Package making – Apparatus for forming or partially forming receptacle and... – Forming by opening or setting up collapsed receptacle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2004-08-17
Sipos, John (Department: 3721)
Package making
Apparatus for forming or partially forming receptacle and...
Forming by opening or setting up collapsed receptacle
C053S374900, C053S371900, C083S171000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06775962
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to the packaging of products in flexible bags or containers and, more particularly, relates to an improved apparatus for bagging a product in a deformable bag and sealing it therein.
2. State of the Art
The distribution of perishable items, such as produce, as well as non-perishable products in thin, usually transparent, plastic bags has become widespread over the years. Plastic deformable bags have considerable strength and, further, have storage capabilities which enhance product quality and extend useful life. Mass production of these bags through automated machines has made them particularly desirable, feasible and cost effective.
Prior art
FIG. 1
schematically illustrates a typical bagging apparatus
10
. The apparatus
10
includes a roll of plastic
12
which is folded at one end
14
. The roll of plastic
12
is located with its axis
16
horizontal and is fed through several feed rollers
18
,
20
,
22
until it assumes a vertical position. A spreading device
24
is arranged to open the free end
15
of the folded plastic so that a product may be placed between the folded plastic film. Prior art
FIG. 2
schematically illustrates a sealing device
28
. The sealing device would be located beneath the spreading device
24
in FIG.
1
. The sealing device
28
generally includes an L-shaped heated bar
30
and an L-shaped resilient sealing surface
32
. The two L-shaped members
30
,
32
are slideably mounted on rods
34
,
36
so that they may be moved together and apart. As shown in prior art
FIGS. 3A and 3B
, the heated bar
30
is movable within a clamp
38
and has a rounded end
39
. When the L-shaped members are brought together, the clamp
38
holds the plastic sheet
12
against the sealing surface
32
and the heated bar
30
moves forward against the plastic to heat seal it and sever it from the roll of plastic. The sealing and severing locations are illustrated at
31
and
33
in FIG.
1
. After sealing, a finished bag
40
is severed from the roll of plastic. A small strip of plastic
42
is left attached to the roll and is taken up by a trim spool
44
.
The prior art bagging apparatus has several disadvantages. First, the product must enter the apparatus horizontally between the spreading apparatus and rollers. Second, it is difficult to alter the size of the bags to accommodate different sized products. Third, in order to prevent ragged uneven seals, the heated bar must be coated with a non-stick material. Nevertheless, repeated cycling causes some residual buildup of plastic on the heated bar since it must penetrate the plastic to sever the bag from the roll. The abrasion on the bar by the act of penetrating the plastic causes the non-stick coating to wear off.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a bagging apparatus which allows product loading from either above or the side.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a bagging apparatus which is easily adjustable to make a wide variety of different sized bags
It is another object of the invention to provide a bagging apparatus with an improved sealing and severing system.
In accord with these objects which will be discussed in detail below, the vertical bagging apparatus of the present invention includes a vertically mounted spool for dispensing a roll of centerfold plastic film with the fold in the upper position. A pair of vertical metering rollers are mounted adjacent to the spool for advancing the film from the spool. An adjustable generally inverted-V-shaped film inverted is mounted downstream from the metering rollers. A sealing and severing system is located beneath the film invertor and a trim spool is located beneath the sealing and severing system. The film invertor turns-the film inside out, relocating the fold from the horizontal axis to the vertical axis. The film invertor also causes the open end of the folded film to be accessible from either above or the side. The film invertor is adjustable by raising and lowering the apex of the inverted-V which relocates the horizontal location of the fold in the film. According to a presently preferred embodiment, the film invertor is made from flexible wire and the free ends of the wire are attached to a takeup shaft. According to the invention, the sealing and severing system includes a flat faced heated bar and a sharp contoured compliant sealing surface. This system provides sealing and severing without buildup of plastic material on the heated bar because the severing is actually performed by the cool sealing surface rather than by the heated bar. The sealing and severing system is preferably arranged on gear coupled double pivot arms and is actuated by a double piston arrangement. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2852898 (1958-09-01), Berg
patent: 2966021 (1960-12-01), Lane et al
patent: 3063890 (1962-11-01), Saumsigle
patent: 3094823 (1963-06-01), Merritt et al
patent: 3409494 (1968-11-01), Korzinek
patent: 3449889 (1969-06-01), Molitor, Jr.
patent: 3538676 (1970-11-01), Runo
patent: 3583888 (1971-06-01), Shanklin
patent: 3766710 (1973-10-01), Goodwin et al.
patent: 4219988 (1980-09-01), Shanklin et al.
patent: 4433527 (1984-02-01), Ramsey et al.
patent: 5247779 (1993-09-01), Wirsig et al.
patent: 5347795 (1994-09-01), Fukuda
patent: 5475964 (1995-12-01), Fiesser et al.
patent: 401045206 (1989-02-01), None
Galgano & Burke LLP
K.C. Technical Services, Inc.
Sipos John
LandOfFree
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