said apparatus (10), said bag feeding magazine (22) and said unloading magazine (34). 7. Sterilizing machine for bulk products comprising an automatic packaging apparatus (100) as in claim 5 or 6. 8. Method for handling bags (12) to be filled with sterilized bulk products, characterized in that it comprises associating said bag (12) to a handling head (20) of an automated operator (18) by means of picking means (24 ) and provide a box-shaped body (26, 126) comprising a first containment section (38) and a second containment section (40) each facing wide walls (12a, 12b) of said pocket (12) to confine, at least partially , said bag (12) in a seat (36) defined by said box-like body (26, 126). 9. Method as in claim 8, characterized in that it provides for providing said first containment section (38) associated with said automated operator (18) and moving it until it is coupled with said second containment section (40) to form said box-like body (36). 10. Method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it provides for the opening of a bottom (44) of said box-like body (26, 126) to evacuate said bag (12) from said seat (36). 11. Method for automatic filling of bags (12) to be filled with sterilized bulk products characterized in that it comprises: - withdrawing one bag (12) at a time from a bag feeding magazine (22); - positioning said bag (12) in cooperation with a discharge opening (58) of bulk sterilized products; - stretching said bag (12) in the desired direction; - selectively opening said bag (12) placed in cooperation with the discharge opening (58) to receive the bulk sterilized products; - close said bag (12) and stretch it in the desired direction; - heat-sealing said bag (12) containing the sterilized bulk products, - positioning said bag (12) in an unloading magazine (34); in which said bag (12) ? picked up and positioned by means of an apparatus (10) as per one or the other of claims 1 to 4.