TWI764047B - A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a storage bag, and a storage bag - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for producing a storage bag with an integrally formed valve, a resulting bag and an apparatus for producing such a bag. The method is characterised by forming the valve (3) of bag (2) by folding corner (13) of the tubular piece (5) at second open end (8) inwardly to the inside followed by cutting off edge strip (22) of tubular piece (5) with the valve (3) formed and closing the second open end (8) by attaching second sealing strip (25) thereto. In another aspect of the invention at least one hole (29) is made into side wall section (9A and/or 9B) of the tubular piece (5) to establish connection between second sealing strip (25) and at least one side wall (19) of the valve (3). The resultant bag has a valve (3) of height (23) smaller than depth (24) of valve (3) and where second sealing strip (25) is attached to second end (8) of tubular piece (5).

Description

Method and apparatus for manufacturing storage bag and storage bag

The present invention generally relates to the field of bags for transporting, packaging and storing powdered or granular materials such as cement.

In particular, the present invention relates to a method for producing a bag having an integrally formed valve, a resulting bag and an apparatus for producing such a bag.

Bags or sacks have been used to package/storage/transport materials such as grain, flour and various industrial materials. There are mainly two types of bags in use: pillow type and box type. Box bags are made using heat sealing techniques, however, their manufacturing process is capital intensive. The most common pillow bag is made by stitching one end of a tubular mesh by properly folding the ends to be stitched. Suture is a simple and economical procedure that can be performed manually or automatically. However, stitching compromises the integrity and strength of the mesh due to needle penetration through the mesh material. Some manufacturers use high strength materials to compensate for the loss of strength, however, complete sealing of the filled material from the external environment is not possible. Stitching also results in theft of material, especially during bag shipping and handling. The need for folding at the end to be sewn also requires a larger length of mesh, which is an economic disadvantage.

The problem of mesh piercing and the resulting theft can be overcome by using a heat sealing technique such as a heating rod or ultrasonic method, however, these methods require precise operational control and also high strength mesh In the absence of these conditions, there is a risk of bursting of the filled bag and it lowers the packaging weight limit.

There is an additional problem with bags having a fill valve that are provided for safer filling of material than through the open end of a bag. However, the filling valve is usually not securely attached to the bag. Therefore, there is a risk that the valve may become deployed or detached from the bag.

It is known in the art (eg from AT 512 459 A1 ) to provide bags with self-closing valves that allow quick filling and self-closing of filled bags. The valve is formed in a flat state of the bag by means of a folding device. Bags are usually filled by means of a filling device such as a filling tube. For this purpose, the valve train is unfolded and the filling device is inserted into the valve. After retracting the filling device from the bag, the valve is closed due to the internal pressure of the powdered or granular material filled into the bag. In this prior art, the open end of the bag with the valve is closed by folding the top edge and then sewing. However, this weakens the material and can therefore lead to rupture of the bag. Also, the filling material can leak through the stitches, which is a particular concern when filling cement into bags.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to obviate or at least alleviate at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

Therefore, there is a need for a bag/sack that overcomes these deficiencies such that the integrity and strength of the mesh material is not unduly compromised and wherein the seal is secure and intact, and has a valve placed securely and a bag/sack for producing such bags/sacks method.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a particularly durable bag with an integrally formed valve that reliably closes the filled bag when the filling device is retracted from the valve, preventing leakage of the filling material. Furthermore, one object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for producing such a bag.

The present invention provides a method for producing a bag with a valve. The bag may be produced from a mesh material, which may be a coated or laminated woven fabric, non-woven fabric or composites of the like as appropriate. Woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene materials are preferred. For the purposes of this description, the terms mesh, mesh material or fabric are used synonymously.

Therefore, the method includes the following steps: a) providing a tubular member made of fabric, in particular polymeric material, preferably woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene material, the tubular member having a first open end and a second open end, each open the end has a corresponding circumferential edge; b) preferably closing the first open end of the tubular member by attaching a first sealing strip thereto; c) forming the valve of the bag by folding a corner of the tubular member inwardly to the inside of the tubular member at the second open end; d) severing at the second open end thereof a lower edge strip of the tubular member in which the valve is formed; and e) Closing the second open end by attaching a second sealing strip to it.

A fabric bag with a valve is also provided. The bag may be produced from a mesh material, which may be a coated and laminated woven fabric, non-woven fabric as appropriate. The sealing strips may be made of woven or non-woven materials, in particular polymeric materials, preferably coated or laminated, preferably woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene materials, as appropriate the sealing strips may be Adhesive is pre-applied on its isosurfaces that are self-attached to the bag. This means that the strips are supplied ready with the adhesive applied to them.

Accordingly, the bag of the present invention includes: - a tubular member made of a fabric, in particular a polymeric material, preferably a woven polyolefin or a woven polypropylene material, the tubular member having a closed second sealing strip, preferably by means of a first sealing strip one end; - a valve formed by folding inwards a corner at the second end of the tubular member to the inner side of the tubular member, a height of the valve being less than a depth of the valve; and - a second sealing strip attached to the second end of the tubular member.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing a bag having at least one valve. The device is capable of producing bags made of mesh material, either woven or non-woven, coated or laminated as appropriate.

Accordingly, the devices disclosed herein include: a) a supply unit for supplying a tubular piece made of fabric, in particular polymeric material, preferably woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene material, the tubular piece having a first open end and a first two open ends, each open end has a corresponding circumferential edge; b) a first closing unit for closing, in particular, the first open end of the tubular member by means of a first sealing strip; c) a valve forming unit for forming the valve of the bag by folding inward a corner of the second open end to the inner side of the tubular member; d) a cutting unit for cutting a lower edge strip of the second open end; e) A second closing unit for closing the second open end by means of a second sealing strip.

All aspects of the invention are related to each other, and any embodiment described for one aspect is correspondingly related to all other aspects and embodiments mentioned. In particular, the advantages and features mentioned in the context of the method are also relevant to the device and the bag.

The present invention provides a method for producing a bag with a valve, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a tubular member made of fabric, in particular polymeric material, preferably polyolefin or woven polypropylene material, the tubular member having a first open end and a second open end, each open end has a corresponding circumferential edge; b) preferably closing the first open end of the tubular member by attaching a first sealing strip thereto; c) forming the valve of the bag by folding a corner of the tubular member inwardly to the inside of the tubular member at the second open end; d) severing at its second open end a lower edge strip of the tubular member in which the valve is formed; and e) Close the second open end by attaching a second sealing strip to it and by tightening the valve.

Bags can be produced from mesh materials, which can be woven or non-woven fabrics that are coated or laminated as appropriate. Woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene materials are preferred.

A particularly durable bag with an integrally formed self-closing valve is obtained by preferably, but not necessarily sequentially, performing steps a) to e) of the method, wherein the valve is reliable once a filling device is retracted from the bag. Close the filled bag. The valve is closed due to the applied pressure of the filling material. Filling material, in particular powdered or granular material such as cement, is reliably prevented from leaking from the bottom end of the bag. The valve is thereby formed by the tubular member itself and thus constitutes an integral part of the bag. In other words, the bag containing the valve is made as a single piece, ie a tubular piece.

The type of bag being produced (eg, pillow or pleated) is defined by the form of the tube used in the manufacturing process. Thus, depending on the type of bag being produced, the tubular member may have folds. The inventive method and inventive apparatus can be used to produce two types of bags.

The tubular member may be made of a synthetic woven fabric, in particular a polymeric material, preferably a polyolefin or polypropylene material. The fabric may consist of small flat strips or strips with a typical width of up to 10 mm and a thickness of 15 µm to 120 µm. The fabric can be coated or uncoated. The tubular member has a circumferential side wall which preferably has no openings or holes other than the first and second open ends. The sidewall may include several sidewall sections. Typically, each sidewall section defines one side of the bag being produced. Due to the flexibility of the materials used, the tubular member is preferably substantially flat during manufacture of the bag. In this case, the side wall can be divided into at least two sections, a top and a lower side wall section, which are joined to each other at the side edges of the flattened tubular member. The first open end of the tubular member is opposite to the second open end. At the start of the method in step a), both the first and second open ends preferably have substantially the same size.

In step a), the tubular member is provided, ie physically placed and prepared for subsequent steps. The step of providing the tubular member may include manufacturing the tubular member. For example, the tubular can be woven, or cut from a (web) roll or any other supply member with a continuous (specifically) woven fabric tubular. Alternatively, manufacture can also be performed independently of and before step a). In this case, the tubular member can simply be obtained from a stack of one of a number of tubular members.

In step b), the first open end of the tubular member is closed. To close the first open end, various closure techniques can be applied. For example, the first open end can be closed by sewing or gluing. However, it is preferred to close the first open end by means of a first sealing strip attached at the first open end to the edge of the opposing side wall section. The first sealing strip can be obtained from a stack having a sealing strip, or can be cut from a continuous sealing strip. If the first sealing strip is cut from a continuous sealing strip, the cutting may occur before or after attaching the first sealing strip to the first open end. The first sealing strip preferably has two strip sections, one at each side wall section of the tubular member and connected to each other. Specifically, the cross section of the first sealing strip forms a V or a U. The first sealing strip may preferably be bonded or welded to the tubular member by means of hot air or heat welding. Thermal fusion technology can use laser technology, ultrasonic technology or any other high frequency technology. The two strip sections that are the sides of the U or V profile are thereby attached to the edge of the first open end. Alternatively or additionally, the first sealing strip at the first open end can be sewn to the tubular, as the load on the stitches can be less at the first (upper) open end than at the second (lower) at the open end.

The first sealing strip can be made of woven or non-woven materials, in particular polymeric materials, preferably coated or laminated, preferably woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene materials, as the case may be the first sealing strip The tape may be pre-applied with adhesive.

In step c), the valve is formed by folding the corner of the second open end (which is still open at this stage) inwardly to the inside of the tubular member. Since the tubular member is generally in a flat state due to its flexibility, it may be advantageous to raise one edge of the second open end to facilitate folding of the corners. The resulting valve has two opposing side walls such that a filling device can be received therebetween. In step c), the height and depth of the folded valve are substantially the same. The height of the valve extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member extending from the first open end to the second open end. The depth extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member.

In step d), one of the (lower) edge strips of the tubular member in which the valve is formed at its second open end is cut, in particular by means of a knife. The cut is preferably a straight cut without any curved sections. As a result of the cutting, the valve is truncated at its lower end. Thus, the resulting valve has, in its final state, a height that is shorter than its depth. In other words: the height of the valve is reduced by the width of the cut-off lower edge strip after folding the corners. This improves the reliability of the self-closing mechanism of the valve in the final bag by preventing accidental folding of the valve to the outside in response to filling of the material. The lower edge strip has a width of at least 10 mm, preferably at least 70 mm, preferably less than 150 mm. After cutting the lower edge strip, the tubular element has the final length (ie extension in the direction of the longitudinal axis) of the bag to be produced.

In step e), the second open end of the tubular member other than the valve is closed by attaching a second sealing strip thereto. The valve is not blocked by the attachment of the second sealing strip. Corresponding to the attachment of the first sealing strip, the second sealing strip may be taken from a stack with sealing strips, or may be cut from a continuous sealing strip, in particular from a roll. If the second sealing strip is cut from a continuous sealing strip, the cutting may occur before or after attaching the second sealing strip to the second open end. The second sealing strip preferably has two strip sections, one at each side wall section of the tubular member and connected to each other. Specifically, the cross section of the second sealing strip forms a V or a U. The second sealing strip can be glued or welded to the tubular member. The two strip sections that are the sides of the U or V profile are thereby attached to the edge of the second open end. Alternatively or additionally, a second sealing strip at the second open end may be sewn to the tubular member.

The second sealing strip may be made of woven or non-woven materials, in particular polymeric materials, preferably coated or laminated, preferably woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene materials, as the case may be for the second sealing strip The tape may be pre-applied with adhesive.

As a key aspect of the present invention, the formed valve is secured so that it does not unfold after filling is complete or in any other event. The easiest way to do this is by securely attaching at least one of the valve walls to the second sealing strip. In a preferred method of securing the valve, in step e), at least one hole is formed in at least one adjacent side wall section to establish a secure connection between the second sealing strip and at least one side wall of the valve. When attaching the second sealing strip to the second open end in step e), for example by gluing or welding, preferably hot air welding or heat welding, at least one side wall of the valve is connected to the second open end through at least one hole sealing strip. The second sealing strip can be bonded or welded to the tubular element, preferably by means of hot air or heat welding. Thermal fusion technology can use laser technology, ultrasonic technology or any other high frequency technology. Since the second sealing strip is also connected to the adjacent side wall of the tubular member, necessarily, at least one side wall of the valve is connected to the adjacent side wall section via the second sealing strip. The at least one hole is preferably located close to the second open end so that it can be completely covered by the second sealing strip.

Preferably, the first and/or second sealing strip is attached to the tubular member by means of welding, preferably hot air welding or ultrasonic welding or bonding.

The location of the at least one hole may be predetermined depending on the size of the bag and valve. Thus, once it is known where the cut will be made to make the tubular member 5 from the tubular mesh, it is also possible, in practice, during the method (ie even before any of steps b, c, d and e) at any The action of forming at least one hole is performed at the point.

In step e), the second open end of the tubular member other than the valve is closed by attaching a second sealing strip thereto. So that the valve is not blocked by the attachment of the second sealing strip. Corresponding to the attachment of the first sealing strip, the second sealing strip may be taken from a stack with sealing strips, or may be cut from a continuous sealing strip, in particular from a roll. If the second sealing strip is cut from a continuous sealing strip, the cutting may occur before or after attaching the second sealing strip to the second open end. The second sealing strip preferably has two strip sections, one at each side wall section of the tubular member and connected to each other. Specifically. The cross section of the second sealing strip forms a V or a U. The second sealing strip can be glued or welded to the tubular member. The two strip sections that are the sides of the U or V profile are thereby attached to the edge of the second open end. Alternatively or additionally, a second sealing strip at the second open end may be sewn to the tubular member.

After performing step e), the second sealing strip may be cut to conform to the width of the second open end (now closed) without the valve. In this way, the second sealing strip does not protrude into the valve section.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , in a preferred embodiment, the inwardly folded corner used to form the second open end of the valve has the shape of a triangle, in particular, an isosceles triangle . In this embodiment, the first side of the triangle (the first right side) is oriented substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, and the second side (the second right side) is oriented substantially parallel to the in one direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular member. As shown in FIG. 1A , before forming the fold by pleating the side walls, the first side of the triangle is a portion of the pleated side edge of the flattened tubular member. Similarly, prior to forming the fold, the second side is a portion of the open edge of the second open end. The hypotenuse connects the side wall and the second open end.

According to one embodiment of the invention, step d) may comprise severing the lower edge strip at a substantially right angle to one of the longitudinal axes of the tubular member and along the full width of the second open end of the tubular member in which the valve is formed . The longitudinal axis thereby extends from the first open end to the second open end of the tubular member.

As an alternative to securing the valve so that it does not inadvertently open or fold outwards (ie as opposed to the inward folding as explained previously), after forming the valve according to step c), at least one side wall of the valve (preferably A bottom edge of the side wall of the valve) is securely connected to an adjacent side wall section of the tubular member. Preferably, the two side walls of the valve are each connected to their adjacent side wall sections of the tubular member.

A quick and reliable connection of the side walls of the valve is achieved if at least one side wall section of the valve is connected to the adjacent side wall of the tubular element by means of a procedure through which heat fusion is performed for connection purposes. Alternatively, any welding procedure can be used for this purpose, with which the fabric can be partially melted and at least one side wall of the valve can be joined to the other side of the tubular member without the use of any joining material, such as an adhesive. Adjacent to the side wall section. Again, preferably, the two side walls of the valve are connected to a respective adjacent side wall section of the tubular member. For this purpose, both side walls of the valve can be connected simultaneously to their respective adjacent side walls of the tubular member. Alternatively, the side walls may be joined to their equal adjacent side wall sections in succession, ie in a separate welding process.

In order to avoid the side walls of the valve from being connected to each other during the welding procedure, a separating element, in particular a separating layer preferably made of steel, can be used to temporarily separate the side walls of the valve from each other during the welding procedure. The separation element has the advantage of keeping the side walls of the valve from being welded to each other during the welding procedure.

Alternatively, the welding may be performed using an ultrasonic welding procedure.

In a further embodiment, two methods of securing the valve are implemented—that is, one method involves making at least one hole in at least one adjacent sidewall section through which the second side strap is securely attached to the A side wall of the valve, and one method is to securely connect at least one side wall of the valve, preferably a bottom edge of the side wall of the valve, to an adjacent side wall section of the tubular member.

The present invention further provides a fabric bag comprising: - a tubular piece made of a (in particular) woven fabric, which has a closed first end, preferably by means of a first sealing strip; - a valve formed by folding inward a corner at a second end of the tubular member to the inside of the tubular member, a height of the valve being less than a depth of the valve; - a second sealing strip attached to the second end of the tubular member.

Bags can be obtained by the inventive method. Advantageously, the valve of the bag has a height that is shorter than its depth. The height of the valve extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member extending from the first open end to the second open end. The depth extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member. The longitudinal axis extends from the first open end to the second open end. The bag has a length preferably between 200 mm and 1400 mm, more preferably between 350 mm and 950 mm. The bag has a width preferably between 170 mm and 850 mm, more preferably between 270 mm and 620 mm.

To prevent unintentional deployment of the valve of the bag, at least one of the side walls of the valve may be connected to an adjacent side wall section of the tubular member.

The present invention also provides an apparatus for producing a bag having at least one valve, the apparatus comprising: a) a supply unit for supplying a tubular member made in particular of woven fabric, preferably polypropylene, the tubular member having a first open end and a second open end, each open end has a corresponding circumferential edge; b) a first closing unit for closing, in particular, the first open end of the tubular member by means of a first sealing strip; c) a valve forming unit for forming the valve of the bag by folding inward a corner of the second open end to the inside of the tubular member; d) a cutting unit for cutting a lower edge strip of the second open end; e) A second closing unit for closing the second open end by means of a second sealing strip.

The inventive apparatus is capable of implementing the method set forth above. Preferably, the units are arranged sequentially from a) to e). The supply unit may comprise a roll with a coiled continuous tubular member from which the tubular member may be cut, for example by means of cold cutting, thermal cutting, ultrasonic cutting or laser cutting. Alternatively, the supply unit may comprise a stack from which the tubulars may be taken successively. The first closure unit may comprise a large number of sealing strips, in particular V or U-shaped strips. The sealing strip can be obtained from a stack or cut from a roll. For cutting, the first closed unit may comprise a knife. Alternatively, cold cutting, heat cutting, ultrasonic cutting or laser cutting can be used from the first closed unit. The valve forming unit may include a folding member that folds (ie, presses or displaces) the corner of the tubular member to the inner side of the tubular member. Conveniently, the valve forming unit may further comprise a lift member that lifts an edge of the second open end of the tubular member to facilitate folding of the corner. The cutting unit may include a knife. The second closed cell can be constructed similarly to the first closed cell. For attaching the first and/or second sealing strip to the tubular member, welding (preferably hot air welding, ultrasonic welding) or gluing can be used by the first and/or second closing unit.

In a first embodiment of the device, the first and/or second closing unit has a welding means for connecting the first/second sealing strip to the first/second open end of the tubular element. The welding device, preferably a thermal welding device, can heat and partially melt the first/second sealing strip and/or the first/second open end to form the first/second sealing strip and the tubular member. an integral connection. The welding device can also be an ultrasonic welding device.

Furthermore, the device may comprise an adhesive unit for connecting at least one side wall of the valve to an adjacent side wall section of the tubular member by means of an adhesive.

In a preferred embodiment, the device further comprises a punching unit for punching at least one hole in at least one side wall section of the tubular member before closing the second open end by means of the second sealing strip, wherein the The hole(s) are punched in the second open end so that a connection is established between the second sealing strip and at least one side wall of the valve when the second sealing strip is attached.

The location of the at least one hole may be predetermined depending on the size of the bag and valve. Thus, once it is known where the cut will be made to make the tubular member 5 from the tubular mesh, it is also possible, in practice, during the method (ie even before any of steps b, c, d and e) at any The action of forming at least one hole is performed at the point.

In another embodiment, the device comprises a welding unit for connecting at least one side wall of the valve to an adjacent side wall section of the tubular member by means of a welding process, preferably a thermal welding process. However, the procedure could also be an ultrasonic welding procedure.

In order to avoid joining the side walls of the valve during the welding procedure, the welding unit may comprise a separating element, in particular a separating layer preferably made of metal, which can be inserted between the side walls of the valve during the welding procedure.

In yet another embodiment, the device includes both the aforementioned punching unit and a welding unit, the punching unit serving the purpose of providing it in the preferred embodiment, and the welding unit being used to fuse at least the valve by means of a welding procedure A side wall is connected to an adjacent side wall section of the tubular member.

In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained with the aid of the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows schematically an apparatus 1 , here a production line for the production of bags 2 with integrated valves 3 . The production line has several stations (from left to right) for producing bags. The sequence shown in Figure 1 is only one preferred embodiment, and individual steps may be interchanged or combined as long as the results remain substantially the same. Each step performed may be performed by a dedicated unit of device 1 . Since these units are known per se, they are only indicated schematically in the drawings.

Figure 1 also shows a web roll 4 from which tubular members 5 are cut by means of a cutting device (not shown) such as a knife or a laser cutter. Each tubular member 5 generally each has a circumferential side wall 6 extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, except for a first open end 7 and a second open end 8 at opposite ends of the tubular member 5 , the circumferential side wall 6 preferably has no openings or holes. Each open end 7 and 8 has a corresponding circumferential edge 7A and 8A. The tubular member 5 is made of a woven fabric, in particular a polymer material, preferably a woven polyolefin or a woven polypropylene material. Due to its equal flexibility, the tubular member 5 is substantially in a flat state during the manufacturing process, as shown in the figures. In this flat state, at least two opposing side wall sections 9A and 9B forming the tubular member 5 are formed with pleated side edges 6A and 6B between them. In Fig. 1 only the top side wall section 9A is visible since the tubular member 5 is shown in a top view.

Another option is that instead of cutting, the tubular elements 5 can of course simply be taken from a stack or another production line for the production of tubular elements 5 . The step of cutting or simply obtaining the tubular member 5 may generally be referred to as a step of providing the tubular member or simply as step a). This step can be performed by a supply unit 101 .

In a subsequent step (which may be referred to as step b)) and may be performed by a first closing unit 102), the first open end 7 of the tubular member 5 is completely closed so that the material filled into the bag 2 cannot escape from the bag 2. Outflow from this side. Preferably, this is achieved by attaching a first sealing strip 10 to the first open end 7 . For this purpose, the first sealing strip 10 can be cut from a continuous strip roll 11 or alternatively obtained from a stack. The length of the first sealing strip 10 may be greater than the width of the first open end 7 . There are various ways for attaching or joining the first sealing strip 10 to the first open end 7 . However, welded or bonded systems are preferred. For this purpose, a joining or sealing device 28, in particular one that is joined using an adhesive/adhesive (natural or synthetic) or using a welding technique such as laser welding, ultrasonic welding or any other high frequency welding) a device, or a hot air welding device is preferred. This joining device 28 may be included in the first closed unit 102 .

The first sealing strip 10 preferably has two strip sections (not shown), one for each side wall section 9A (top side) and 9B (lower side) of the tubular member 5 connected to each other. Specifically, the cross section of the first sealing strip 10 forms a V or a U. The two strip sections (ie the sides of the U or V profile) of the first sealing strip 10 are thereby attached to the edge 12 of the first open end 7 . Alternatively or additionally, the first sealing strip 10 at the first open end 7 may be sewn to the tubular member 5, since the load on the stitching may be less at the first (upper) open end 7 than at the first (upper) open end 7. Two (lower) open ends at 8 places.

Subsequently, in step c), which is carried out by a unit commonly referred to as valve forming unit 103 , the valve 3 is formed in the tubular member 5 . For this purpose, a corner 13 at the second open end 8 is folded inwards to the inside of the tubular member 5 . As can be seen in FIG. 1 , immediately after folding inwards, the corners 13 are shaped into two isosceles triangles 14 having a common side or edge therebetween, the common side being the first side 15 (first right angle side). The first side 15 of the triangle 14 is thereby formed by a portion of the side edge 6A and is oriented substantially in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 16 of the tubular member 5 . Similarly, a second side 17 (second right angle) of each triangle 14 is formed by a portion of the circumferential edge 8A immediately after the inward folding. The second side 17 of each triangle 14 is oriented substantially in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 16 of the tubular member 5 . Finally, the hypotenuse 18 of the triangle 14 is formed by pleating the side walls 9A and 9B.

Obviously, the integrity of the resulting valve 3 with the remainder of the bag arises from the fact that: - the first side 15 of the triangle 14 is an integral part of the pleated side edge 6A; - the second side 17 of the triangle 14 is an integral part of the circumferential edge 8A; and - The bevel 18 is an integral part of the side walls 9A and 9B.

Although the valve 3 is integral with the bag in the manner explained here, in order to prevent the valve from inadvertently unfolding outwardly (ie, as opposed to the inward folding as previously explained), the device of the present invention is provided with a perforating unit 108 .

After cutting the tubular element 5 from the web roll 4, in step e) at least one hole 29 is formed in at least one of the adjacent side wall sections 9A and 9B by means of the punching unit 108 (see FIG. 3 ), In order to establish a connection between the second sealing strip 25 and at least one of the side walls 19 of the valve 3 . In the embodiment shown, two holes 29 are punched. The two holes 29 may be in the same wall section 9A or 9B, or the like may be in different wall sections 9A or 9B. The holes 29 may be placed relative to each other in any configuration, as long as the second sealing strip 25 (when placed in its final position) covers at least one of the holes 29 . The punching of the holes 29 must take place before step e) or at the beginning of step e). The punching unit 108 can therefore be placed anywhere in the device 1 as long as the hole 29 is punched before step e) or at the beginning of step e). The holes 29 may be through holes through the two side wall sections 9A and 9B of the tubular member 5 and the two side walls 19 of the valve 3 . Alternatively, it would be sufficient if the hole 29 passes through only one of the respectively adjacent side wall sections 9A and 9B of the tubular member 5 . In step e), the second sealing strip 25 is finally attached to the second open end 8 using a second welding device 28, which may be part of a second closing unit 105. Welding or bonding is preferred, however, ultrasonic welding may also be used.

As a result of attaching the second sealing strip 25 to the second open end 8 , the side wall 19 of the valve 3 is connected to the second sealing strip 25 through the hole 29 . Since the second sealing strip 25 is also connected to a respective side wall section 9A or 9B at the second open end 8 of the tubular member 5, the side wall 19 of the valve 3 is connected to the adjacent side wall section via the second sealing strip 25 9A or 9B. The hole 29 is positioned close to the second open end 8 so that it can be completely covered by the second sealing strip 25 .

FIG. 5 shows the punch unit 108 in a side view. The punching unit 108 comprises a slidable bolt 30 which punches at least one hole 29 , preferably two holes 29 , through the side wall section 9 and the side wall 19 of the valve 3 . A support element 31 supports the tubular member 5 and receives the bolts 30 .

The location of the hole 29 may be predetermined depending on the size of the bag and valve. Thus, once it is known where the cut will be made to make the tubular member 5 from the tubular mesh, it is also possible, in practice, during the method (ie even before any of steps b, c, d and e) at any The action of forming the hole 29 is performed at the point.

As an alternative to using holes 29 to secure the valve, at least one of the side walls 19 of the valve 3, preferably an edge of at least one of the side walls 19 of the valve 3 near the second open end 8 is firmly connected to One of the tubular members 5 adjoins the side wall sections 9A and 9B, respectively. This step may be performed by a unit which may generally be referred to as the valve connection unit 107 (see Figure 3). Preferably, the two side walls 19 of the valve 3 are each connected to a respectively adjacent side wall section 9A or 9B of the tubular member 5 . In a flat state of the tubular element 5, the side wall sections 9A and 9B lie opposite each other (see FIG. 2 or FIG. 5).

If by means of a welding process, in particular an ultrasonic welding process performed by a welding unit 106, the side wall 19 of the valve 3 is connected to the respective adjacent side wall sections 9A and 9B of the tubular member 5, the One of the side walls 19 connects quickly and reliably. This is shown in more detail in FIG. 2 . Through the welding process, the fabric of the tubular member 5 and the valve 3 formed therein are partially melted and the walls 19 of the valve 3 are attached to the respective adjacencies of the tubular member 5 without the use of any adhesive material, such as an adhesive. Sidewall sections 9A and 9B.

As already stated, preferably, the two side walls 19 of the valve 3 are connected to one of the tubular members 5 adjacent to the side wall section 9A or 9B, respectively. For this purpose, a separate welding procedure performed by a separate welding unit 106 may be used. The fusion splicing units 106 may be activated simultaneously or sequentially. As shown in FIG. 4 , the fusion splicing unit 106 may be integrated into the valve connection unit 107 .

In order to prevent the side walls 19 of the valve 3 from being connected to each other, a separating element 20, in particular a separating layer 21 preferably made of steel, can be used to temporarily separate the side walls 19 of the valve 3 from each other during the welding procedure. The separating element 20 has the advantage that the side walls 19 of the valve 3 are not inadvertently welded to each other during the welding procedure.

Instead of welding, the side wall 19 of the valve 3 can be connected to the respective adjacent side wall section 9A or 9B of the tubular member 5 by means of an adhesive material, which may be a natural or synthetic adhesive, preferably hot melt. This step can be performed by a bonding unit that can be integrated into the valve connection unit 107 .

In yet another embodiment, the apparatus includes both the aforementioned punching unit 108 and welding unit 106, the punching unit 108 serving its purpose in the preferred embodiment and the welding unit 106 being used to At least one side wall of the valve is connected to an adjacent side wall section of the tubular member.

In step d) (which can be performed by a cutting unit 104 and can be followed by the valve forming unit 103 or the valve connecting unit 107 ), for example, by means of a knife or another cutting device (not shown), a cut is made between the tubular piece 5 At the second open end 8 a lower edge strip 22 of the tubular member 5 in which the valve 3 is formed. The cut is preferably straight without any curved sections. Thus, the resulting valve 3 in its final state has a height 23 that is shorter than its depth 24 . In other words: the height 23 of the valve 3 is reduced by the width of the severed lower edge strip 22 . The height 23 of the valve 3 extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 16 of the tubular member 5 , which extends from the first open end 7 to the second open end 8 . The depth 24 extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 16 of the tubular member 5 . This improves the reliability of the self-closing mechanism of the valve 3 in the final bag 2 as it prevents accidental folding of the valve 3 to the outside in response to filling of the material. The cutting of the lower edge strip 22 can be performed at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal axis 16 of the tubular member 5 and along the full width of the second open end 8 in which the valve 3 is formed.

After severing the lower edge strip 22, the second open end 8 is closed by attaching a second sealing strip 25 thereto, in a step which may be referred to as step e). This step may be performed by a second enclosure unit 105 , which may be similar to the first enclosure unit 102 . In this context, "closed" means that the second open end 8 is closed but the valve 3 is left open after the lower edge strip 22 has been removed. In other words: the second open end 8 is closed, but the valve 3 is still open for receiving material. Again, the second sealing strip 25 may be taken from a stack, or as shown, cut from a continuous roll 26 of strip. Similar to the first sealing strip 10, the second sealing strip 25 preferably has two strip sections, one for each side wall section 9A and 9B of the tubular member 5 connected to each other. Specifically, the cross section of the second sealing strip 25 forms a V or a U. The two strip sections (ie the sides of the U or V profile) of the second sealing strip 25 are thereby attached to the edge 27 of the second open end 8 . Alternatively or additionally, the second sealing strip 25 at the second open end 8 may be sewn to the tubular member 5 . The second sealing strip 25 can be glued or preferably welded to the tubular member 5 . For this purpose, another joining or sealing means 28 may be included in the second closing unit 105 .

Since the second sealing strip 25 is too long and protrudes from the bag 2 due to the presence of the valve 3 , a sealing strip cutting unit 109 can be placed at the end of the device 1 . This unit 109 cuts off the part of the second sealing strip 25 that protrudes above the valve 3 .

The above-described procedure performed by means of the device 1 results in a bag 2 having a closed first end (corresponding to the previous first open end 7 ) and a second end 8 of the valve 3 formed therein. The second end 33 corresponds to the second open end 8 closed by means of the second sealing strip 25 .

Preferably, the units 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105 shown in the figure are arranged in the order of 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105 in a production line.

The advantages of bags made using the methods and apparatus disclosed herein are readily apparent.

Although the above description contains many specificities, these specificities should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, but only as an example of a preferred embodiment thereof. It must be recognized that modifications and changes can be made based on the disclosure given above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be determined not by the illustrated embodiments, but by the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

1: Device 2: bag 3: valve/integrated valve 4: Mesh roll/mesh/fabric roll 5: Tubular parts/tubular components 6: Circumferential side walls 6A: Side Edges / Pleated Side Edges 6B: Pleated side edges 7: first open end/open end/first (upper) open end/first open end 7A: First open end 8: Second Open End/Second End/Second (Lower) Open End/Second Open End 8A: Second open end/circumferential edge 9: Sidewall Section 9A: Layers of Sidewall Sections/Top Sidewall Sections/Sidewalls/Wall Sections/Flattened Tubes 9B: Layer of side wall section/side wall/wall section/flattened tubular 10: The first sealing strip 11: Continuous strip roll / strip roll for the first sealing strip 12: The edge of the first open end 13: Corner 14: Isosceles Triangle/Triangle 15: First side/first side or first right angle/first side of triangle 16: Longitudinal axis/longitudinal axis of tubular parts 17: Second side/second side or second right-angled side/second side of triangle 18: The hypotenuse/hypotenus of a triangle 19: Sidewall/Valve Sidewall/Valve Wall 20: Separate components 21: Separate layers 22: Edge strips/lower edge strips 23: height/valve height 24: valve depth/depth 25: Second sealing strip 26: Continuous strip roll / strip roll for second sealing strip 27: The edge of the second open end 28: Joining or sealing means/joining means/second welding means/bonding means/welding means; joining/sealing means 29: Hole 30: Slidable Bolts/Bolts 31: Support element 101: Supply unit/unit/supply unit for tubular parts 102: First closed cell/unit/first closed cell for first open end 103: Valve forming unit/unit 104: Cut off unit/unit 105: Second closed unit/unit/second closed unit for second open end 106: Fusion unit 107: Valve connection unit 108: Punching unit / punching device 109: Sealing strip cutting unit/unit a): step b): step c): step d): step e): step

Figure 1 shows an apparatus for producing a bag with a safety valve. 1A and 1B show schematic diagrams of folds formed to make a valve. Figure 2 shows a welding unit for connecting at least one side wall of the valve to an adjacent side wall section of the tubular member by means of a welding procedure. Figure 3 shows an alternative apparatus for producing a bag with a safety valve. Figure 4 shows the connection of the side wall of the valve to adjacent side wall sections by means of a single fusion unit. Figure 5 shows one of the punching units in a side view.

1: Device

2: bag

3: valve/integrated valve

4: Mesh roll/mesh/fabric roll

5: Tubular parts/tubular components

6: Circumferential side walls

7: First open end/open end/first (upper) open end

8: Second Open End/Second End/Second (Lower) Open End

9: Sidewall Section

10: The first sealing strip

11: Continuous strip roll / strip roll for the first sealing strip

12: The edge of the first open end

13: Corner

14: Isosceles Triangle/Triangle

15: First side/first side or first right angle/first side of triangle

17: Second side/second side or second right-angled side/second side of triangle

18: The hypotenuse/hypotenus of a triangle

22: Edge strips/lower edge strips

23: height/valve height

24: valve depth/depth

25: Second sealing strip

26: Continuous strip roll / strip roll for second sealing strip

28: Joining or sealing means/joining means/second welding means/bonding means/welding means; joining/sealing means

29: Hole

101: Supply unit/unit/supply unit for tubular parts

102: First closed cell/unit/first closed cell for first open end

103: Valve forming unit/unit

104: Cut off unit/unit

105: Second closed unit/unit/second closed unit for second open end

108: Punching unit / punching device

109: Sealing strip cutting unit/unit

a): step

b): step

c): step

d): step

e): step

Claims (25)

A method for producing a storage bag (2) with a valve (3), the method comprising the steps of: providing a material made of a fabric, in particular a polymer material, preferably a woven polyolefin or a woven polypropylene material A tubular member (5) having a first open end (7) and a second open end (8), followed preferably by a first sealing strip (10) Attached to it to close the first open end (7) of the tubular member (5), the method is characterized in that these steps are followed by the following steps: a. by placing at the second open end (8) A corner (13) of the tubular member (5) is folded inward to the inside of the tubular member (5) to form the valve (3) of the bag (2); b. at the second open end (8) thereof cutting off an edge strip (22) of the tubular member (5) in which the valve (3) is formed; and c. closing the second sealing strip (25) by attaching it to it an open end (8); wherein prior to step c), at least one hole (29) is made in the adjacent side wall section (9A and/or 9B) for the second sealing strip (25) in step c) A connection is established with at least one side wall (19) of the valve (3). The method of claim 1, wherein the inwardly folded corner (13) for forming the second open end (8) of the valve (3) has the shape of a triangle (14). A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein step b) comprises at a substantially right angle to a longitudinal axis (16) of the tubular member (5) and along the tubular member (5) in which the valve (3) is formed ) of the full width of the second open end (8) of the cut-off of the edge strip (22). A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein after forming the valve (3) according to step a), at least one side wall (19) of the valve (3), preferably the side wall (19) of the valve (3) ) is connected to an adjacent side wall section (9A or 9B) of the tubular member (5). A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one side wall (19) of the valve (3) is connected to the respective side of the tubular member (5) by means of a welding procedure, in particular an ultrasonic welding procedure Adjacent sidewall section (9A or 9B). A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein during the welding procedure a separating element (20), in particular a separating layer (21) preferably made of metal, is used for the side walls of the valve (3) (19) Temporarily separated from each other. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one side wall (19) of the valve (3) is connected to the respective adjacent side wall section of the tubular member (5) by means of an adhesive material, preferably hot melt (9A or 9B). A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first sealing strip (10) and/or the second sealing strip is/are made by means of welding, preferably hot air welding or ultrasonic welding, or bonding with an adhesive (25) is attached to the tubular member (5). The method of claim 8, wherein the holes (29) are two or more in number and are arranged in any relative configuration with respect to each other. The method of claim 9, wherein after closing the second open end (8), the second sealing strip covers at least one of the holes (29). The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second sealing strips are in the form of U or V sections. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first sealing strips (10) and/or the second sealing strips 25 are made of a woven or non-woven material, in particular a polymer material, preferably coated Fabric or laminated preferably woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene material. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second sealing strips are pre-applied with an adhesive on their faces that attach themselves to the bag. A storage bag (2) made of fabric material, characterized in that the bag comprises: a tubular element (5) made of a fabric, in particular a polymer material, preferably a woven polyolefin or a woven polypropylene material made, the tubular member (5) has a closed first end (32), preferably by means of a first sealing strip (10); a valve (3) by means of the tubular member (5) A corner (13) at a second end (8) is folded inward to the inner side of the tubular member (5) to form, a height (23) of the valve (3) is smaller than a depth of the valve (3) (24); a second sealing strip (25) attached to the second end (8) of the tubular member (5); wherein the wall sections (9A or 9B) have been made in etc. by the second sealing strip (25) at least one hole (29) covered. The bag of claim 14, wherein at least one of the side walls ( 19 ) of the valve ( 3 ) is connected to an adjacent side wall section ( 9 ) of the tubular member ( 5 ). The bag of claim 14, wherein the holes (29) are two or more in number and are arranged in any relative configuration with respect to each other. The bag of claim 14, wherein the first sealing strips (10) and/or the second sealing strips 25 are made of a woven or non-woven material, in particular a polymeric material, preferably coated or Laminated, preferably woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene material. The bag of claim 14, wherein the first and second sealing strips are pre-applied with adhesive on their equal sides that attach themselves to the bag. A device (1) for producing a storage bag (2) with at least one valve (3), characterized in that the device comprises: a) a supply unit (101) for supplying a fabric, in particular a tubular member (5) made of polymeric material, preferably woven polyolefin or woven polypropylene material, the tubular member (5) having a first open end (7) and a second open end (8); b) a first closing unit (102) for closing the first open end (7) of the tubular member (5) in particular by means of a first sealing strip (10); c) a valve forming A unit (103) for using a corner (13) of the second open end (8) Folding inwards to the inside of the tubular member (5) to form the valve (3) of the bag (2); d) a cutting unit (104) for cutting off an edge of the second open end (8) strip (22); e) a second closing unit (105) for closing the second open end (8) by means of a second sealing strip (25); wherein the device (1) further comprises a Punching unit (108) for at least one side wall section (9A and/or 9B) of the tubular member (5) before closing the second open end (8) by means of the second closing unit (105) at least one hole (29) is punched in ), wherein the hole (29) is positioned so that when the second sealing strip (25) is attached at least one hole (29) between the second sealing strip (25) and the valve (3) A connection is established between one of the side walls (9A or 9B). 19. The device of claim 19, wherein the perforating unit is positioned upstream of at least the second closing unit (105). 19. The device of claim 19, wherein the first closure unit (102) and/or the second closure unit (105) have a bonding device or a welding device (28) for the first sealing strip (10) )/second sealing strip (25) is connected to the first open end (7)/second open end (8) of the tubular member (5), wherein the welding device (28) preferably performs hot air Welding or ultrasonic welding. 19. The device of claim 19, wherein the device (1) further comprises an adhesive unit for connecting at least one side wall (19) of the valve (3) to one of the tubular members (5) by means of an adhesive Adjacent to the side wall section (9A or 9B). The device of claim 19, wherein the device (1) further comprises a welding unit (106) for By means of a welding procedure, preferably an ultrasonic welding procedure, at least one side wall (19) of the valve (3) is connected to an adjacent side wall section (9A or 9B) of the tubular member (5). The device of claim 23, wherein the welding unit (106) comprises a separating element (20) insertable between the side walls (19) of the valve (3) during the welding procedure, particularly preferably A separating layer (21) is made of metal. The device of claim 19, wherein the punching device (108) has a slidable bolt (30) for punching the hole (29), and under the tubular member (5) when the hole (29) is punched A support element (31) is provided.

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