Modified atmosphere packaging apparatus and method with automated bag production
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65B-041/16
B65B-061/12
B65B-009/093
B65B-025/04
B65B-025/06
B65B-031/06
B65B-035/24
B65B-035/44
B65B-061/02
B65B-009/073
출원번호
US-0202952
(2014-03-10)
등록번호
US-9828125
(2017-11-28)
발명자
/ 주소
Rearick, Mark
Duszka, Chris
Swidergal, Joel
출원인 / 주소
CVP Systems, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
29
초록▼
An automatic packaging apparatus is provided, having a conveyor, a continuous longitudinally folded web, cutting and sealing mechanisms for forming flexible pouches from the web. The apparatus also includes processing stations for loading the pouches, transferring fluids (typically gases) into and o
An automatic packaging apparatus is provided, having a conveyor, a continuous longitudinally folded web, cutting and sealing mechanisms for forming flexible pouches from the web. The apparatus also includes processing stations for loading the pouches, transferring fluids (typically gases) into and out of the pouches, and sealing the pouches. Various alternative methods and devices are provided for separating each sealed pouch from the web by either making a continuous cut across a connecting strip of web material downline of the processing stations or pre-perforating the connecting strip upline of the processing stations. When the connecting strip is pre-perforated, a sealed pouch of sufficient weight may be separated from the web passively by a takeaway conveyor, and a lighter sealed pouch may be separated from the web by a tear-off mechanism that grips and pulls the web.
대표청구항▼
1. A packaging apparatus comprising a pair of longitudinally oriented, endless, opposed belts configured to grip a portion of a proximal longitudinal strip of a two-ply web of film between the opposed belts, the web of film having a closed distal longitudinal edge and an open proximal longitudinal e
1. A packaging apparatus comprising a pair of longitudinally oriented, endless, opposed belts configured to grip a portion of a proximal longitudinal strip of a two-ply web of film between the opposed belts, the web of film having a closed distal longitudinal edge and an open proximal longitudinal edge, to advance the gripped portion longitudinally, and to guide the plies of the web around a spreader bracket at a product infeed station, the spreader bracket configured to expand to spread apart the plies of the proximal longitudinal strip to form an open mouth to permit a load of product to be inserted through the open mouth and into one of a chain of bags formed from the web of film, each bag including a closed distal end comprised of part of the closed distal longitudinal edge of the web, free exterior side edges extending from the closed distal longitudinal edge of the web to the proximal longitudinal strip, and an opening comprising part of the proximal longitudinal strip of the web, and each bag being joined to its neighboring bags only by the proximal longitudinal strip;a web conveyor configured to at least substantially support a portion of the web located between the gripped portion and the closed longitudinal edge in a generally horizontal orientation and to advance said portion of the web longitudinally as the opposed belts advance the proximal longitudinal strip of the web longitudinally;a proximal sealing station comprising a proximal sealing tool configured to form a proximal seal on each bag generally extending from one side of the bag to the other, to form a sealed pouch containing the inserted load of product;a pre-perforation knife adapted to form a perforation extending across the proximal longitudinal strip to a proximal end of each pair of adjacent free side edges of neighboring bags, before the proximal longitudinal strip is fed between the opposed belts; anda tear-off assembly including opposed gripping rollers configured to grip an exposed portion of the proximal longitudinal strip located downline of the opposed belts, one of the opposed gripping rollers being a freely rotating roller, and the other of the opposed gripping rollers being driven by a motor, the motor configured to drive the driven roller when the opposed belts are stationary, to pull the exposed portion in a generally downline direction to separate the sealed pouch that comprises the exposed portion from its upline neighbor. 2. The packaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the freely rotating roller is movably mounted to the apparatus to change the position of the axis of the freely rotating roller between an open position facilitating feeding of the web between the opposed gripping rollers and a gripping position in which the opposed gripping rollers grip the exposed portion. 3. The packaging apparatus of claim 1, at least one of the opposed gripping rollers being movably mounted to the apparatus for movement of the opposed gripping rollers between an open position facilitating feeding of the web between the opposed gripping rollers and a gripping position in which the opposed gripping rollers grip the web. 4. The packaging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a proximal longitudinal guide member extending approximately from a location at which the proximal longitudinal strip is fed out of the opposed belts in the downline direction to at least the approximate longitudinal location of the opposed gripping rollers, to guide the proximal longitudinal strip between the opposed gripping rollers. 5. The packaging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an in-line bag making section to form said chain of bags from the said two-ply web of film, the bag making section includinga side-sealing tool for periodically forming transverse side seals across said two-ply web of film, the side seals extending from the distal longitudinal edge approximately to the proximal longitudinal strip, and each side edge of each bag being defined by one of the side seals, anda side-cutting tool for periodically forming transverse cuts between the side seals defining the adjacent edges of each adjacent pair of bags, each transverse cut extending from the closed longitudinal edge to a proximal end of the transverse cut located approximately between the proximal ends of the corresponding side seals;a product infeed boom adapted to insert a load of product through the open mouth of each bag at the product infeed station and to discharge the inserted load of product inside each bag; anda fluid transfer station including a snorkel having a fluid flow passage and adapted to be inserted between the opposed belts and into the opening of each bag, a vacuum source adapted to remove fluid from each bag through the snorkel passage, and a fluid source adapted to refill each bag with a replacement fluid through the snorkel passage. 6. A packaging method comprising providing a two-ply web of interconnected bags having a closed distal longitudinal edge and an open proximal longitudinal edge, each bag in the web being joined to its neighboring bags only by a proximal longitudinal strip of the web, and each bag including a closed distal end comprising part of the closed distal longitudinal edge, closed side edges extending from the closed longitudinal edge of the web approximately to the proximal longitudinal strip, and an opening comprising a portion of the proximal longitudinal strip;gripping a portion of the proximal longitudinal strip between a pair of longitudinally oriented, endless, opposed belts;forming with a pre-perforation knife a perforation extending across the proximal longitudinal strip to a proximal end of each pair of adjacent free side edges of neighboring bags, before feeding the perforated portion of the proximal longitudinal strip between the opposed belts;at least substantially supporting on a web conveyor a portion of the web extending from the opposed belts to the closed longitudinal edge in a generally horizontal orientation, the web conveyor configured to advance simultaneously with said opposed belts to advance the web longitudinally to advance each bag successively to each of a plurality of stations;advancing one of the bags to a product infeed station, guiding the plies of the web around a spreader bracket at the product infeed station, and expanding the spreader bracket to spread apart the plies of the proximal longitudinal strip to form an open mouth, and inserting a product through the open mouth and into said one of the bags;advancing said one of the bags containing the inserted product to a sealing station comprising a proximal sealing tool configured to form a proximal seal on each bag, and forming with the proximal sealing tool a proximal seal on said one of the bags generally extending from one side of the bag to the other, to form a sealed pouch containing the inserted product;advancing said sealed pouch to a tear-off station comprising a tear-off assembly including opposed gripping rollers, where at least a portion of said sealed pouch at the tear-off station is an exposed portion located downline of the opposed belts;gripping said exposed portion between the opposed gripping rollers, one of the opposed gripping rollers being driven by a motor, and the other of the opposed gripping rollers being a freely rotating roller; anddriving the roller with the motor, when the opposed belts are stationary, to pull said exposed portion in a generally downline direction, to tear said perforation, to separate said sealed pouch that comprises the exposed portion from its upline neighbor. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said providing a two-ply web of interconnected bags comprises providing a c-folded two-ply web of film, periodically forming transverse side seals across said two-ply web of film, the side seals extending from the distal longitudinal edge approximately to the proximal longitudinal strip, and each side edge of each bag being defined by one of the side seals, andperiodically forming transverse cuts between the side seals defining the adjacent edges of each adjacent pair of bags, each transverse cut extending from the closed longitudinal edge to a proximal end of the transverse cut located approximately between the proximal ends of the corresponding side seals. 8. The method of claim 6 wherein the freely rotating roller is movably mounted to the apparatus, further comprising moving the position of the axis of the freely rotating roller to an open position when the opposed belts are advancing, to facilitate feeding the web between the opposed gripping rollers, and to a gripping position when the opposed belts are stationary, to grip and pull the exposed portion in the generally downline direction. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the opposed gripping rollers is movably mounted to the apparatus, further comprising relatively moving the opposed gripping rollers to an open position when the opposed belts are advancing, to facilitate feeding of the web between the opposed gripping rollers, and to a gripping position when the opposed belts are stationary, to grip and pull the exposed portion in the generally downline direction. 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising, when the opposed belts are advancing, guiding the proximal longitudinal portion of the web fed out of the opposed belts over a longitudinal guide member to the approximate longitudinal location of the gripping rollers. 11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, when the opposed belts are advancing, guiding the proximal longitudinal portion of the web fed out of the opposed belts over a longitudinal guide member to the approximate longitudinal location of the gripping rollers.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (29)
Ryan Philip J. (Dallas TX) McKee Harris B. (Dallas TX), Apparatus and method for case packing flexible bags.
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