# US 10,500,326 B2 · Bag opening system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,326 B2 - Document ID: US10500326B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/013,690 - Filed: 2018-06-20 - Published: 2018-12-20 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-20 - Assignees: Isopure, Corp. - Applicants: Isopure, Corp. - Inventors: Kevin C. Gillespie; Zachary Patrick Ford; Guillermo J. Cohen Freue - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500326B2 ## CPC - A61M 1/1666: {by dissolving solids} - A61M 1/167: {Flexible packaging for solid concentrates} - B01F 35/7131: {Breaking or perforating packages, containers or vials} - B65B 69/00: Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for - B65B 69/0008: {Opening and emptying bags} - B65B 69/0033: {by cutting (B65B69/0008-B65B69/0025 take precedence)} - B65B 69/0091: {using frames whereby the container is bottom supported} - B01F 2101/2202: {Mixing compositions or mixers in the medical or veterinary field} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract A system and apparatus for opening and emptying a bag of material includes a base having a pair of opposed sides and a central aperture through which material may flow. The system includes a pair of opposed doors rotatably mounted on a pair of door shafts, the edges of the pair of opposed doors forming an opening and a plurality of piercing blades pivotally mounted to the base on a pivot rod, the blades capable of pivoting to pierce said bag. The system further includes a cutting blade mounted transversely below the opening of the opposed doors, the cutting blade capable of linear motion across the opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for opening and emptying a bag of material comprising: a base having a pair of opposed sides depending there from and a central aperture therein; a pair of opposed doors rotatably mounted on a pair of door shafts between said sides, each door having a bottom portion terminating in an edge, the edges of the pair of opposed doors forming an opening; a plurality of piercing blades pivotally mounted to said base on a pivot rod, said blades capable of pivoting to pierce said bag; and a cutting blade mounted transversely below the opening of said opposed doors, said cutting blade capable of linear motion across the opening. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1 comprising: a generally upright back wall depending from each of said doors, whereby said bag is positioned between said opposed back walls and over said opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system as claimed in claim 2 comprising: a plurality of slots through said opposed doors, whereby said piercing blades pivot through said slots. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system as claimed in claim 3 comprising: an actuation assembly for rotating said doors, pivoting said piercing blades and moving said cutting blade. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said actuation assembly comprises: a rack and pinion cassette secured to one of said sides of said base, said cassette comprising: a door actuator rack gear and a door actuator pinion gear, said door actuator rack gear engaging said door shafts; a piercing blade actuator rack gear and a piercing blade pinion gear, said piercing blade actuator rack gear engaging said piercing blade pivot rods; and a cutting gear rack to which said cutting blade is secured, said gear rack mounted transversely below the opening of said opposed doors, and a cutting pinion gear for engaging said cutting blade gear rack. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system as claimed in claim 5 comprising; a door actuator motor driving said door actuator pinion gear to open and close said doors; a piercing blade actuator motor driving said piercing blade pinion gear to open and close said piercing blades; and a cutting blade motor driving said cutting pinion gear to operate said cutting blade. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system as claimed in claim 6 comprising; a controller having a data memory and a plurality of inputs and outputs for supplying and receiving signals, and an operator interface operatively coupled to said controller for receiving user commands, said controller outputs operatively coupled to said door actuator motor, said piercing blade actuator motor, and said cutting blade motor. ### Claim 8 An apparatus for opening and emptying a bag of material comprising: a base having a pair of opposed sides and a central aperture therein through which material may empty; a pair of opposed doors each mounted on a rotatable door shaft between said sides, each door having a bottom portion terminating in an edge, the edges of the pair of opposed doors forming an opening and each door having a back, said bag being positioned between said door backs and resting on said bottom portions; two pairs of opposed piercing blades pivotally mounted on a pivot rod, said blades capable of pivoting to pierce said bag; and a cutting blade mounted on a rack positioned transversely below the opening of said opposed doors, said cutting blade capable of linear motion across the opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 comprising: a pair of slots in each door back whereby said piercing blades pivot through said slots to grip a bag positioned on said door. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 comprising: a rack and pinion cassette secured to one of said sides of said base, said cassette comprising: a slidable door actuator rack and a door actuator pinion gear, said door actuator rack engaging said door shafts to effect rotation thereof and rotate said doors between a closed and an open position; a slidable piercing blade actuator rack and a piercing blade pinion gear, said piercing blade actuator rack gear engaging said piercing blade pivot rods to effect rotation thereof and rotate said piercing blades between a closed and an open position; and a slidable cutting blade rack to which said cutting blade is secured, said cutting blade rack mounted transversely below the opening of said opposed doors, and a cutting pinion gear for engaging said cutting blade rack. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 comprising; a door actuator motor driving said door actuator pinion gear to open and close said doors; a piercing blade actuator motor driving said piercing blade pinion gear to open and close said piercing blades; and a cutting blade motor driving said cutting pinion gear to operate said cutting blade. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said door actuator motor, said piercing blade actuator motor and said cutting blade motor are servomotors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 comprising; a controller having a data memory and a plurality of inputs and outputs for supplying and receiving signals, and an operator interface operatively coupled to said controller for receiving user commands, said controller outputs operatively coupled to said door actuator motor, said piercing blade actuator motor, and said cutting blade motor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 whereby said controller executes a set of instructions to: operate said piercing blade actuator motor to pierce said bag; operate said cutting blade actuator motor to cut said bag; operate said door actuator motor to fold and empty said bag through said base aperture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 whereby said controller executes a set of instructions to: operate said door actuator motor to fold and empty said bag a predetermined number of times to empty said bag. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 whereby said controller executes a set of instructions to: operate said door actuator motor to fold and empty said bag a predetermined number of times through a predetermined range of motion to empty said bag. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said doors and said base are formed of polytetrafluoroethylene.