JP6147859B2 - Wicket bag dispenser and method for dispensing wicket bags - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wicket bag dispenser and a method for moving a wicket bag from a wicket bag dispenser to a bagging machine loading station.

  In the production industry, industrial products and assembled products are often packaged in preformed flexible plastic bags. Examples of products that are usually packaged in this way include consumer products such as food products, paper products such as baby diapers and feminine hygiene products.

  U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,589 (issued November 11, 1975) discloses an empty bag system provided with a laminate in a dispenser called a wicket. Each bag in the laminate has a wicket hole. The packaging bag dispenser includes a platen and a pair of wicket supports mounted on the platen, and the support is loaded with a stack of bags and distributed so as to be stacked. It is arranged so as to hold the portion of the wicket hole.

  In use, a wicket bag dispenser loaded with a stack of empty bags is transported into a bagging machine input station, for example, by a bag feed conveyor. Manufactured goods are also transported to the bagging machine input station. The empty bags are transported one by one from the wicket into the loading station where each bag is opened and the manufactured article is loaded into the opened bag. Subsequently, the filled bags are generally transported away from the loading station so that other operations such as bag closure, sealing, and trimming can be performed.

  When all the bags are removed from the wicket bag dispenser and filled in this way, the empty dispenser is transported away from the dosing station and replaced with a new stack of empty bags on the next wicket bag dispenser.

  More particularly, the present invention relates to the design and function of a wicket spool, or wicket support, on which an empty flexible bag is mounted in a wicket bag dispenser.

  As mentioned above, when empty bags are carried one by one from the wicket to the machine loading station, the opening of the bag, ie the wicket hole, goes beyond the free end of the wicket spool and corresponds to the It must reach up to the positioned holder pin. The holder pin holds the bag in the correct position during the loading operation.

  In order to be able to carry many wicket bag dispensers continuously into the dosing station, each time the previous wicket bag dispenser is empty, it will be Any interference must be avoided. Thus, given general tolerances, moving each new wicket into position at the loading station leaves a small gap between the free end of the wicket spool and the end of the holder pin. Usually, this gap is about 2 mm.

  If the bag does not move accurately and completely from the spool to the holder pin, problems arise in the manufacturing process. The bag may slip through a small gap between the free end of the spool and the holder pin, resulting in failure of the bagging process and disposal of the product.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,589

  The present invention addresses this problem.

  In a first aspect, the present invention is a wicket bag dispenser for holding a flexible bag, which is suitable for moving the flexible bag into an input station of a bagging machine. The dispenser comprises a stack of flexible bags, each bag having at least one opening, and at least one wicket spool positioned through the opening, the wicket spool having a free end. The free end comprises a spool head, whereby each flexible bag from the stack of flexible bags is carried along the spool for movement to the loading station; It relates to a wicket bag dispenser.

  In a second aspect, the invention comprises an apparatus comprising an interanting wicket bag dispenser and a holder pin, wherein the wicket bag dispenser is at least one holder in a bagging machine loading station. Flexibility comprising at least one wicket spool substantially axially aligned with the pin, further comprising a spool head between the wicket spool and the holder pin, thereby moving from a wicket bag dispenser comprising the wicket spool A bag relates to the device that extends over the spool head and onto the holder pin.

The present invention is also a method of moving a flexible bag from a wicket bag dispenser to a bagging machine loading station, the wicket bag dispenser comprising at least one wicket spool and a stack of flexible bags. And each bag has at least one opening through which the wicket spool is positioned;
Carrying the bag along the wicket spool toward the free end of the wicket spool;
Moving the bag over a spool head positioned at the free end of the wicket spool;
This relates to a method in which each flexible bag from the stack of flexible bags crosses the spool head to move to the dosing station.

  According to the invention, the spool head is free to move axially relative to the wicket spool. The spool head can freely move between a first position and a second position without separation from the wicket spool. Preferably, the outer circumference of the spool head is larger than the maximum diameter of the wicket spool. For example, at least a part of the spool head may have a frustro-conical shape. The spool head may also include a shaft that is installed within a hollow shaft of the wicket spool. If the interacting stops on the shaft of the spool head and on the wicket spool do not exceed a predetermined force, the wicket spool between the first position and the second position is between the first position and the second position. It is preferable to limit the movement distance of the spool head in the axial direction.

It is sectional drawing of the prior art wicket spool. It is sectional drawing of the wicket spool of this invention which shows the spool main body and spool head which were isolate | separated. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wicket spool of the present invention showing the spool head in a lower position. FIG. 3B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 3A. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wicket spool of the present invention showing the spool head in an upper position. FIG. 4B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 4A.

  Articles of manufacture are transported in the machine direction along the conveyor to a bagging machine located at the machine loading station. Usually, a bagging machine is equipped with a bag feeding conveyor. Empty bag wickets are loaded onto a bag feeding conveyor. Bag infeed conveyors typically transport wickets into the bagging machine by transporting the wickets in the width direction, i.e., generally perpendicular to the machine.

  Each wicket bag dispenser comprises a stack of flexible bags, each bag having at least one opening and at least one wicket spool positioned through the opening. As shown in US Pat. No. 3,918,589, wicket bag dispensers typically include two wicket spools positioned through a pair of openings in each of the flexible bags.

  Usually, there is a small gap of about 1 mm to 5 mm, typically about 2 mm, between the upper part of the wicket spool and the lower end of the holder pin of the loading station. This small gap is necessary to avoid an obstacle between the spool head and the holder pin when the next wicket bag dispenser is transported widthwise into the bagging machine loading station.

  Problems arise when the bag does not move accurately and completely over the holder pin (s). The bag may slip through the gap between the top of the spool and the holder pin (s), resulting in failure of the bagging process and disposal of the product. High waste rates are uneconomical and must be avoided.

  Most commonly, a wicket bag dispenser comprises two wicket spools mounted on the platen at a distance apart. FIG. 1 shows an example of a current wicket spool 1, which is used in the production industry for the transport and supply of empty flexible bags. The spool 1 includes a spool body 3 and a spool head 4 which are two main components. In order to place the empty bag on the spool body 3, the spool body 3 and the spool head 4 are completely separated from each other, and then the spool 1 is closed to prevent the bag from leaving the spool 1 before use. The spool head 4 may be aligned again. An opening is made in the bag, the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the spool body 3 but preferably slightly smaller than the maximum diameter of the spool head 4. The plastic film adjacent to the opening preferably contains a weak line such as a cut line or a perforation.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a wicket spool 11 according to the present invention. When the flexible bag is lifted from the laminate, the opening passes along the spool body 13 and catches the spool head 14 to lift the spool head 14 and move in the axial direction with respect to the spool body 13. The spool head 14 is lifted from its first position to the second position. The plastic film can then be flexed and / or partially broken along the line of weakness to allow the spool head 14 to pass through the opening, thereby moving the bag over the holder pin of the dosing station. The spool head 14 preferably contacts the holder pin 15, thereby eliminating any gap between the free end of the spool head 14 and the end of the holder pin 15. The flexible bag is carried over the spool head 14 and onto the holder pin 15, after which the spool head 14 is free to return to its first position.

  The first position of the spool head 14 is preferably a lower position, and the second position of the spool head 14 is preferably an upper position. In this case, the spool head 14 freely returns from its second position to its first position under gravity. However, other configurations are conceivable where the spool head 14 is biased by a force other than gravity so that it returns from its second position to its first position, for example, the spool head 14 may be spring-loaded. May be.

  The filling station of the bagging machine comprises spaced apart holder pins 15 corresponding to the spacing of the spools 11. At the loading station, the bags move from the spool body 13 over the spool head 14 onto the holder pins 15 one by one as described above. To open each bag and leave it open, the bag moves so that the bag is held by the opening on the holder pin 15 and remains held during the bagging process. is there.

  3A and 4A show the embodiment of the wicket spool of FIG. 2 in a lower position and an upper position, respectively. The spool head 14 is inserted into the spool body 13 and functions to close the spool for transportation and supply.

  3A and 3B, the spool head 14 is shown in a lower position, and the spool head 14 enables a smooth wicket exchange without any risk of interference between the free end of the spool head 14 and the holder pin 15. Yes.

  4A and 4B, the spool head 14 is shown in the upper position, but each time the bag is lifted, it is in the upper position. A spool head in contact with the holder pin 15 is shown. The movable spool head 14 reduces the gap between the spool head 14 and the pin holder 15 or preferably eliminates the gap.

  As can be seen from FIG. 4B, the spool body 13 has an inner ring 16 and the spool head 14 has an outer ring 17, which is intended to hold the spool head 13 during transport. It is ensured that the spool head 14 cannot be separated from the spool body 13 with a force smaller than a predetermined force that can be, for example, 50 N or more.

  In accordance with the present invention, the spool head 14 is free to move axially relative to the spool between a first position and a second position, the spool head 14 having a relatively small amount of force, In other words, when the bag opening passes over the spool head 14 and moves around it, it moves with the force transmitted from the bag. By pulling the spool body 13 beyond the second position, the spool head 14 can be completely removed from the spool body 13, but this is because the spool head 14 receives a relatively large force of, for example, 50 N or more. Only when you are.

Claims (14)

A wicket bag dispenser for holding a flexible bag,
Suitable for moving the flexible bag into a bagging machine input station;
The wicket bag dispenser comprises a laminate of flexible bags and a wicket spool,
Each flexible bag from the stack of flexible bags has at least one opening;
The wicket spool is positioned through the opening;
The wicket spool includes a spool body that holds the laminate of the flexible bags, and a spool head.
The spool head is positioned at a free end of the wicket spool;
The spool head is free to move axially relative to the spool body between a first position and a second position, which is a position above the first position;
Thereby, each flexible bag from the laminate of the flexible bags is moved by the moving means over the spool head to the charging station ,
The flexible bag lifts the spool head from the first position as it passes over the spool head;
The spool head has an outer ring;
The spool body has an inner ring;
Outer ring, does not exceed a predetermined force, characterized in that engages the inner ring is configured to limit movement of the spool head in the axial direction, wicket bags dispenser.   The wicket bag dispenser according to claim 1, wherein a maximum outer peripheral dimension of the spool head is larger than a maximum diameter of the spool body.   The wicket bag dispenser of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the spool head has a frustoconical shape.   The wicket bag dispenser of claim 1, wherein the spool head comprises a shaft having the outer ring, the shaft being installed within a hollow shaft of the wicket spool.   The wicket bag dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the predetermined force required to remove the spool head from the spool body is 50 N or more. A device comprising a wicket bag dispenser, a holder pin, and a moving means ,
The wicket bag dispenser comprises a laminate of flexible bags and a wicket spool,
Each flexible bag from the stack of flexible bags has at least one opening;
The wicket spool is positioned through the opening;
The wicket spool includes a spool body that holds the laminate of the flexible bags, and a spool head.
The spool head is positioned at a free end of the wicket spool;
The spool head is free to move axially relative to the spool body between a first position and a second position, which is a position above the first position;
Thereby, each flexible bag from the laminate of the flexible bags is moved to the holder pin over the spool head by the moving means ,
The flexible bag lifts the spool head from the first position as it passes over the spool head;
The spool head has an outer ring;
The spool body has an inner ring;
Outer ring, does not exceed a predetermined force, characterized in that engages the inner ring is configured to limit movement of the spool head in the axial direction, device. When the flexible bag exceeds the spool head, the spool head is free to move to be able to contact with the holder pin, thereby, the flexible bag is moved to the holder pin from the WE socket spool 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at any point, all gaps between the spool head and the holder pin are eliminated.   The apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a maximum outer peripheral dimension of the spool head is larger than a maximum diameter of the spool body. A method of moving a flexible bag from a wicket bag dispenser to a bagging machine input station comprising:
The wicket bag dispenser comprises at least one wicket spool and a stack of flexible bags,
The wicket spool includes a spool body that holds the laminate of the flexible bags, and a spool head.
Each flexible bag has at least one opening through which the wicket spool is positioned;
The method
Each flexible bag of a laminate of the flexible bag, by the moving means, along the WE socket spool, and as luck department Engineering towards the free end of the WE socket spool,
The flexible bag, a step of moving upward the spool head positioned at the free end of the WE socket spool, each flexible bag, by the moving means, beyond the spool head the you move to the loading station I comprises a step, a
A method of lifting the spool head as the flexible bag crosses the spool head so that the spool head moves axially relative to the spool body.   The method of claim 9, wherein a maximum outer dimension of the spool head is greater than a maximum diameter of the spool body.   The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the spool head has a frustoconical shape.   The method of claim 9, wherein the spool head comprises a shaft, and the shaft is installed in a hollow portion of the wicket spool.   The shaft of the spool head includes an outer ring, the spool body includes an inner ring, and the outer ring and the inner ring mutually limit the axial movement distance of the spool head relative to the spool body. The method of claim 12, which acts.   When the flexible bag crosses the spool head, the spool head moves and contacts the holder pin, thereby moving the spool head from the wicket spool to the holder pin. 14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein all gaps between the holder pin and the holder pin are eliminated.

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