# US 9,751,273 B2 · Method and apparatus for making bags

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- Number: US 9,751,273 B2
- Document ID: US9751273B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/159,979
- Filed: 2007-01-12
- Published: 2008-12-18
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2006-01-13
- Assignees: CMD Corporation
- Applicants: Paul A. Selle; Kenneth C. Radtke; Charles H. Sauder; Paul A. Johnson; Christopher Lee White; Arvid R. Johnson; Gregory T. Prellwitz; Michael J. Stickney; Thomas C. Jansen; Christopher A. Saucier; Terry L. Leitzke; Bradley J. Schmoll
- Inventors: Paul A. Selle; Kenneth C. Radtke; Charles H. Sauder; Paul A. Johnson; Christopher Lee White; Arvid R. Johnson; Gregory T. Prellwitz; Michael J. Stickney; Thomas C. Jansen; Christopher A. Saucier; Terry L. Leitzke; Bradley J. Schmoll
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751273B2

## CPC

- B31B 70/146: {using tools mounted on a drum}
- B29C 65/10: using hot gases {(e.g. combustion gases) or flames coming in contact with at least one of the parts to be joined}
- B29C 65/14: using wave energy {, i.e. electromagnetic radiation,} or particle radiation {(using mechanical waves B29C65/06; using ultrasonic waves B29C65/08; pressing means transparent to electromagnetic radiation B29C66/81267)}
- B29C 65/1412: {Infrared [IR] radiation}
- B29C 65/1467: {at the same time, i.e. simultaneous welding}
- B29C 65/16: Laser beams
- B29C 65/18: using heated tools
- B29C 65/222: {comprising at least a single heated wire}
- B29C 65/229: {characterised by the means for tensioning said heated wire, resistive ribbon, resistive band or resistive strip (means for compensating for the thermal expansion of welding jaws in general B29C66/8185)}
- B29C 65/305: {involving the use of cartridge heaters}
- B29C 65/38: Impulse heating
- B29C 65/7412: {the joining step and the severing step being performed at different temperatures}
- B29C 65/7433: {the tool being a wire}
- B29C 65/7437: {the tool being a perforating tool (perforating as mechanical pre-treatment B29C66/02242)}
- B29C 65/7451: {the severing tool and the welding tool being movable with respect to one-another}
- B29C 65/7453: {the severing tool being a wire}
- B29C 65/7457: {comprising a perforating tool}
- B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/232: {said joint lines being multiple and parallel, i.e. the joint being formed by several parallel joint lines}
- B29C 66/3472: {in the plane of the joint, e.g. along the joint line in the plane of the joint or perpendicular to the joint line in the plane of the joint}
- B29C 66/43: {Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles (B29C66/45 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/7352: {Thickness, e.g. very thin}
- B29C 66/80: {General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof}
- B29C 66/8122: {characterised by the composition of the material constituting the pressing elements, e.g. constituting the welding jaws or clamps}
- B29C 66/81267: {Transparent to electromagnetic radiation, e.g. to visible light}
- B29C 66/81427: {comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth}
- B29C 66/81431: {comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove}
- B29C 66/818: {characterised by the cooling constructional aspects, or by the thermal or electrical insulating or conducting constructional aspects of the welding jaws or of the clamps (characterised by the heating means B29C65/24); comprising means for compensating for the thermal expansion of the welding jaws or of the clamps}
- B29C 66/81812: {the welding jaws being cooled from the outside, e.g. by blowing a gas or spraying a liquid}
- B29C 66/83417: {said rollers, cylinders or drums being hollow}
- B29C 66/83433: {the contact angle between said rollers, cylinders or drums and said bands or belts being a non-zero angle}
- B29C 66/83511: {jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders or drums}
- B29C 66/8511: {Bag making machines}
- B29C 66/91212: {involving measurement means being part of the welding jaws, e.g. integrated in the welding jaws}
- B29C 66/91231: {of the joining tool}
- B29C 66/91421: {of the joining tools}
- B29C 66/91651: {by controlling or regulating the heat generated by Joule heating or induction heating}
- B29C 66/91653: {by controlling or regulating the voltage, i.e. the electric potential difference or electric tension}
- B31B 70/00: Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
- B29C 65/1425: {Microwave radiation}
- B29C 65/1496: {making use of masks (B29C65/1696 takes precedence)}
- B29C 65/1696: {making use of masks}
- B29C 65/7847: {using vacuum to hold at least one of the parts to be joined (vacuum work holders in general B25B11/005)}
- B29C 66/0042: {of the joining tool and the parts to be joined (B29C66/0046 takes precedence; joining tool characterized by its composition B29C66/8122; joining tool characterized by its microstructure B29C66/8124)}
- B29C 66/348: {Avoiding melting or weakening of the zone directly next to the joint area, e.g. by cooling}
- B29C 66/349: {Cooling the welding zone on the welding spot}
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B29C 66/81241: {being porous or sintered}
- B29C 66/81262: {Electrical and dielectric properties, e.g. electrical conductivity}
- B29C 66/81264: {Mechanical properties, e.g. hardness}
- B29C 66/81417: {being V-shaped}
- B29C 66/81419: {and flat}
- B29C 66/83517: {said rollers, cylinders or drums being hollow}
- B29C 66/91315: {by measuring the current intensity}
- B29C 66/91423: {using joining tools having different temperature zones or using several joining tools with different temperatures}
- B29C 66/91431: {the temperature being kept constant over time}
- B29C 66/91631: {the heat or the thermal flux being kept constant over time}
- B29C 66/91641: {the heat or the thermal flux being non-constant over time}
- B29C 66/919: {characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges (specific electrical resistance values B29C66/81262)}
- B29C 66/93451: {by controlling or regulating the rotational speed, i.e. the speed of revolution}
- B29C 66/939: {characterised by specific speed values or ranges}
- B29C 66/949: {characterised by specific time values or ranges}
- B29C 66/961: {involving a feedback loop mechanism, e.g. comparison with a desired value}
- B29C 66/962: {using proportional controllers, e.g. PID controllers [proportional–integral–derivative controllers]}
- B29C 2035/0822: {using IR radiation}
- B29C 2793/0045: Perforating
- B29K 2023/0625: {LLDPE, i.e. linear low density polyethylene}
- B29K 2905/02: Aluminium
- B29K 2995/007: Hardness
- B29L 2031/7128: {Bags, sacks, sachets (tea bags B29L2031/7122; medical bags B29L2031/7148)}
- B31B 50/741: {Moistening; Drying; Cooling; Heating; Sterilizing}
- B31B 70/024: {Rotating holders, e.g. star wheels, drums}
- B31B 70/14: Cutting, e.g. perforating, punching, slitting or trimming (cutting window openings B31B70/83)
- B31B 70/946: {the bags being interconnected}
- B31B 2155/00: Flexible containers made from webs
- B31B 2155/003: {starting from tubular webs}
- B31B 2160/10: rectangular and flat, i.e. without structural provision for thickness of contents
- B31B 2160/20: with structural provision for thickness of contents
- Y10T 83/0414: At localized area [e.g., line of separation]
- Y10T 83/293: Of tool
- Y10T 83/9292: Wire tool
- Y10T 83/9408: Spaced cut forming tool
- Y10T 156/1054: and simultaneously bonding [e.g., cut-seaming]
- Y10T 156/1313: Cutting element simultaneously bonds [e.g., cut seaming]
- B31B: MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A machine and method for making bags is described and includes a web, traveling from an input section to a rotary drum, to an output section. The rotary drum includes at least one seal bar, having a first sealing zone, and an adjacent weakening zone. The weakening zone may be a heated perforator, includes a heating wire, or be disposed to create an auxiliary sealed area. The heating wire can have, connected thereto, a source of power that is at an adjustable voltage or magnitude, and/or pulsed, and/or a feedback loop. The heating wire may be an NiCr wire and make intermittent contact with the web and be disposed in an insert. The weakening zone may create a line of weakness that is uniform or varies in intensity, is a separating zone, or includes a heat film, a toothed blade, a row of pins, a source of air, or a source of vacuum. The sealing zones may include temperature zones, cartridge heaters, cooling air, or heated air, or a source of ultrasonic, microwave or radiative energy.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bag machine, comprising:
an input section;
a rotary drum, disposed to receive a web from the input section, wherein the rotary drum includes at least one seal bar; and
an output section, disposed to receive the web from the rotary drum;
wherein the at least one seal bar includes a first sealing zone, and further includes a weakening zone adjacent the first sealing zone; and
wherein the weakening zone is a heated perforator that includes a heating wire that is disposed to make intermittent contact with the web when the web is threaded into the bag machine, wherein the intermittent contact includes contact and no contact alternations along a cross-machine direction line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, further comprising a source of power at an adjustable voltage connected to the heating wire.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The bag machine of claim 2, further comprising a feedback loop connected to the heating wire and the source of power.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, further comprising a source of pulsed power connected to the heating wire.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, wherein the heating wire is a nickel chromium resistance wire.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, wherein the heating wire is disposed in an insert disposed adjacent the first sealing zone.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The bag machine of claim 6, wherein the insert is comprised of glass mica and has a plurality of holes disposed along a line in the cross direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The bag machine of claim 7, wherein the heating wire is comprised of about 80% nickel and about 20% chromium, and has a resistance of about 4 ohms/ft.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, wherein the weakening zone is disposed to create a line of weakness that varies in intensity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, wherein the weakening zone is a separating zone.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable source of power connected to the heating wire.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, wherein the heated perforator is disposed to create an auxiliary sealed area adjacent a perforation.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one seal bar further includes a second sealing zone, disposed such that the weakening zone is adjacent and between the first and second sealing zones.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The bag machine of claim 13, wherein the distance in the machine direction from center to center of the first and second sealing zones is less than about 01.inches.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The bag machine of claim 13, wherein the distance in the machine direction from center to center of the first and second sealing zones is less than about 0.30 inches.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The bag machine of claim 13 wherein the first and second sealing zones include a plurality of independently controlled temperature zones capable of making side seals and tape seals.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The bag machine of claim 13 wherein the first and second sealing zones bar include cartridge heaters with a plurality of heat zones.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The bag machine of claim 13 further comprising a source of air disposed to cool at least a portion of the first and second sealing zones.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The bag machine of claim 13, wherein the first and second sealing zones includes at least one port for directing heated air to the web.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The bag machine of claim 13, wherein the first and second sealing zones include at least one of a source of ultrasonic energy, a source of microwave energy, and a source of radiative heat.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The bag machine of claim 1, further comprising a sealing blanket disposed to hold the web against the rotary drum and comprised of polyester material with a silicone layer that is disposed to contact the web.