US 5,606,844 AGranted

Process for producing a self-supporting package having an outlet stopper and an apparatus for producing said package

AssigneeSumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.

InventorsTadao Takagaki, Yasuo Noguchi, Mituharu Katayama

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Abstract

There is disclosed a process for producing a self-supporting package having an outlet stopper which comprises: (a) a process for supplying a self-supporting bag which has an opening part for filling contents at the top thereof and holding the bag at a vertical position, (b) a process for opening the opening part of the self-supporting bag, (c) a process for filling the self-supporting bag with contents, (d) a process for supplying an outlet stopper which has an outlet with a stopper on a ship-shaped flange to the opening part, and (e) a process for sealing the side faces of the ship-shaped flange of the main part of the outlet stopper to the inner side faces of the opening part of the self-supporting bag. These processes are conducted in the order of the processes (a), (b), (c), (d) to (e), consecutively. An apparatus comprising mechanisms corresponding to the processes (a) to (e) is also disclosed. The self-supporting package having an outlet stopper and filled with contents can be produced with high productivity. Shape of the self-supporting package can be freely selected. Sealing time is shorter than that of conventional heat sealing processes. The sealing can be surely achieved even when foreign substances are present on the face of sealing. The self-supporting package produced has excellent sealing stability and simple structure, is provided with an outlet stopper at the top of the package, and is easy for handling.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A process for producing a self-supporting package having an outlet stopper, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying a self-supporting bag which has an opening part for filling contents at a top of the bag, and holding the bag in a vertical position with the opening part at the top;
(b) opening the opening part of the self-supporting bag;
(c) filling the self-supporting bag through the opened opening part, with contents;
(d) supplying an outlet stopper, which outlet stopper includes an outlet with a stopper on a ship-shaped flange, to the opening part, with at least one raised sealing rib on both sides of the ship-shaped flange;
and
(e) sealing side sealing faces of the ship-shaped flange of the outlet stopper to inner side sealing faces of the opening part of the self-supporting bag;
wherein said sealing step (e) comprises the steps of:
placing an ultrasonic actuator, which produces mechanical vibration of an ultrasonic frequency, at a position at one side of the outlet stopper opposite said at least one raised sealing rib and on an axis line perpendicular to the side sealing faces of the outlet stopper;
placing another member at a position on an opposite side of the outlet stopper opposite said at least one raised sealing rib and on the axis line perpendicular to the side sealing faces of the outlet stopper such that the ultrasonic actuator on said one side of the outlet stopper faces the another member at the opposite side of the outlet stopper;
and
driving the ultrasonic actuator at said one side of the outlet stopper to open or close along the axis line perpendicular to the side sealing faces of the outlet stopper in a synchronized manner, to thereby ultrasonically melt the at least one raised sealing rib on both sides of the side sealing faces of the ship-shaped flange of the outlet stopper and ultrasonically seal the side sealing faces of the ship-shaped flange of the outlet stopper, via the at least one melted sealing rib on both sides of the outlet stopper, to the inner side sealing faces of the opening part of the self-supporting bag;
and
wherein said steps are conducted in the order of steps (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e), consecutively.

10 more elements

In combination:

an outlet stopper comprising a ship-shaped flange having an outlet with a stopper and at least one raised sealing rib on both sides of the ship-shaped flange;
and
an apparatus for producing a self-supporting package comprising:
(a) a mechanism for supplying the self-supporting bag which has an opening part for filling contents at the top of the bag, and for holding the bag in a vertical position with the opening part at the top;
(b) a mechanism for opening the opening part of the self-supporting bag;
(c) a mechanism for filling the self-supporting bag, through the opened opening part, with contents;
(d) a mechanism for supplying the outlet stopper to the opening part;
and
(e) a mechanism for sealing side sealing faces of the ship-shaped flange of the outlet stopper to inner side sealing faces of the opening part of the self-supporting bag;
wherein the sealing mechanism (e) includes:
an ultrasonic actuator, which produces mechanical vibration of an ultrasonic frequency, arranged at a position at one side of the outlet stopper opposite said at least one raised sealing rib and on an axis line perpendicular to the side sealing faces of the outlet stopper;
another member arranged at a position on an opposite side of the outlet stopper opposite said at least one raised sealing rib and on the axis line perpendicular to the side sealing faces of the outlet stopper such that the ultrasonic actuator on said one side of the outlet stopper faces the another member at the opposite side of the outlet stopper;
and
a driver for driving the ultrasonic actuator at said one side of the outlet stopper to open or close along the axis line perpendicular to the side sealing faces of the outlet stopper in a synchronized manner, to thereby ultrasonically melt the at least one raised sealing rib on both sides of the side sealing faces of the ship-shaped flange of the outlet stopper and ultrasonically seal the side sealing faces of the ship-shaped flange of the outlet stopper, via the at least one melted sealing rib on both sides of the outlet stopper, to the inner side sealing faces of the opening part of the self-supporting bag;
and
wherein said mechanisms are arranged in the order of the mechanisms (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e), consecutively, in the apparatus.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/353,431Filed 9 Dec 1994
Priority: JP 5-34863427 Dec 1993
Granted: 4 Mar 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification46 codes

B65D 75/5883
Non-integral spouts: connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls
B29C 65/08
By heating, with or without pressure: using ultrasonic vibrations
B29C 65/088
Using ultrasonic vibrations: using several cooperating sonotrodes, i.e. interacting with each other, e.g. for realising the same joint
B29C 65/7882
Said parts to be joined moving in a closed path, e.g. a rectangular path: said parts to be joined moving in a circular path