# US 11,305,904 B2 · Device and method for transporting bags > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,904 B2 - Document ID: US11305904B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/871,316 - Filed: 2018-01-15 - Published: 2018-08-02 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-01 - Assignees: Statec Binder GmbH - Applicants: Statec Binder GmbH - Inventors: Heimo Gallaun; Markus Wagner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305904B2 ## CPC - B65B 43/465: {for bags} - B65B 1/04: Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles - B65B 1/06: by gravity flow - B65B 1/22: by vibration - B65B 39/007: {Guides or funnels for introducing articles into containers or wrappers} - B65B 39/06: adapted to support containers or wrappers - B65B 39/10: operating automatically - B65B 39/145: {in an endless path} - B65B 43/16: by grippers - B65B 43/30: by grippers engaging opposed walls, e.g. suction-operated - B65B 43/59: vertically movable (B65B43/58 takes precedence) - B65B 43/60: rotatable - B65B 61/28: for discharging completed packages from machines - B65B 1/32: by weighing (check-weighing of filled containers or receptacles B65B1/46) - 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 device for transporting and filling bags, preferably open bags, comprising a filling device, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, having multiple filling openings distributed over the circumference of the filling device, and comprising a feeder, using which an empty bag can be fed to a filling opening, wherein the feeder comprises at least one holding unit for a bag, which is movable normally to the axis of rotation of the filling device, wherein the holding unit has two separate holders, wherein the holders are each movable forward and backward along the same open trajectory, wherein the first holder is mounted so it is movable on the filling device, while the second holder is mounted so it is movable on a spatially-fixed guide. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for transporting and filling bags, comprising: a filling device, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, having a circumference and multiple filling openings distributed over the circumference; and a feeder, which is configured to feed an empty bag to one of the multiple filling openings, comprising at least one holding unit, which is movable normal to the axis of rotation, wherein the holding unit has separate first and second holders, which are each movable forward and backward along a same open trajectory, wherein the first holder is mounted to be movable on the filling device and the second holder is mounted to be movable on a spatially-fixed guide, wherein the open trajectory of the first and the second holder is a section of a circular path, and wherein the empty bag is an unopened, folded bag and the first and second holders, which move relative to each other in a radial direction to the axis of rotation, are arranged to work together to grasp the empty folded bag from two sides and open the folded empty bag. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second holders are movable in parallel to one another. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the first holder is mounted for movement radially inside the filling openings and the second holder is mounted for movement radially outside the filling openings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the second holder is located at least partially radially inside a largest diameter of the circumference. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein a center point of the section of the circular path lies on the axis of rotation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or the second holder comprises a suctioning device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device according to claim 6, wherein the suctioning device of the at least one of the first or the second holder is movable radially in relation to the axis of rotation with respect to the remaining holder. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or the second holder comprises a bag lifter configured to lift a bag from a transfer position into a filling position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the feeder comprises a pivot unit configured to pivot an empty bag from a storage position into a transfer position for transfer to the holding unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a bag remover for removing a filled bag from a filling opening; and grippers that are movable normal to the axis of rotation and movable forward and backward along a same open trajectory in a direction of the circumference. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the bags are filled with bulk material and the device further comprises a vibration plate, which is configured for compacting the bulk material in the bags and is arranged below each filling opening, wherein, when viewed from the filling opening, the vibration plate is inclined outward so that, as they are filled, the filled bags rest on the vibration plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device according to claim 11, wherein a flap is provided in an end section of the vibration plate remote from the filling opening, to support a filled bag in the bottom region, and wherein the flap is pivotable toward the filling opening. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method for transporting and filling bags using the device according to claim 1, comprising: rotating the filling device at constant velocity, feeding an empty bag to a filling opening, wherein the first and second separate holders jointly accept an empty bag at a transfer position, move forward synchronously along the open trajectory, while the bag is fastened on the filling device, release the bag, and subsequently move backwards along the same open trajectory into the transfer position, and wherein the open trajectory of the first and second holder is a section of a circular path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, wherein the storage position is a horizontal position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, wherein the transfer position is a vertical position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The device according to claim 10, wherein the bag remover is arranged spatially-fixed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The device according to claim 10, wherein the grippers are pivotably movable.