Description APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PACKING VINYL- ENVELOPE STRIP AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SUCH PACKING VINYL-ENVELOPE STRIP USING THE SAME Technical Field [1] The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl- envelope strip and a method of manufacturing such packing vinyl-envelope strip using the same. Particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip, which is wound up in a roll so that users can tear off each individual vinyl-envelope from the roll in order to use for packing vegetables or fruits in a grocery store, and a method of manufacturing such packing vinyl-envelope strip using the same. Background Art [2] In general, a vinyl-envelope without a handle is used for packing vegetables or fruits in a grocery store. [3] The vinyl-envelope is rolled up in the form of a long strip consisting of a lot of individual vinyl-envelopes. Therefore, users can pull the end of the strip to unwind the strip and tear off each individual vinyl-envelope along the tearing line formed between individual vinyl-envelopes. One side of the individual vinyl-envelope is heat-sealed and the other side thereof (i.e. the tearing line) is opened so that the user can pack vegetables or the like and carry it together with other items in the same shopping bag. [4] Many attempts have been made in order to automatically and continuously manufacture these roll-type vinyl-envelope strips, for example by forming a hot- sealing line and a tearing line in certain intervals in a vinyl-tube strip, while continuously supplying the strip. [5] For example, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0299193 disclose an apparatus for manufacturing a vinyl packing bag, in which two synthetic resin sheets are hot-sealed transversally in the opening side of the sheets by a band sealer provided between a supplier and a heat-sealing tool. [6] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0277(33 discloses a method of manufacturing a roll-type shopping bag. In this technique, a cutting toothed-blade is installed in a base plate connected at the lower end of a rod, and a first and second
heat-sealing tool moving upwards and downwards by a minute distance due to a resilient force is provided at both sides of the cutting toothed-blade. The first heat- sealing tool has the same length as the cutting toothed-blade, and the second heat- sealing tool is separated into desired lengths at both ends of the cutting toothed-blade. An operating head having a cutting blade is provided at the end portion of the inside of the second heat-sealing tool.
[7] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 1989-0003293 discloses an apparatus for heat-sealing and cutting a vinyl envelope, in which cutting blades are installed in series, an envelope material transferring on top surface of the base plate of the cutting blade is cut by the cutting blade, simultaneously heat-sealed by an electric heating rod having a heater. A heat-discharging plate is installed in a groove formed inside the cutting blade. A slanted rubber plate is installed in the base plate of the cutting blade and pressed by a pushing plate. The envelope material is heat-sealed by an outer electric heating rod, which is controlled rightwards and leftwards by an adjusting bolt and spaced apart from the rubber plate by a certain distance. An inner electric heating rod is installed in a shaft rod.
[8] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0302468 discloses a heat-sealing machine for a vinyl bag. In this technique, a heat sealing device is provided above a cylinder block. A fixed heating wire is installed at the end of the cylinder block by a guide plate. A movable heating wire between the fixed heating wire and a supporting rod carries out a heat-sealing by a up-and-down movement of the rod of operating cylinder and a buffer. A sensor for sensing the introduction of a vinyl pack to one side of the movable heating wire and a fixed heating wire is provided. These components constitute a heater assembly. The operating cylinder, which is provided inside a groove formed in the center, is operated by the sensor, and facilitates the up-and-down movement of the movable heating wire. A controller is installed in the cylinder block in order to control the operation of the heat-sealing device including the heater assembly, the operating cylinder, or the like. A supporter fixed to a base holds the cylinder block and the heater assembly, while maintaining a desired height.
[9] Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0192139 discloses an apparatus for manufacturing a vinyl packing envelope, which comprises a line heat-sealing unit installed along the advancing direction of a conveyor belt in certain intervals and having a heating element for performing a spot heat-sealing and a line heat-sealing, a cooling unit having an upper cooling pipe for cooling the sealed portion of vinyl raw material passing the line heat-sealing unit, and a cutting unit installed at the exit side of the
conveyor belt and for cutting the line heat- sealed portion cooled in the cooling unit.
[10] The above conventional techniques embrace problems in that the structure and operation of the apparatuses are complicated, it takes a high cost to fabricate the apparatuses, and the vinyl material is easily torn apart or not readily heat-sealed. Disclosure of Invention Technical Solution
[11] Therefore, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip, which has a simple structure, thereby enabling an easy operation thereof, along with a less fabrication cost.
[12] Another further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip, whereby a raw vinyl material can be easily sealed and is not readily torn apart or wrinkled, during the operation of the apparatus.
[13] Further object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip using the above apparatus.
[14] In order to accomplish the above objects, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip. The apparatus of the invention comprises: a) a release roll for supplying a flat vinyl-tube strip wound therearound; b) a first and second rolls for forming a sealing line and a tearing line in the flat vinyl-tube strip while it passes between the first and second rolls; and c) a take-up roll for winding the flat vinyl-tube strip passed through between the first and second rolls, thereby producing a packing vinyl-envelope trip having a sealing line and a tearing line in certain intervals.
[15] The apparatus of the invention may further comprises a guide roll between the release roll and the first and second rolls, and a free-rotation roll installed contacted with the take-up roll sich that the take-up roll is rotated by the rotation of the free- rotation roll.
[16] The first roll is provided with a first roll gear, and the second roll is provided with a second roll gear sich that the first and second gears are engaged with each other and rotated in opposite directions by rotation of either one of the first or second roll.
[17] Preferably, the first roll is provided with a first groove formed on the outer face lengthwise thereof, inside of which a heat sealing device and a tearing-line forming device is installed, and the second roll is provided with a second groove on the outer face lengthwise thereof, in which an elastic pad is installed, wherein the elastic pad cooperates with the heat sealing device and the tearing device in order to form the
sealing and tearing lines.
[18] The above heat sealing device may include an elongated projection formed lengthwise of the first roll, the elongated projection being heated a heating means. The heating means may include a heating wire installed in the first groove of the first roll.
[19] The tearing-line forming device may include an elongated toothed blade disposed lengthwise of the first roll. The elastic pad may include a rubber pad.
[20] Preferably, the first and second rolls are configured such that the heat sealing device and the tearing-line forming device avoids their contact when the apparatus stops, thereby preventing the vinyl-tube strip from damaging due to the heat sealing device and the tearing-line forming device.
[21] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip. The method of the invention comprises steps of: a) supplying a flat vinyl-tube strip, the flat vinyl-tube strip being unwound from a release roll; b) passing the flat vinyl-tube strip through between a first roll and a second roll; c) forming a sealing line and a tearing line in the flat vinyl-tube strip in predetermined intervals while passing the flat vinyl-tube strip between the first and second rolls; and d) winding around a take-up roll the flat vinyl-tube strip passed between the upper and lower rolls, thereby continuously producing a packing vinyl- envelope trip having a sealing line and a tearing line in certain intervals. Description of Drawings
[22] Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[23] FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of an apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip according to one embodiment of the invention;
[24] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of the invention in FIG. 1;
[25] FIG. 3 shows partly the internal structure of the apparatus in FIG. 1, in which upper and lower rolls are illustrated in detail;
[26] FIG. 4 illustrates in greater detail the stricture of the upper roll of the apparatus in FIG. 3 [27] FIG. 5 illustrates in greater detail the stricture of the lower roll of the apparatus in FIG. [28] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a take-up roll for winding a packing vinyl-envelope strip in the apparatus of FIG. 1; [29] FIG. 7 shows a sealing process of a flat vinyl-tube strip according to one
embodiment of the invention; and
[30] FIG. 8 shows an operation of a stop-sensor in the apparatus of the invention. Best Mode
[31] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the preferred embodiments according to the present invention are hereafter described in detail.
[32] FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of an apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip according to one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows partly the internal structure of the apparatus in FIG. 1, in which upper and lower rolls of the apparatus are illustrated in detail.
[33] Referring to FIGS 1 to 3, the construction of the apparatus of the invention is described below. A base frame 300 is provided at the lowermost of the apparatus of the invention. A reduction motor 5 is mounted on the bottom plate of the inside of the base frame 300. As shown in FIGS 1 and 2, on top of the base frame 300, two supporters are attached upwardly, and a release roll supporter 10-1 is formed forwards of the apparatus. A release roll 10 for unwinding and supplying a flat vinyl-tube strip wound thereabout is mounted on the release roll supporter 10-1. A guide roll 50 for guiding the flat vinyl-tube strip released from the release roll 10 is disposed at a lower position forwards of the release roll 10.
[34] Forwards of the guide roll 50 are provided an upper roll 1 and a lower roll 2, which carry out a heat sealing of the flat vinyl-tube strip and form a tearing line respectively in certain predetermined intervals, while the flat vinyl-tube strip passes between the upper and lower rolls 1 and 2. This operation will be hereafter explained in greater detail, in conjunction with FIGS 4 and 5. A lower roll pulley 21 is provided at one end of the lower roll 2, which is operated by the reduction motor 5 through a belt 4.
[35] A free-rotation roll 6 is installed forwards of the upper and lower rolls 1, 2. To one end of the free -rotation roll 6 is attached a free-rotation roll pulley 7, which is connected with the lower roll pulley 21 by another belt 4. A take-up roll 60 is disposed above the free -rotation roll 6 and contacted therewith s ch that it rotates along with the free-rotation roll 6. The take-up roll 60 is for winding the flat vinyl-tube strip with a sealing line and a tearing line formed thereon by the upper and lower rolls 1, 2.
[36] Here, the term 'forward' denotes a direction, in which the flat vinyl-tube strip advances in the apparatus of the invention. In addition, the flat vinyl-tube strip with the sealing and tearing lines formed thereon is hereinafter referred to as a 'packing vinyl- envelope strip.'
[37] FIGS 4 and 5 illustrate in greater detail the stricture of the upper and lower rolls of the apparatus in FIG. 3.
[38] Referring to FIGS 3 to 5, the upper roll 1 is provided with upper roll gears 11, 11' at both ends thereof, and the lower roll 2 also is provided with lower roll gears 22, 22'. The lower roll gear 22, 22' are engaged with the upper roll gears 11, 11', so that the upper and lower rolls 1, 2 are rotated in opposite direction to each other by the rotation of the lower roll pulley 21.
[39] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper roll 1 has a cylinder-like shape, and a slip ring 14 is disposed inwards of the upper roll gear 11'. The upper roll 1 includes an upper roll groove 12 formed lengthwise thereon, a crew hole 13 formed along the upper roll groove 12 in certain intervals, and a guide 3 installed inside the upper roll groove 12.
[40] The guide 3 is placed in the upper roll groove 12 formed lengthwise of the upper roll 1. The guide 3 is composed of a guide body 31, and a toothed blade 34 disposed near the guide body 31. The guide body 31 has a 'L' shape.
[41] The guide body 31 is provided with a projection 36 formed on top thereof, i.e., at the top of the 'L' shape. The projection 36 is for heat-sealing the flat vinyl-tube, as shown in FIG. 7. The guide body 31 is provided with through-holes 33 formed in certain intervals along the length thereof, the position of which are corresponding to that the crew holes 13 formed in the upper roll groove 12. Therefore, the guide body 31 is attached inside the upper roll groove 12 by fastening a screw 35 through the through-holes 33 and the screw holes 13.
[42] A heating wire 32 is inserted inside the guide body 3. The heating wire 32 is electrically connected to the slip ring 14, which is slidably contacted with an external power source, as understood to those skilled in the art.
[43] As described above, the lower roll 2 is disposed below the upper roll 1. It is understood to those skilled in the art that the positions of the upper and lower rolls 1, 2 can be switched to each other in order to obtain the effects of the invention.
[44] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the lower roll 2 is provided with a lower roll groove 23 formed lengthwise thereof. The position of the lower roll groove 23 is configured such that it corresponds to that of the upper roll groove 12, i.e., the guide 3 of the upper roll 1, when the upper and lower rolls 1, 2 rotates. An elastic pad 24 sich as a rubber pad is installed in the lower roll groove 23. The elastic pad 24 cooperates with the guide 3 in order to form a sealing line and a tearing line in the flat vinyl-tube. This process will be hereafter explained in detail, in conjunction with the operation of the apparatus of the invention.
[45] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a take-up roll for winding a packing vinyl-envelope strip in the apparatus of FIG. 1. As previously described, the take-up roll 60 is disposed above the free-rotation roll 6 and rotates contacted therewith. The take-up roll 60 is used for winding the packing vinyl-envelope strip formed from the upper and lower rolls 1, 2.
[46] As shown in FIG. 6, the take-up roll 60 includes a take-up roll tube 9 for winding the packing vinyl-envelope strip, and a roll tube supporter 8, preferably made of a rubber material, to be inserted into both ends of the take-up roll tube. Therefore, the take-up roll tube 9 can be replaced by a new one after winding a certain amount of packing vinyl-tube strip. The roll tube supporter 8 is provided with a flange formed thereabout, so that the flange is in contact with the free-rotation roll 6, thereby rotating the take-up tube 9 inserted into the roll tube supporter 8
[47] As understood to those skilled in the art, the rotation of the upper and lower rollers 1, 2 and the take-up roll 60 are controlled by an inverter speed control sensor sich that the flat vinyl-tube or packing vinyl-envelope strip can be prevented from tearing or wrinkling during the operation of the apparatus of the invention.
[48] The assembling procedure of the apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl- envelope stripe is briefly described below. First, the guide body 31 and the toothed blade 34 are inserted into the upper roll groove 12 of the upper roll 1, and the screw 35 is fastened to the screw hole 13 through the through-hole 33.
[49] The elastic pad 24 such as a rubber pad is inserted into and fixed to the lower roll groove 23 of the lower roll 2. The upper and lower rolls 1, 2 are installed in the supporter 400 sich that the upper roll gear 11, 11' is engaged with the lower roll gear 22, 22, and the position of the upper roll groove 12 corresponds to that of the lower roll groove 22 when they rotate. A cover 100 may be installed.
[50] The roll tube supporter 8 is inserted into the take-up roll tube 9 to assemble the take-up roll 60. The assembled take-up roll 60 is installed in the supporter 400 sich that it can be rotated by the rotation of the free -rotation roll 6.
[51] The reduction motor 5 is rotatably connected with the lower roll pulley 21 by using the belt 4, and the free-rotation roll pulley 7 is rotatably connected with the lower roll pulley 21 by using another belt 4.
[52] FIG. 7 shows a sealing process of a flat vinyl-tube strip according to one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 8 shows an operation of a stop-sensor in the apparatus of the invention. The operation of the apparatus of the invention is described below, referring to FIGS 1 to 8
[53] The release roll 10 with a flat vinyl-tube strip wound thereabout is installed in the release roll supporter 10-1 of the base frame 400. One end of the flat vinyl- tube strip is unwound from the release roll 10 and wound around the take-up roll 60 via the upper and lower rolls 1, 2.
[54] Thereafter, when the reduction motor 5 is operated, the upper and lower rolls 1, 2 are rotated. Simultaneously, the free-rotation roll 6 and the take-up roll 60 are rotated, due to the constriction of the apparatus of the invention, as described above. Therefore, The take-up roll tube 9 continuously winds the packing vinyl-envelope strip, and the release roll 10 continuously releases the flat vinyl-tube strip, which is converted into the packing vinyl-envelope strip while passing through between the upper and lower rolls 1, 2, as shown in FIG. 7.
[55] When the upper and lower rolls 1, 2 are rotated, they cooperate with each other to form a sealing line and a tearing line in the flat vinyl-tube strip in certain intervals, which is determined by the size of the upper and lower rolls 1, 2. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the guide 3 of the upper roll 1 contacts with the elastic pad 23 of the lower roll 2 when the sealing and tearing lines are formed.
[56] On the other hand, the guide 3 of the upper roll 1 is heated by the heating wire 32 inserted thereto, and the projection 36 for hot-sealing the flat vinyl-tube is also heated up. Therefore, when the heated projection 36 contacts with the elastic pad 24 with the vinyl-tube therebetween, a sealing line is formed in the vinyl-tube in a transversal direction, as shown in FIG. 7(B). Immediately after the sealing line is formed, a tearing line is formed by the toothed-blade 34 of the upper roll 1 in cooperation with the elastic pad 24, as shown in FIG. 7(C). Therefore, every rotation of the upper and lower rolls 1, 2 forms one packing vinyl-envelope with the sealing line, which can be torn apart along the tearing line. While the above process is repeated, a packing vinyl- envelope strip, in which the packing vinyl-envelope is connected one after another, is continuously produced, and wound around the take-up roll tube 9.
[57] When a certain amount of packing vinyl-envelope strip is wound around the take- up tube 9, the operation of the apparatus is stopped in order to replace the take-up roll tube with a new one. At this time, the apparatus is provided with a stop-sensor 40, so that it stops always in the state where the guide 3 of the upper roll 1 is placed at the upper position of the upper roll 1, and the elastic pad 24 sich as a rubber pad of the lower roll 2 is placed at the lower position of the lower roll 2. Therefore, the flat vinyl- tube strip between the upper and lower rolls 1, 2 is prevented from being damaged by the heated guide 3 or the toothed-blade 34 during the replacement of the take-up roll
tube 9. Industrial Applicability
[58] As described above, the apparatus for manufacturing a packing vinyl-envelope strip uses a pair of upper and lower rolls having a heat-sealing tool and a toothed blade, which can forms a sealing line and a tearing line at the same time in a flat vinyl-tube strip, while it passes between the upper and lower rolls, and the packing vinyl- envelope strip is automatically wound around a take-up roll. Therefore, it provides for a simplicity of the apparatus and an easy operation thereof.
[59] While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.