US 7,581,370 B2 · Method and apparatus for feeding bags to a packaging machine

Abstract

A bag-making and packaging machine, in which a horizontal bag-making machine and a packaging machine are provided, including a positioning conveyor for positioning bags fed out from the horizontal bag-making machine, a feed conveyor for feeding the bags to the packaging machine, and first, second, and third transport mechanisms provided between the positioning conveyor and the feed conveyor. The first transport mechanism lifts up the bags up and change their attitude to a vertical attitude with the bag mouths oriented upward. The second transport mechanism receives the bags from the first transport mechanisms, transports them, and rotates the bags to orient bag surfaces in the feed direction of the feed conveyor. The third transport mechanisms receives the bags from the second transport mechanisms, changes their attitude to a horizontal attitude, and places them on the feed conveyor with the bag mouths oriented in the feed direction.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method for feeding bags to a packaging machine, comprising the steps of:

forming connected bags, in which bags are connected in a belt shape, in a horizontal bag-making machine while belt-shaped film is fed, successively, in its longitudinal direction;
cutting and separating individual bags from said connected bags in said horizontal bag-making machine;
allowing the bags fed out from said horizontal bag-making machine to be received on a conveyor and conveyed and then effecting positioning of the bags at a prescribed position on said conveyor;
upwardly pulling out positioned bags, and changing attitudes of the bags to a vertical attitude in which bag mouths are oriented upward;
moving the bags in a horizontal direction, toward a prescribed position, while the vertical attitude thereof is maintained;
rotating the bags to orient one bag surface toward a next feed direction;
changing the attitude of the bags from vertical to horizontal so that the bag mouths are oriented in a feed direction, and placing the bags on a feed conveyor;
and
conveying and feeding the bags on said feed conveyor toward a belt conveyor of a conveyor magazine-type bag feeder of the packaging machine.

6 more elements

An apparatus for feeding bags to a packaging machine, the apparatus comprising:

a horizontal bag-making machine for forming connected bags such that bag are connected in a belt shape, while feeding belt-shaped film, successively, in a longitudinal direction of the film and for cutting and separating individual bags from said connected bags;
a positioning conveyor for conveying bags fed out from said horizontal bag-making machine and positioning the bags in a prescribed position;
a feed conveyor for conveying and successively feeding bags manufactured by said horizontal bag-making machine toward a belt conveyor of a conveyor magazine-type bag feeder of a packaging machine and successively feeding the bags;
and
a first, second, and third transport means provided between said positioning conveyor and feed conveyor, wherein
said first transport means comprises
a swing arm that swings up and down in a vertical plane, and
a suction member provided on said swing arm and capable of sucking onto a bag surface,
so that said first transport means upwardly pulls out bags positioned on said positioning conveyor, and changes an attitude of the bags to a vertical attitude in which bag mouth are oriented upward;
said second transport means comprises
a transport arm that swings in a horizontal plane,
a support member provided in said transport arm so as to turn in a horizontal plane, and
a bag-clamping member provided in said support member and capable of opening and closing,
so that said second transport means clamps onto and receives bags held in the vertical attitude by said suction member, transports the bags toward a prescribed position while the bags are being held in the vertical attitude, and rotates the bags to orient a bag surface thereof in a feed direction of said feed conveyor;
and
said third transport means comprises
a swing arm that swings up and down in a vertical plane, and
a suction member provided in said swing arm and capable of sucking onto the bag surface,
so that said third transport means sucks onto and receives bags held in the vertical attitude by said bag-clamping member, changes the attitude of the bags to a horizontal attitude, orients the bag mouths in the feed direction of said feed conveyor, and places the bags on said feed conveyor.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description7,129 words

Summary2,190 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for, in a bag-making and packaging machine in which a horizontal bag-making machine and a packaging machine are provided together and operate together, successively feeding bags manufactured by the horizontal bag-making machine to the belt conveyor of a conveyor magazine-type bag feeder of the packaging machine, without temporarily stocking the bags.

#2. Description of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings8 figures

#FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a bag feeding apparatus according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a diagram showing, in process step order, the actions of the method and apparatus of the present invention, mainly showing the first transport means;

#FIG. 3 is a diagram showing, in process step order, the actions of the method and apparatus of the present invention, mainly showing the first transport means;

Detailed description4,738 words

#Concrete descriptions of the method and apparatus for feeding bags to a packaging machine according to the present invention will be now given below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

#FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an apparatus for feeding bags to a packaging machine.

#In the bag feeding apparatus of FIG. 1, the horizontal bag-making machine (only cutter blades thereof shown) is of the type (two-row type) which forms connected bags in two rows and feeds out two bags in parallel, wherein the two bags fed out simultaneously have their bag mouths facing each other. This type of horizontal bag-making machine is publicly known and described in, for example, the above-described Japanese Patent No. 3840255. On the other hand, the packaging machine (the packaging machine itself is not shown, and only the groups of bags stacked on the belt conveyors of the conveyor magazine-type bag feeders that feed the bags are shown) comprises four conveyor magazine-type bag feeders, and it receives four bags at one time and performs various packaging processes. This type of packaging machine is also publicly known and described in, for instance, the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2002-308223.

Facts

Application

12/217,232Filed 2 Jul 2008

Priority

JP 2007-18076210 Jul 2007

Published

US 2009/0013651 A115 Jan 2009

Granted

1 Sep 2009

Term ends

2 Jul 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

B65B 43/18
By grippers: by suction-operated grippers
B65B 43/123
Feeding flexible bags or carton blanks in flat or collapsed state; Feeding flat bags connected to form a series or chain: feeding flat bags…
B65B 43/465
Using grippers: for bags
B65B
Machines, apparatus or devices for, or methods of, packaging articles or materials

Timeline

10 Jul 2007Priority claimedJP 2007-180762
2 Jul 2008Application filedUS 12/217,232
2 Jul 2008Assigned to Toyo Jidoki Co., Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
15 Jan 2009PublishedUS 2009/0013651 A1
1 Sep 2009GrantedUS 7,581,370 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
2 Jul 2028Term endsEstimated

Method and apparatus for feeding bags to a packaging machine

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for feeding bags to a packaging machine

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims8

Description7,129 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description7,129 words