Material or article handling – Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into – within,... – Stack forming apparatus
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-27
2001-11-13
Krizek, Janice L. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into, within,...
Stack forming apparatus
C414S027000, C414S790700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315516
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for delivering stackable bag packages, particularly plastic bags with a bottom fold, by means of a stepwise movable pin stacking conveyor with a pin stacking chain with stacking pins and a receiving station which has a robot with a tongs-like grip hand.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A general indication as to the use of a robot by means of which the removal process of plastic bags in stacks from a bag-making and stacking unit can be automated in a receiving station can be found in DE 38 34 115 C1. However in this case the known device is based on the assumption that the individual bags are kept together in the bag stack by using wire brackets. Details regarding the use of the robot in the removal of the plastic bags cannot be found in this reference.
Moreover the reference indicates generally that the use of a robot has so far not developed due to its complexity and high cost.
It is also generally known to eliminate the use of wire brackets for keeping the individual plastic bags together in the bag stack during stack removal. An interlocking of the individual plastic bags into a bag stack can take place in the pin stacking conveyor, because the plastic bags can be fused together by pressure and heat in certain areas, for instance in an area defined by a perforation line. In this way a considerable simplification of the production of plastic bags is achieved, since also the removal of the bag stacks from the pin stacking conveyor is considerably improved and also the packaging of the plastic bags in boxes or the like is noticeably simplified.
However it is up to the operator to watch over the quality of the interlocked bag packages and to prepare their packaging for instance in a cardboard box. These preparations for the packaging in a box creates difficulties especially in the case of plastic bags with a bottom fold. This happens especially because in the stack the plastic bags with bottom fold lying on top of each other build up quicker in the bottom folds area which thicker than in the flat top areas.
Depending on the kind and size of the bag, the bottom areas are inclined to turn over, when the bag package comes to lie in a horizontal or approximately horizontal position. Therefore even with the use of a robot an operator is kept pretty busy in order to produce perfect bag packages. However this is achieved only when the production speed is reduced, so that the delivery machine operator can follow the package preparation.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the invention to provide a bag-stack delivery apparatus of this kind mentioned at the outset but which is suitable for the delivery of stackable bag packages, particularly plastic bags with bottom folds, which will further simplify and accelerate the removal and transfer of bag stacks, especially when these are plastic bags with bottom folds stacked in packages, from a pin stacking conveyor to a packaging station, through corresponding automation.
Another object is to obviate drawbacks of earlier bag stack handling machines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the pin stacking conveyor is provided in the region of the receiving station with a swingable plate which brings the respectively ready bag package from the position wherein it is substantially suspended on the stacking pins into a substantially horizontal position, and the grip hand has two clamping devices arranged diagonally across from each other, which grip the bag package on both sides, as well as a height-adjustable pressure element centrally pressing upon the bag package.
The apparatus according to the invention offers a comparatively simple solution for avoiding the undesirable turning over of the bottom fold area of the plastic bag.
With the apparatus of the invention, the bag package suspended from the pin stacking conveyor is brought by means of the swingable plate into a horizontal position, from which the bag package, held by the pressure element assisted by an associated down-holding element, is seized by the grip hand and engaged on opposite sides by the latter, whereby through a relative motion of the pressure element with respect to the bag package a slight forward buckling of the package is achieved, so that the bottom fold area can no longer turn up.
By means of a robot bearing the grip hand and its transport motion, after the release of the external clamping devices and due to the downwards movement of the pressure element, the bag package can be deposited in a prepared box or the like, whereby the pressure element by forming a V-bend of the bag package can deposit the same from the releasing clamping devices onto the bottom of the box, respectively onto packages already deposited there. However the grip hand does not simply drop the bag package, rather the same is optimally positioned on the last bag package.
The pressure element can be formed by a preliminary bending rod extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the bag package.
The preliminary bending rod or a rod or bar carrying the same, is fastened via height-adjustable cylinders to a first support plate, which—directly or indirectly—is connected with the outrigger of the robot.
The first support plate, as well as a second support plate inserted into each other, serve for receiving guide rails for therein adjustably supported arms, on which retaining angles of the clamping device having free ends pointing to one side are each attached in pairs. The retaining angles can be adjusted by means of the cylinder-piston units to the dimensions of the respective bag packages to be transported.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3625338 (1971-12-01), Cawley
patent: 4231558 (1980-11-01), Aterianus et al.
patent: 5076754 (1991-12-01), Ebmeyer et al.
patent: 5087169 (1992-02-01), Tubke
patent: 38 34 115C1 (1990-05-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 1996, No. 12 Dec. 26, 1996 and JP 08 217245 A(I A Syst KK; Hirose Minoru Aug. 27, 1996.
Schneider Jakob
Wuits Hans Bert
Dubno Herbert
Krizek Janice L.
Lemo Maschinenbau GmbH
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