Packaging liner insertion apparatuses and methods for flexible container liners

An apparatus for opening flexible liners used in packaging containers, comprising:

• a first vacuum head having a first vacuum engagement aperture which engages against a first leaf of a flexible liner;
• a second vacuum head having a second vacuum engagement aperture which is mounted in opposition to said first vacuum head to engage against a second leaf of the flexible liner opposite said first leaf of the flexible liner;
• at least one vacuum head actuator for moving at least one of said vacuum heads relative to the other of said vacuum heads and relative to the flexible liner;
• wherein the first vacuum engagement aperture and second vacuum engagement aperture are misaligned.

An apparatus for partitioning and opening flexible liners used in packaging containers, comprising:

• a first vacuum head having a first vacuum engagement aperture which engages against a first leaf of a flexible liner;
• a second vacuum head having a second vacuum engagement aperture which is mounted in opposition to said first vacuum head to engage against a second leaf of the flexible liner opposite said first leaf of the flexible liner;
• wherein the first vacuum engagement aperture is misaligned relative to the second vacuum engagement aperture;
• at least one vacuum head actuator for moving at least one of said vacuum heads relative to the other of said vacuum heads and relative to the flexible liner;
• at least one vacuum relief port adjacent to at least one of said first or second vacuum engagement apertures for alleviating vacuum developed within at least one of said vacuum engagement apertures;
• at least one engagement gripper that controllably extends to bear upon at least one of said leaves of the flexible liner to allow partitioning of the flexible liner when the at least one engagement gripper is engaged.

An apparatus for partitioning and opening flexible liners used in packaging containers, comprising:

• a first vacuum head having a first vacuum engagement aperture which engages against a first leaf of a flexible liner;
• a second vacuum head having a second vacuum engagement aperture which is mounted in opposition to said first vacuum head to engage against a second leaf of the flexible liner opposite said first leaf of the flexible liner;
• at least one vacuum head actuator for moving at least one of said vacuum heads relative to the other of said vacuum heads and relative to the flexible liner;
• at least one engagement gripper that controllably extends to bear upon at least one of said leaves of the flexible liner.

An apparatus for partitioning and opening flexible liners used in packaging containers, comprising:

• a first vacuum head having a first vacuum engagement aperture which engages against a first leaf of a flexible liner;
• a second vacuum head having a second vacuum engagement aperture which is mounted in opposition to said first vacuum head to engage against a second leaf of the flexible liner opposite said first leaf of the flexible liner;
• at least one vacuum head actuator for moving at least one of said vacuum heads relative to the other of said vacuum heads and relative to the flexible liner;
• at least one engagement gripper that controllably extends to bear upon at least one of said leaves of the flexible liner;
• a liner supply which is controllable to partition an attached liner from the liner being engaged by said at least one engagement gripper.

A method for opening a flexible liner used in packaging containers, the flexible liner having two opposing leaves which are in juxtaposition prior to opening, comprising:

• positioning the flexible liner which is to be opened between two opposing vacuum heads;
• moving at least one of said vacuum heads into engagement with the flexible liner;
• establishing a vacuum within a vacuum engagement aperture forming a part of at least one of said vacuum heads;
• relieving vacuum established within said vacuum engagement aperture using at least one vacuum relief port;
• separating said vacuum heads to open the flexible liner.

A method for opening a flexible liner used in packaging containers, the flexible liner having two opposing leaves which are in juxtaposition prior to opening, comprising:

• positioning the flexible liner which is to be opened between two opposing vacuum heads;
• moving at least one of said vacuum heads into engagement with the flexible liner;
• establishing vacuums within opposing vacuum engagement apertures forming parts of said opposing vacuum heads;
• wherein the opposing vacuum engagement apertures are misaligned so as to engage against the flexible liner in a misaligned relationship;
• separating said opposing vacuum heads to open the flexible liner.

A method for partitioning and opening a flexible liner used in packaging containers, the flexible liner having two opposing leaves which are in juxtaposition prior to opening, comprising:

• positioning the flexible liner which is to be opened between two opposing vacuum heads;
• gripping the flexible liner using a gripper that bears against the flexible liner;
• moving at least one of said vacuum heads into engagement with the flexible liner;
• partitioning the flexible liner gripped by the gripping step from an adjacent flexible liner along a line of weakness;
• establishing a vacuum within a vacuum engagement aperture forming a part of at least one of said vacuum heads;
• separating said vacuum heads to open the flexible liner.

A method for engaging a flexible film of a liner, comprising:

• positioning the flexible film adjacent to a vacuum head;
• moving said vacuum head relative to the flexible film and into engagement therewith;
• establishing a vacuum within a vacuum engagement aperture forming a part of said vacuum head;
• relieving vacuum established within said vacuum engagement aperture using at least one vacuum relief port.