Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B69/00—Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
  • B65B69/0033—Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for by cutting
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B69/00—Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
  • B65B69/0008—Opening and emptying bags
  • B65B69/0016—Opening and emptying bags for urine bags or medical drainage bags
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
  • B67B7/00—Hand- or power-operated devices for opening closed containers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
  • B67B7/00—Hand- or power-operated devices for opening closed containers
  • B67B7/40—Devices for engaging tags, strips, or tongues for opening by tearing, e.g. slotted keys for opening sardine tins

Definitions

• the following invention relates to a device for opening blood bags. More particularly, though not exclusively, the invention relates to a device adapted to tear open a succession of bags containing frozen blood fractions and to direct those fractions to a receptacle isolated from its packaging.
• Blood fractions such as plasma are stored in a frozen condition in plastic bags.
• Such bags provide a convenient means by which the blood fractions may be stored and transported to and from blood banks and hospitals for example.
• a plastics blood bag 10 is depicted.
• the bag 10 comprises a blood fractions receiving area 11 and a tear strip 12.
• a pair of gripping tabs 13 is provided at the base of the bag 10. To manually open the bag, one would grip each tab 13 and apply force in the direction indicated by arrows A so as to tear the tear strip 12, thus exposing the frozen contents of the bag.
• an apparatus comprising: means to present one or more packages to an opening zone, each package containing a substance to be removed therefrom, a pair of stripper arms mounted upon a frame, each stripper arm comprising gripping means to grip one of said packages, and motor means to effect movement of said arms so as to strip said packages and eject said substance therefrom.
• each stripper arm has pivotal ly attached thereto a link, and said motor means comprises a linear actuator attached to each link.
• the stripping action is to be staged whereby a low pressure or slow speed straining stage is followed by a rapid separation providing the ejection action.
• the low speed stage is intended to initiate the tear at the weakened region of the bag.
• four arms are provided. That is, said pair of arms comprise an upper pair of arms and there is further provided a lower corresponding pair of arms, each adapted to interact with one of the arms of the upper pair.
• a chute is provided through which said substance passes from said opening zone to a receptacle.
• the arms are actuated so as to be quickly released.
• said conveying means and/or said motor means are PLC control led.
• said conveyor means comprises a conveyor belt having a plurality of spaced guides to separate each package thereon. These guides may be wire flights, spring clips or other means for retaining the pack.
• the spring clips might comprise spring loaded roller means at spaced intervals upon the conveyor belt spring loaded to bear against an edge of the bag.
• the conveyor belt passes through a cowl provided with fans to direct air to the surface of the packages.
• both upper and lower fans are provided.
• the cowl is provided with dissipation means to reduce the turbulence of exhausted air therefrom.
• a heat sensor is provided near the opening zone to aid in adjusting the function of the fans, the speed of the conveyor belt, and/or the speed of operation of the motor means.
• Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of a package opening apparatus
• Fig. 3 is a schematic elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 2
• Fig. 4 is a schematic end elevational view of the apparatus of Figs. 2 and 3
• Fig. 5 is a schematic partial plan view of a stripping mechanism
• Fig. 6 is a schematic elevational view of the mechanism of Fig. 5,
• Fig. 7 is a schematic end elevational view of a tempering cowl
• Fig. 8 is a schematic elevational view of an alternative conveyor belt structure comprising spring loaded roller means
• Fig. 9 is a schematic plan view of the alternative arrangement of Fiq. 8. Description of the Preferred Embodiment
• Apparatus 20 comprises a conveyor belt 21 passing through a tempering cowl 22.
• Conveyor belt 21 comprises a plurality of spaced wire flights 23 between which respective packages 10 are disposed.
• the conveyor belt 21 conveys packages 10 toward a stripping zone 25 to be described below.
• cowl 22 which is typically formed of sheet steel comprises upper and lower fans 24 to direct ambient air both above and below packages 10 so as to temper the same. It should be appreciated that the bags 10 start at approximately -40°, at which temperature, most plastics are too brittle to tear. Furthermore, any condensation on the exterior of packages 10 should be evaporated by the action of fans 24. That is, in order to prevent contamination of the blood fractions within the bag during opening, it is desirable that any condensation on the bag be removed prior to opening.
• Dispersion means 35 might comprise a plurality of holes intended to reduce the exit velocity of air having passed through cowl 22.
• a pair of upper arms 26 are pivotal ly mounted at respective pivot axes 32.
• One arm 26 of the stripping assembly is better shown in Fig. 5.
• Arm 26 is attached to a pivot mounting 37 by way of quick release clamp 30.
• Quick release clamp 30 is typically a threaded shaft adapted to engage with an annular groove 38 formed in the base of arm 26.
• Pivot mounting 37 is pivotal ly mounted so as to rotate about axis 32.
• a linear actuator 31 typically a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, or alternatively a rack and pinion arrangement
• a link 29 extends between actuator 31 and pivot mounting 37.
• link 29 Upon extension of actuator 31, link 29 causes pivoting of pivot mounting 37 in a clockwise direction so as to cause arm 26 to move in the direction indicated by arrow B.
• each upper arm 26 has a corresponding and associated lower arm 33 as shown in Fig. 6. Whilst upper arms 26 are adapted to pivot vertically by action of a further linear actuator 39, lower pivot arms 33 remain in a horizontal plane. The vertical actuator 39 causes gripping and release of arm 26 upon arm 33 so as to grip the extension 13 of bag 10.
• arms 26 Upon activation of actuator 31, arms 26 move in the direction of arrow B so as to tear the tear strip 12 in the bag.
• Actuator 31 can be operated in a two stage mode. Initially a low pressure is applied during which time a split is initiated in the weakened region of bag 11.
• actuator 31 is retracted so as to revert arms 26 and 33 to their start position.
• any form of gripping means may be provided at the distal ends of arms 26 and 33.
• mating male and female parts 40 and 41 are provided. That is, part 40 may penetrate through extension 13 of bag 10 during pivoting of arm 26 about horizontal pivot axis 34.
• a high friction material may be adopted to firmly hold extensions 13 therebetween.
• FIG. 8 illustrates the conveyor belt 21 being formed of stainless steel mesh, individual strands of which are denoted 44.
• a series of spring clip devices 40 Upon the belt 21 and welded or otherwise attached to respective ones of the individual strands 44 is a series of spring clip devices 40.
• Each device 40 comprises a number of fingers 46 extending longitudinally of the belt and forming a base of the respective spring clip devices 40. As can be seen, only a central one of the strands 44 is welded to the base. This is to allow the belt to pass around a roller 45 at the forward or return end of the belt structure.
• Spring loaded by way of an arm 47 at pivot axis 48 of the base 40 is a tapered roller 49. The function of spring loaded roller 49 is to centre the bag 10 against the opposing tapered buffer 42 so that once transferred to the opening zone, the arms of the opening mechanism may accurately be applied to the bag. That is, each device 40 acts to centralise the bag for opening.
• the apparatus herein is not restricted in its application to bags containing frozen blood fractions. More particularly, the provision of tempering fans 24 in cowl 22 is optional .

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=3776680

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1994
  • 1994-02-01 GB GB9515505A patent/GB2290520B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1994-02-01 WO PCT/AU1994/000044 patent/WO1994018109A1/en active Application Filing
• 1995
  • 1995-07-27 SE SE9502706A patent/SE9502706L/sv not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (6)

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