LU81667A1 - PROCESS FOR PACKAGING POWDERY OR GRANULAR PRODUCTS IN FLEXIBLE PACKAGING AND INSTALLATION FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for economically packaging powdery or granular products in flexible packaging. It also relates to an installation for the implementation of this process.

It is known that powdery products, such as for example plaster 5 and cement, are generally packaged in 50 kg bags made of kraft paper, plastic or other suitable materials.

However, at present, users would like to be able to have lighter loads, in particular of 25 kg. Unfortunately, the cost of packaging is thus considerably increased, this increase 10 being due, on the one hand to the cost of manufacturing two bags instead of one, and on the other hand, to the additional time of filling and handling of these two bags.

The main object of the present invention is therefore to remedy these drawbacks and, to do this, it relates to a conditioning process which is characterized in that it consists essentially in introducing into a flexible packaging of capacity given, a quantity of product whose volume is slightly less than the capacity of said packaging, to close the packaging thus filled, to divide it into two substantially equal parts connected by an intermediate zone devoid of product, by means of vibrations 20 and thanks to a simultaneous and opposite tilt of the two halves! packaging, and to perform, in this intermediate zone, a sealing operation associated with an operation of separation of the divided packages thus delimited.

The packaging process according to the invention therefore makes it possible in definitive to easily obtain two separate packages, each containing a fraction of the product initially introduced into the package. In practice, these two fractions will of course be equal.

It is therefore thus possible to very easily reduce by half the loads contained in the current bags, and in particular to package products such as plaster or cement in 25 kg bags instead of the 50 kg bags normally used, without however, double the cost of packaging. It is simply enough to provide a starting bag slightly larger than the normal 50 kg bag. In addition, this bag could be of less resistance, therefore more economical, since it will ultimately have to bear only a load reduced by half.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the separation operation consists in carrying out a cutting at the level of the intermediate zone and the sealing operation consists in carrying out at least one closure line on the lips of each of the packages thus separated. bo However, the separation operation can consist of making two substantially parallel closing lines on the intermediate zone and the closing operation can consist of cutting the intermediate zone between these two closing lines.

An installation for implementing this method is characterized in that it comprises a first flat and inclined conveyor assembly, followed by a second flat and substantially horizontal conveyor assembly, located in the extension of the first, the second conveyor assembly at least i being animated by directional vibrations; a central ramp, provided with vibration, which is arranged along the median longitudinal axis of the two carrier assemblies so as to extend horizontally, from the top of the first carrier assembly over a certain length thereof, to become substantially parallel thereto over the remaining length and to be again horizontal, from the bottom of the first conveyor assembly, in two successive sections, connected by an inclined ramp segment, the downstream section being lower than the upstream section, the ramp being provided, from the start of the downstream section, with two parallel lateral branches which constitute a fork and comprising, substantially from this same point, two deflectors inclined downwards; two fixed edges for lateral retention of the packages, arranged laterally on the edges of the two conveyor assemblies, from the top of the first until substantially at the point of attachment of the two lateral branches on the ramp; a device for closing split packages and a device for separating them.

It will be readily understood that with such an installation, the packaging process according to the invention can be carried out fully automatically as the bag, previously filled, advances on the two conveyor assemblies.

According to a preferred embodiment, the two conveyor assemblies are each constituted by two parallel conveyor belts and the vibrating ramp is disposed longitudinally between the two belts of each conveyor assembly. The use of these conveyor belts ensures a high rate of production of the finished product.

In a first embodiment, the separation device consists of a circular saw acting against the ramp which is interrupted, slightly downstream of the saw, in order to cut the divided packages 35 at the intermediate zone and the device shutter comprises two closing devices located on either side of the median longitudinal axis of the two conveyor assemblies, downstream of the circular saw and arranged so as to produce at least one closing line on the open end of each of the divided packages thus separated, the two deflectors fixed b0 to the ramp extending beyond the free end of the latter up to * 1 t A a ί "" -T J- "J_ _ _ J .. J ". . · “ΗΜΛ ONW n AYmV 1 Λ 4 · <ΜΠ V, ItVN · * 4 * Λτ, ν * 3

In this case, there is provided a holding device intended to press one against the other the two lips of the opening of each of the separate packages, this holding device extending over the entire length separating the inlet of the circular saw of the terminal end of the second conveyor assembly 5. This holding device will preferably be constituted by movable belts coming to be applied on either side of the two lips of each of the split packages. Thus the penetration of the lips of each of the separate packages into the closure devices is greatly facilitated.

In order to achieve this latter goal, there is provided, as a variant, upstream of the circular saw, a device for crimping the two lips of the opening of each of the split packages in order to bring the latter into contact with each other. one from the other, the crimping device preferably being constituted by two upper toothed wheels, mounted on a soft driven axis perpendicular to the ramp and meshing respectively with two lower notched teeth carried by the same idler axis parallel to the driven axis, each of the upper wheels having a male-female notch complementary to that of the other and each of the lower roads having a male-female notch complementary to that of the corresponding upper wheel.

20 'In a second embodiment, the closure device is constituted by a closure device allowing two closure lines to be made on the intermediate zone of the packaging and the separation device is located downstream of the device closing in order to create a separation line between the two closing lines. The shutter -25 and separation operations can thus be performed easily and efficiently.

According to a characteristic of this second embodiment, the separation device consists of two rotary knives capable of severing the entire packaging.

However, as a variant, the separation device may consist of a perforating machine capable of making pre-cut marks between the two closing lines of the intermediate zone, so that the divided packages can then optionally be separated easily, from others manually.

Finally, each of the closing devices of the two embodiments 35 is constituted by a sewing machine.

It goes without saying, however, that in the case in particular of plastic packaging, one could also use a heat-sealing machine.

Two embodiments of the present invention will be described below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given only by way of example, LO in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the installation for the implementation of the method according to the present invention, the lateral retaining flanges having been removed.

Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the device of Figure 1 with its retaining flanges.

tj Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view along line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure b is an enlarged sectional view along line IV-IV of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view along line V-V of Figure 1 in which a bag has been shown.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view along line VI-VI of Figure 1.

Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged sectional views respectively along lines VII-LIFE and VIII-VIII of Figure 1 showing the two closure devices in which packages are engaged.

The, Figure 9 is a partial side sectional view of a device 15, seritssage according to the invention.

Figure 10 is a sectional view along line X-X of Figure 9 ·

FIG. 11 is a view of the final part of a second embodiment of the installation according to the invention.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view along line XII-XII 20 of Figure 11.

I Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional view along the line XIII-XIII

in Figure 11.

Figure 1U is a top view of a package after closure by the device of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a top view <3 'of a package after separation by the device of Figure 13.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, we can see a first embodiment of the installation according to the invention which firstly comprises a first conveyor belt, generally designated by the reference 1, 30 and whose goal is simply to pack packaging or bags such as 2 constituted for example by valve or open mouth bags, made of kraft paper or other suitable materials. These bags come from a conventional bagging machine where they have been previously filled with any pulverulent or granular material, such as, for example, cement or plaster, and then closed normally.

To this end, the conveyor belt 1 comprises, in a manner known per se, a lower band 3 and an upper bend b between which the bags must pass 2. In addition, the lower band 3 is equipped with vibration means 5 "in order to tamp the product in the bags evenly.

^ 3 Following this first conveyor belt 1 is disposed a first set trans-nortem * ni year and inclined yes is here constituted because two tanis 5 conveyors 6 and 7 inclined, parallel and coplanar. In the extension of this first conveyor assembly, there is a second substantially horizontal flat conveyor assembly constituted here by two other conveyor belts, the drive belt of which is supported, in its upper position, by 5 rollers 10 and can be vibrated by vibrating elements 11.

A longitudinal ramp 129, provided with vibration, is mounted between the two belts of each assembly. This vibrating ramp 12 is constituted by a horizontal part 13 which extends from the top of the set of inclined belts 6 and 7 and which extends, from a certain point situated above 10 thereof, by a 1U inclined part, parallel to the inclined belts. AT

from the bottom of these, the ramp 12 consists of two horizontal sections 15 and 16 connected by an inclined ramp segment 17. For the remainder of the description, the sections 15 and 16 will be called respectively the upstream section and the downstream section. At the junction of the incline segment 17 and the downstream section £ 15 16, the ramp 12 is provided with two horizontal branches 18 and 19 (FIG. 2) coplanar with it, which extend progressively outward to become parallel to the ramp so as to constitute a fork. From this same junction point, two deflectors 20 and 21 inclined in opposite directions downwards are fixed to the ramp over its entire downstream section 16. Finally, two flanges 22 and 23 (FIG. 2) are mounted laterally at the level of the edges of the ^ two sets of conveyor belts. These edges are narrowed towards each other along the set of inclined conveyor belts 6 and 7 to become substantially parallel, from the bottom of the latter and to the point of attachment of the branches 18 and 19 on ramp 12.

Thanks to this structure of the installation, the bag 2 which arrives at the end of the first mat 1, in the form shown in FIG. 3, is driven by the two inclined mats 6 and 7 while its middle part is gradually raised by the ramp 12 which, at its part 13, is ascending relative to the inclined belts. Thanks to the gravity and vibrations 30 of the ramp, the packaged product is roughly distributed on either side of the ramp, in two half-bags 2k and 25 connected by an intermediate zone 26 and held laterally between the flanges 22 and 23 · The bag then slides along the inclined part 11+ of the ramp towards the two horizontal conveyor belts .8 and 9 · On the horizontal conveyor belts 8 and 9? the distribution of the product in the half-bags is initially refined along the upstream section 15 of the ramp (see figure h). On this section, the height of the ramp 12 is such that the two half-bags 2k and 25 are substantially vertical. Along the inclined segment 17s, the intermediate zone 26 of the bag is gradually peeled off from the ramp, the half-bags being held laterally * by the two flanges 22 and 23 · In this way, the part of the packaged product 6 which would be ballasted the intermediate zone following previous anterior ** distribution operations, can fall freely in the two half-bags 2k and 25 (see Figure 5) · The intermediate zone 26, thus completely devoid of product is then widened by the fork formed by the two branches 5 18 and 19 and by the downstream section 16 of the ramp 12 (see FIG. 6). During this operation, the two half-bags 2b and 25 are held internally by the deflectors 20 and 21.

It will easily be understood that the two conveyor assemblies may also each be constituted by a flat sheet metal animated with direct vibrations which allow the bags to move throughout the installation, it being understood that these vibrations also contribute to distributing the product in the two half-bags. In this case, the ramp can be secured to the sheet and can be vibrated together with the latter. The two conveyor assemblies can also consist of a combination of a set of two conveyor belts and a vibrating sheet, either of which can be used either as the first inclined conveyor assembly or as second substantially horizontal conveyor assembly. It is also possible to provide two sets of two vibrating sheets or a set of vibrating sheets associated with a set of two conveyor belts. The use of two sets of conveyor belts, however, ensures a greater speed of movement of the bags and therefore a higher rate of obtaining the finished product.

The installation according to the invention also comprises, at the end part of the horizontal conveyor belts 8 and 9, a separation device associated with a device for closing the split bags.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the separation device consists of a circular saw 27. The ramp 12 which extends to the exit of the circular saw 27, serves as a counter blade for this one. It is provided for this purpose, just below the saw, with a slot 28. Thus, the bag 2 can be entirely sectioned at level 30 of its intermediate zone 26 to be separated into two open half-bags. The two deflectors 20 and 21 associated with the ramp 12 extend, over a smaller height, beyond the free end of the latter in order to maintain, until the end of the two belts 8 and 9, the two half bags thus separated.

As for the sealing device, it consists of two closing devices 29 and 30 located on either side of the median longitudinal axis of the two conveyor assemblies downstream of the circular saw 28. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, these devices are sewing machines designed to produce at least one line of stitching in the upper zone of each half-bag, thus ensuring their closure. However, it goes without saying that, in the case in particular of plastic bags, the two sewing machines could be replaced by two heat-sealing machines capable of carrying out at least one sealing line sticking against each other. two lips from each half-bag. We could even use the two devices concurrently.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, it can be seen that the deflectors 20 and 21 are in an inclined position at the level of the closing devices which are offset from one another. But we can very well design deflectors which would progressively pass from an inclined position to a vertical position, between the exit of the saw and the entry of each of the closing devices, in order to present the bags in vertical position at the entry. of the latter 10 which should then be positioned accordingly and could be located opposite one another.

The lips of each of the separate half-bags 2k and 25 are introduced, downstream of the circular saw 27, into a holding device. In the embodiment shown, this holding device is constituted by at least 15 s two belts 31 and 32 which are unwound, by any drive means, over the entire length separating the entrance of the circular saw 27 from the end of the installation, while facing each other. The two belts 31 and 32 are arranged very close to each other, so that the two lips of each opening, introduced between the belts, are pressed against each other, as shown in the figures 7 and 8; this facilitates their penetration into the closing devices 29 and 30. In the embodiment shown, the belts are inclined at the closing devices.

However, it goes without saying that in the case where the half-bags must be presented in a vertical position in front of the closing devices, the belts will be twisted to progressively move to a vertical position.

Still with a view to facilitating the penetration of the lips of the half-bags into the closing devices, it is possible to use, instead of the belts, a crimping device (not shown in FIG. 1), arranged upstream of the circular saw 27 and capable of producing two crimping lines on the intermediate zone 2β of the bag 2. Thus, the two lips of each dem'-sae are temporarily held in contact with each other before entering the closing devices. This crimping device, partially shown in Figures 9 and 10, consists of two upper toothed wheels 33 and 3 ^, mounted on a driven axle (not shown) so as to be dragged by it 35 and two lower notched wheels 35 and 36 carried by an idler axis (not shown), these two axes being perpendicular to the ramp 12. Each of the upper wheels is provided with a male-female notch 37 or 38 complementary to that of the other and each of the lower wheels has a male-female notch 39 or 1 + 0 complementary to that of the corresponding upper wheel. Thanks to this double complementation of the notches, on the one hand, the 8 recess points of each crimping line are produced alternately on one face and on the other of the intermediate zone 26, thus ensuring effective crimping and, on the other apart, the lower wheels are safely and efficiently driven by the upper wheels. It goes without saying that the cutting will then take place between the two crimping lines and that the closing line will be made on the lips below the corresponding crimping line.

FIG. 11 shows the terminal part of a second embodiment of the installation according to the invention, the iribial part 10 of which is identical to that of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the closure device is constituted by a closing device which is here a sewing machine kl (see FIG. 12) capable of producing a double line of stitching k2 on the intermediate zone 26 of the bag 2, as shown in Figure 1k. The ramp 12 is interrupted just in front of the sewing machine kl, the two deflectors 20 and 21 extending in the same manner as in the previous embodiment, except that it is not necessary to make them possibly come in vertical position. It is obvious that, as before, the sewing machine could be replaced by a heat welding machine.

At the end of the closure device, a separation device k3 is arranged, constituted here by rotary knives acting in the intermediate zone 26 of the bag 2, between the two lines of punctures, as illustrated in FIG. 13, in order to cut the bag and separate it into two half-bags 2k and 25, as illustrated in Figure 15 · 25 The separation device k3 could if necessary be constituted by a simple punching machine capable of performing in the intermediate zone of the bag, between 1 * 2 closing lines, precut marks.

The two parts 2k and 25 of the bag would then remain linked to each other and could then possibly be easily separated by hand as required. .

In the two embodiments described above, it is possible, if necessary, to cover the cut end of the two packages thus formed with an adhesive tape or the like, in order to further improve the sealing of the 'closure.

In addition, the conveyor belts 8 and 9 of the second set can be arranged slightly inclined in order to increase the production rates of the finished product.

In addition to providing the advantage of very easily packaging loads reduced by half, without however doubling the cost of packaging, the invention described in the present patent application allows the product to be properly separated in two. condition by the play of gravity in addition to vibration effects.

This will be particularly useful for packaging products that are difficult to separate, but it goes without saying that the invention can be used to package all kinds of powdery or granular products without taking into account their separation power.

r

Claims (12)

1. Method for packaging powdery or granular products in flexible packaging, characterized in that it essentially consists in introducing, into a flexible packaging of given capacity, a quantity of product whose volume is slightly less than the capacity of said packaging , to close the packaging thus filled, to divide it into two substantially equal parts connected by an intermediate zone devoid of product, by means of vibrations and by virtue of a simultaneous inclination and in opposite directions of the two halves of the packaging, and performing, in this intermediate zone, a sealing operation associated with an operation of separation of the divided packages thus delimited. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the separation operation consists in carrying out a cutting at the level of the intermediate zone and in that the closing operation consists in carrying out at least one closing line on the lips of each of the packages thus separated. 3- A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing operation consists in making two substantially parallel closing lines on the intermediate zone and in that the associated separation operation then consists in cutting out the zone between these t 20 two lines of closures. lu Installation for implementing the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a first flat and inclined conveyor assembly, followed by a second flat and substantially horizontal conveyor assembly, located in the extension of the first, the second conveyor-at least 25 assembly being animated by directional vibrations \ a central ramp, provided vibrating, which is arranged along the median longitudinal axis of the two conveyor assemblies so as to extend horizontally, from the top of the first conveyor assembly over a certain length thereof, to become substantially parallel thereto over the remaining length and to be again horizontal, from the bottom of the first conveyor assembly, in two successive sections, connected by an inclined ramp segment, the downstream section being lower than the upstream section, the ramp being provided, t from the beginning of the downstream section, with two parallel lateral branches those which constitute a fork and comprising, substantially from this same point, two deflectors 35 inclined downwards; two fixed edges for lateral retention of the packages, arranged laterally on the edges of the two conveyor assemblies, from the top of the first until substantially at the point of attachment of the two lateral branches on the ramp; a device for closing split packages and a device for separating them. 11, " 5 · Installation according to claim 11 ·, characterized in that the two conveyor assemblies are each constituted by two parallel conveyor belts and the vibrating ramp is disposed longitudinally between the two belts of each conveyor assembly. 6. Installation according to claim k or 5, characterized in that the separation device consists of a circular saw acting against the ramp which is interrupted, slightly downstream of the saw, in order to cut the fractionr.es packaging at the level of the intermediate zone and in that the sealing device comprises two closing devices situated on either side of the median longitudinal axis of the two conveyor assemblies downstream of the circular saw and arranged so as to produce at at least one closure line on the open end of each of the fractional packages thus separated, the two deflectors fixed to the ramp extending beyond the free end of the latter to the terminal end of the second conveyor assembly . 7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that it is provided with a holding device intended to press one against the other the two lips of the opening of each of the separate packages, this holding device s extending over the entire length separating the entrance of the circular saw from the terminal end of the second conveyor assembly. 8. Installation according to claim 7 »characterized in that the holding device is constituted by movable belts coming to be applied on either side of the two lips of each of the split packages. 9 · Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises, upstream of the circular saw, a device for crimping the two lips of the opening of each of the split packagings in order to bring the latter into contact l one of the other. 10. Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that the crimping device is constituted by two upper toothed wheels, mounted on the same driven axis perpendicular to the ramp and meshing respectively with two lower toothed wheels carried by the same axis. idler parallel to the driven axis, each of the upper wheels having a male-female notch complementary to that of the other and each of the lower wheels having a male-female notch complementary to that of the corresponding upper wheel. 11. Installation according to claim ^ or 5j characterized in that the shutter device is constituted by a closing device making it possible to make two closing lines on the intermediate zone of the packaging and in that the separation device is located downstream of the closing device in order to create a separation line between the 12 _ "two closing lines. 12. Installation according to claim 11, characterized in that the separation device consists of two rotary knives capable of completely cutting the packaging. 5 13 · Installation according to claim 11, characterized in that the separation device is constituted by a perforating machine capable of making pre-cutting marks between the two closing lines of the intermediate zone. 1¾ .. Installation according to any one of claims 6 to 13, »10 characterized in that each of the closing devices is constituted by a sewing machine. 15 · Installation according to any one of claims 6 to 13, characterized in that each of the closing devices is constituted by a heat-sealing machine. tl ï »*