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US 12,162,640 B2Granted
Automated bag closure
AssigneeKwik Lok Corporation
InventorKeith Kubishta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated bag closure machine includes a mechanical bag closure advancement assembly and a mechanical bag closure breakoff assembly, wherein operation and timing of the mechanical bag closure breakoff assembly is governed by a cam and/or a manual pull-knob. The machine may include optical sensors configured to monitor the passage of bags through the machine and a fiber optic system to monitor the passage of bag closures through the machine. The machine may be mounted to other systems in a manner that allows fully fluid movement or adjustment of its position and orientation. The machine may have remote communications functionality.
Claims29
A system for applying bag closures from an elongate strip of connected bag closures to bags as the bags travel along a path with respect to the system, comprising:
- an optical sensor located at a first side of the path;
- and
- an optical reflector located at a second side of the path opposite to the first side of the path, wherein the optical sensor and the optical reflector face one another such that light emitted by the optical sensor is reflected by the optical reflector toward the optical sensor;
- and
- a breakoff lever configured to break a single bag closure off an end of the elongate strip of connected bag closures during movement of the breakoff lever;
- a motor;
- a cam;
- a clutch configured to engage the cam to the motor and to disengage the cam from the motor, wherein the cam is mechanically coupled to the breakoff lever such that rotation of the cam controls the movement of the breakoff lever;
- a driven shaft, wherein the cam is coupled to the driven shaft and the clutch is configured to engage the driven shaft to the motor to engage the cam to the motor and to disengage the driven shaft from the motor to disengage the cam from the motor;
- a guide plate including a slot and an opening, wherein the slot is configured to receive the elongate strip of connected bag closures and the opening extends through the guide plate and is open to the slot;
- and
- a fiber optic cable, wherein a terminal distal end of the fiber optical cable faces toward and through the opening and faces toward and through the slot.
9 more elements
A system for applying bag closures from an elongate strip of connected bag closures to bags as the bags travel along a path with respect to the system, comprising:
- an optical sensor located at a first side of the path;
- and
- an optical reflector located at a second side of the path opposite to the first side of the path, wherein the optical sensor and the optical reflector face one another such that light emitted by the optical sensor is reflected by the optical reflector toward the optical sensor;
- a mechanical bag closure breakoff assembly including a breakoff lever configured to break a single bag closure off an end of the elongate strip of connected bag closures during movement of the breakoff lever;
- a mechanical bag closure advancement assembly;
- an outer housing that encloses mechanical components of the mechanical bag closure breakoff assembly and mechanical components of the mechanical bag closure advancement assembly;
- a knob located outside of the outer housing and on an exterior of the system, wherein the knob is mechanically coupled to the breakoff lever such that motion of the knob controls the movement of the breakoff lever;
- a guide plate including a slot and an opening, wherein the slot is configured to receive the elongate strip of connected bag closures and the opening extends through the guide plate and is open to the slot;
- and
- a fiber optic cable, wherein a terminal distal end of the fiber optical cable faces toward and through the opening and faces toward and through the slot.
7 more elements
A system for applying bag closures from an elongate strip of connected bag closures to bags as the bags travel along a path with respect to the system, comprising:
- an optical sensor located at a first side of the path;
- an optical reflector located at a second side of the path opposite to the first side of the path;
- a guide plate including a slot and an opening, wherein the slot is configured to receive the elongate strip of connected bag closures and the opening extends through the guide plate and is open to the slot;
- and
- a fiber optic cable, wherein a terminal distal end of the fiber optical cable faces toward and through the opening and faces toward and through the slot,
- wherein the optical sensor and the optical reflector face one another such that light emitted by the optical sensor is reflected by the optical reflector toward the optical sensor.
3 more elements
A system for applying bag closures from an elongate strip of connected bag closures to bags as the bags travel along a path with respect to the system, comprising:
- an optical sensor located at a first side of the path;
- and
- an optical reflector located at a second side of the path opposite to the first side of the path, wherein the optical sensor and the optical reflector face one another such that light emitted by the optical sensor is reflected by the optical reflector toward the optical sensor;
- a guide plate including a slot and an opening, wherein the slot is configured to receive the elongate strip of connected bag closures and the opening extends through the guide plate and is open to the slot;
- and
- a fiber optic cable, wherein a terminal distal end of the fiber optical cable faces toward and through the opening and faces toward and through the slot.
3 more elements
A system for applying bag closures from an elongate strip of connected bag closures to bags as the bags travel along a path with respect to the system, comprising:
- an optical sensor located at a first side of the path;
- and
- an optical reflector located at a second side of the path opposite to the first side of the path, wherein the optical sensor and the optical reflector face one another such that light emitted by the optical sensor is reflected by the optical reflector toward the optical sensor;
- an outer housing including an outer wall;
- and
- a mounting assembly coupled to the outer wall, the mounting assembly configured to mount the system to a conveyor configured to carry bags along the path with respect to the system;
- a guide plate including a slot and an opening, wherein the slot is configured to receive the elongate strip of connected bag closures and the opening extends through the guide plate and is open to the slot;
- and
- a fiber optic cable, wherein a terminal distal end of the fiber optical cable faces toward and through the opening and faces toward and through the slot,
- wherein the mounting assembly includes a knob coupled to a threaded rod,
- wherein when the knob and the threaded rod are turned in a first direction, the knob and the threaded rod move toward the outer wall and can move toward the outer wall until a terminal distal end of the threaded rod engages the outer wall such that the knob and the threaded rod are restrained against translation with respect to the outer wall, and
- wherein when the knob and the threaded rod are turned in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the knob and the threaded rod move away from the outer wall and can move away from the outer wall until a terminal distal end of the threaded rod does not engage the outer wall such that the knob and the threaded rod are not restrained against translation with respect to the outer wall.
9 more elements
A system for applying bag closures from an elongate strip of connected bag closures to bags, comprising:
- a conveyor configured to carry the bags along a path with respect to the system;
- an optical sensor located at a first side of the path;
- an optical reflector located at a second side of the path opposite to the first side of the path, wherein the optical sensor and the optical reflector face one another such that light emitted by the optical sensor is reflected by the optical reflector toward the optical sensor;
- a communications network communicatively coupled to the conveyor and the system, wherein the system is configured to shut down upon receipt of a signal received from the conveyor via the communications network indicating that the conveyor has shut down;
- a guide plate including a slot and an opening, wherein the slot is configured to receive the elongate strip of connected bag closures and the opening extends through the guide plate and is open to the slot;
- and
- a fiber optic cable, wherein a terminal distal end of the fiber optical cable faces toward and through the opening and faces toward and through the slot.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.