Web centering system
AssigneeBaxter International Inc.
InventorJosef Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An in-line web-centering apparatus for centering a web of material in an aseptic internal area of a form-fill-seal packaging machine. The web-centering apparatus has a support member, a tracking assembly, and an alignment mechanism, each contained within the internal aseptic area of the packaging machine. The support member is internally fixed to the form-fill-seal packaging machine. The tracking assembly is mounted to the support member and pivots about the support member. The pivoting of the tracking assembly positions the tracking assembly at an angle with respect to the support member, such that when the alignment mechanism is activated the angle of the tracking assembly is modified, thereby adjusting a flow path of the web of material in the packaging machine.
Claims28
An in-line web-centering apparatus for centering a web of material in a form-fill-seal packaging machine, comprising:
- a support member fixed to the form-fill-seal packaging machine in an interior aseptic environment of the packaging machine;
- and,
- a tracking assembly mounted to the support member in the aseptic environment of the form-fill-seal packaging machine, the tracking assembly having an engaging member and a contact member connected to the engaging member, the contact member being adapted to contact the web of material, wherein the tracking assembly pivots about the support member, wherein the tracking assembly is positioned at an angle with respect to the support member, and wherein the angle of the tracking assembly is modified when the tracking assembly is pivoted about the support member, the modification of the angle of the tracking assembly adjusting a flow path of the web of material.
An apparatus for tracking a web of material in an internal aseptic environment in a form-fill-seal packaging machine, comprising:
- a support member, a tracking assembly, and an alignment mechanism, the tracking assembly having a contact member depending from an engaging member, and the contact member being adapted to contact the web of material, wherein the tracking assembly is rotatedly connected to the support member, wherein one of either the support member or the tracking assembly has a first rotation member depending therefrom, and the other of either the support member or the tracking assembly has a mating receptacle, the first rotation member communicating with and rotating within the receptacle, wherein a portion of engaging surfaces between the first rotation member and the receptacle are sealed from the internal aseptic environment of the form-fill-seal packaging machine, and wherein the alignment mechanism is connected to the tracking assembly to control the angle of rotation between the support member and the tracking assembly.
A tracking mechanism for a form-fill-seal packaging machine having an internal aseptic area for forming, filling and sealing a bag, the tracking mechanism provided in the aseptic area upstream of a former assembly of the form-fill-seal packaging machine, the tracking mechanism comprising:
- a tracking member rotatedly connected to a support member, wherein one of either the support member or the tracking member has a first rotating member and the other of either the support member or the tracking member has a mating receptacle, the tracking member being able to rotate about a specified angle of rotation with respect to the support member within the internal aseptic area of the form-fill-seal packaging machine, and wherein the mating area between the first rotating member and the mating receptacle is sealed off from the aseptic area of the form-fill-seal packaging machine.
A packaging machine having an internal aseptic area, the packaging machine having a former that forms bags from a web of material, a filler that fills the bags with a substance, and a sealer that seals the bags to enclose the substance within the bags, each of the former, filler and sealer being located within the internal aseptic area of the packaging machine, the packaging machine further comprising:
- a tracking mechanism located in the internal aseptic area of the packaging machine and immediately upstream of the former, the tracking mechanism contacting the web of material and pivoting within the aseptic area of the packaging machine, the tracking mechanism being connected to an external control unit that controls the pivoting of the tracking mechanism, wherein the pivoting of the tracking mechanism alters an angle of contact between the tracking mechanism and the web of material to center the web of material entering the former.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.