MXPA06005574A - Apparatus to insert articles into bags - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus ( 15 ) to aid in locating articles in bags produced by a packaging machine ( 10 ). The apparatus ( 15 ) includes a reservoir ( 40 ) to which the articles are delivered, with a plurality of discharge locations being located at angular spaced positions about the reservoir ( 40 ). Each of the discharge locations ( 24 ) includes an upwardly facing aperture ( 25 ) through which the articles are delivered to a central chute ( 27 ) from where the articles are located in the bags being formed. Adjacent each discharge location ( 24 ) is a conveyor device ( 29 ) that moves angularly so as to take articles from the reservoir ( 40 ) to the associated aperture ( 25 )

Description

AN APPARATUS FOR INSERTING ITEMS IN BAGS TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for inserting (depositing) items in bags and more particularly, but not exclusively inserting items such as flavoring sachets, cards or toys into bags containing a food product, the food product for example , it is a snack food.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Frequently the bags, such as the bags containing a snack food, contain an article such as a flavoring sachet or toys (cards). The packing machines include a shaper, beyond which the material of the strip bag passes to be configured into a tubular shape. The product to be packed is supplied through the interior of the former into the tubular material of the bag. The material of the bag is longitudinally sealed, and transversely sealed and cut so that discrete pockets containing the food product are formed. 52/364 Typically, the articles that will be contained in the bags are supplied to the interior of the former, to pass with the product towards the tubular material of the bag. The previously known devices that insert the items mentioned above suffer from several disadvantages, including slowness of operation and lack of accuracy with respect to ensure that each bag contains the required item numbers or numbers.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially reduce the above disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An apparatus is described herein to assist in locating an article in a bag containing a product, the apparatus includes: a container for receiving a plurality of articles and including an upward facing surface on the which items rest; at least one unloading location, each location has a discharge opening in which the articles are delivered to a packing machine that forms the bags containing the product; and a conveyor device for supplying the objects of the tank to the discharge opening, the device includes: a support, the support is movable between a first position and a second position; and a portion that couples the article attached to the support, to be supported at least partially therein, the portion that engages the article is located adjacent the surface, when the support is in the first position, to attach one of the articles , so that the article is secured thereto, with the surface being located relative to the discharge opening, so that upon release of the coupled article, the article is delivered to the discharge opening when the support is in the second position. Preferably, the support moves angularly between the first and second positions. Preferably, the support moves angularly about a generally horizontal axis. Preferably, the portion that engages the article includes a contact area for engaging the articles, the contact area surrounding an opening to which a reduced air pressure (relative to the atmosphere) is supplied, so that the articles They are pushed against the contact area by the air pressure.

Preferably, the surface of the reservoir is conical with a generally vertical longitudinal control axis, so that the reservoir surface slopes downward toward a generally annular periphery, with the portion engaging the article being located adjacent to the periphery when the base is in the first position. Preferably, the apparatus further includes an assembly for vibrating the reservoir surface. Preferably, there is a plurality of discharge locations, and a plurality of conveyor devices, each conveyor device is operatively associated with a respective one of the discharge locations, with the discharge locations being angularly spaced about the axis. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a motor operatively associated with each device, to cause movement thereof between the first and second positions. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a control for coordinating the operation of the motors, so that the articles are delivered to the discharge openings in a desired timed sequence. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a ramp operatively associated with the discharge openings for receiving the articles therefrom, so that the articles pass below the ramp in a desired timed sequence. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a hopper for receiving a plurality of the articles, and a ramp extending from the hopper to deliver the articles to the tank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of a packaging machine and an apparatus for inserting articles into bags , produced by the packing machine; Figure 2 is a schematic isometric view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a schematic top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the accompanying drawings, a baler 10 is schematically described, the baler 10 can be the baler described in U.S. Patent 4663917. Located above the baler 10 there is a baler 11 which supplies batches of product into a shaper 12. A baler film supply device 13 is associated with the baler 10, which includes a spool 14 of the strip bag material. The strip bag material is supplied to the former 12, to be formed into a tubular shape. The packaging machine 10 longitudinally seals the tubular material of the bag and transversely seals and cuts the tubular material of the bag, so that each bag formed contains a desired quantity of product. The balance 11 includes gates that weigh the product and supply the desired amount of product to the shaper 12, to be located in each bag. An apparatus 15 is associated with the packaging machine 10 which supplies to the forming machine 12 articles that are located in the bags. For example, the apparatus 15 can supply to the forming machine 12 in a timed fashion, flavor sachets, so that each bag produced contains a sachet. Consequently, the apparatus 15 is operatively associated with the packaging machine 10 together with the balance 11 by means of a control device (computer) 16, so that the machine 10, the balance 11 and the apparatus 15 are coordinated. The apparatus 15 includes a hopper 17 in which a relatively large quantity of articles is delivered. The lower end of the hopper 15 has a ramp 18 along which the articles slide to be supplied to an upwardly facing surface 19. Typically, the surface 19 is a conical configuration, having a generally vertical longitudinal central axis 20. The surface 19 slopes down from the vertex of the axis 20 towards a peripheral surface 21 generally annular. The surface 21 has a wall 39 that extends upwardly therefrom, so that the surfaces 19 and 21 and the wall 39 provide a reservoir 40 for receiving the articles. The surface 19 is provided by a blade member 22 attached to a drive assembly 23. The drive assembly 23 vibrates the surface 19, so that the items supplied thereto move toward the peripheral surface 21. As noted better in Figure 2, the ramp 18 supplies the articles to approximately the apex of the surface 19. Surrounding the surface 19, there are a plurality of discharge locations 24, including an upstream discharge opening 25, each opening 25 leads to a ramp 26 leading to a central ramp 27.

The articles supplied to the openings 25 pass under their respective ramp 26 to be supplied to the central ramp 27. The central ramp 27 extends towards the former 12. The apparatus 15 includes a base 28 which generally surrounds the surface 19 and holds a plurality of conveyor devices 29. Each conveyor device 29 is operatively associated with a respective one of the openings 25, so that each device 29 can transport one of the articles coupled on the surface 19, and supply it to the associated opening 25, of The article will find its way to the former 12, to be placed in a bag that will be formed by the packaging machine 10. The conveyor devices 29 are angularly spaced around the axis 20. Each conveyor device 29 includes an arm(support) 30, consisting of two elongated members 31, which are rotatably connected to the base 28 by means of a shaft 32. The elongate members 31 extend from the shaft 32 and move angularly therethrough about a generally horizontal axis 38, provided by the respective shaft 32. A motor 41 is operatively associated with each shaft 32 which angularly drives the associated shaft 32, so that the end of the elongated members 31 moves as best seen in the Figure 3, that is, approximately 180 °. The ends of each pair of members 31, are joined by a rod 33. Attached to each rod 33 is a portion that engages the article 34 that ends with a surface 35, which abuts a article that will rise. Each portion 34 is supported by its respective arm 30. Each surface (area) 35, surrounds an opening to which a reduced air pressure is supplied. More particularly, each portion that engages the article 34 is provided by a tubular member to which a flexible tube 36 that extends to an air pump is attached, so that the reduced air pressure is supplied to the opening surrounded by the area respective 35. Each portion 34 is rotatably connected to the associated rod 33, so that the portion 34 remains oriented generally vertically. As best seen in Figure 3, when the article engages, it is transported along a generally arcuate path 39 until it is above the adjacent opening 35, where it is released. An air pump and a control mechanism 37 are associated with each tube 36. The air pump and the control mechanism 37, provide reduced air pressure to the associated tube 36, however, when each 52/364 portion 34 is above its respective opening 25, the vacuum in the tube 36 is dissipated and a positive air pressure pulse is supplied to the tube 36, so that the article located above the respective opening 25 is The pump and the control mechanism 37 are operatively associated with the control 16, so that when the articles pass down the central ramp 27, they are separated from one another. timed way, so that each bag receives one item or more items if desired. The shafts 32 are angularly driven, to oscillate angularly between a first position, in which each portion 34 is located above its respective opening, and a second position, in which each portion 34 is located adjacent to the peripheral surface 21, to pick up an article from the surface 19. When an article is attached, it is held against the surface 35 by the air pressure until it is released. 52/364

Claims (11)

1. CLAIMS: 1. An apparatus for helping to locate an article in a bag containing a product, the apparatus includes: a container for receiving a plurality of articles and including an upward facing surface on which the articles rest; at least one unloading location, each location has a discharge opening to which the articles to be transported to a packaging machine are supplied, which forms bags containing the product; and a conveyor device for supplying the objects of the tank to the discharge opening, the device includes: a support, the support is movable between a first position and a second position; and a portion that couples the article attached to the support, to be at least partially supported by the same, the portion that engages the article is located adjacent to the surface when the support is in the first position, to attach one of the articles, so that the article is secured thereto, with the surface being located relative to the discharge opening, so that upon release of the coupled article, the article is delivered to the opening of the article. 52/364 discharge when the support is in the second position. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support moves angularly between the first and second positions. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the support moves angularly about a generally horizontal axis. The apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the portion that engages the article includes a contact area for coupling the articles, the contact area surrounding an opening to which a reduced air pressure is supplied (with relation to the atmosphere), so that the articles are propelled against the contact area by the air pressure. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the surface of the reservoir is conical, with a generally vertical longitudinal central axis, such that the reservoir surface slopes downward toward a generally annular periphery, with the portion coupling the article being located adjacent to the periphery, when the support is in a first position. The apparatus according to claim 5, further including a mounting for vibrating the surface of the reservoir. 52/364 7. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein there is a plurality of discharge locations, and a plurality of conveyor devices, each conveyor device is operatively associated with a respective one of the discharge locations, with the discharge locations being separated angularly around the axis. The apparatus according to claim 7, further including a motor operatively associated with each support, to cause movement thereof between the first and second positions. The apparatus according to claim 8, further including a control for coordinating the operation of the motors, so that the articles are delivered to the discharge openings in a desired timed sequence. The apparatus according to claim 9, further including a ramp operatively associated with the discharge openings, for receiving the articles thereof, so that the articles pass down the ramp in a desired timed sequence. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 10, further including a hopper for receiving a plurality of the articles, and a ramp extending from the hopper to supply the articles to the 52/364 deposit. 52/364