METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE AND FILLING OF FLEXIBLE CONTAINERS

• US 20140110222A1
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volpak, S.A.U. (Is Company SRL)
• Original Assignee: Volpak, S.A.U. (Is Company SRL)
• Inventors: PRIETO MALE, Albert, LEON GONZALEZ, Miguel Angel
• Granted Patent: US 9,950,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/470.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/123 Feeding flat bags connected to form a series or chain
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/465 for bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 65/003 Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 65/02 Driving gear
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 29/00 Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones mechanical projectors B65G31/00; screw or rotary spiral conveyors B65G33/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packaging method comprising the operation of transferring containers to an endless conveyor element moving forward continuously, conveying suspended containers and describing a closed trajectory imposed by a series of rotary diverting elements using to that end a container transferring device assembled on one of the diverting elements of the endless conveyor element, and rotating in a synchronized manner therewith. A device for putting the method into practice comprises a rotary body driving a plurality of clamps guided by mechanisms which can further slow down the displacement of the clamps without changing the rotating speed of the rotary body.

Claims

1. A packaging method comprising the operations of

conveying held suspended previously formed flexible containers by means of an endless conveyor element with continuous forward movement, describing the endless conveyor element a closed trajectory imposed by a series of rotary diverting elements, the containers being manipulated during conveyance, for example for filling and sealing;

and

transferring formed containers (3) from a position located outside the closed trajectory which the endless conveyor element follows to the mentioned endless conveyor element for holding, conveying and manipulating them, wherein in the operation of transferring the containers, a container transferring device assembled on one of the diverting elements, rotating in a synchronized manner therewith, is used.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said diverting element is located within the area demarcated by the closed trajectory which the endless conveyor element follows.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein with said diverting element being configured in the form of a diverting wheel, in the operation of transferring containers, the containers are transferred to the endless conveyor element while it contacts or links up with the diverting wheel and follows an arc of circumference trajectory.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein along a section of the closed trajectory in which the endless conveyor element contacts or links up with the diverting wheel, in a first sector the transferring device transfers containers to be manipulated from a standby position located outside the closed trajectory which said endless conveyor element follows to the endless conveyor element;

and in a second sector the same transferring device transfers manipulated containers from the endless conveyor element to a delivery position located outside the closed trajectory which said endless conveyor element follows.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the angle of contact of the endless conveyor element with the diverting element is greater than 180°

.

6. A container transferring device (1) for putting the method according to claim 1 into practice, comprising

a rotary body rotating continuously about a vertical rotating shaft;

a plurality of clamps driven by the movement of the rotary body and radially distributed about the rotating shaft; and

mechanisms driven by the relative movement of the rotary body with respect to at least one preferably fixed control component of the device, with means for guiding the displacement of the clamps following a closed trajectory about the rotating shaft, means for speeding up and slowing down the displacement movement of the clamps; and

means for closing and opening the clamps sufficiently to seize and release the containers to be transferred, respectively.

7. The device according to claim 6, comprising a diverting element of an endless conveyor element rotating about the vertical rotating shaft, said diverting element and the rotary body driving the clamps of the device being coupled mechanically or electronically so that they are capable of rotating in a synchronized manner, the diverting element being located such that the endless conveyor element is at a level below the clamps.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the closed trajectory which the clamps follow about the rotating shaft comprises at least one section coinciding with the trajectory which the endless conveyor follows along its contact with the diverting element.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the mechanisms are adapted for slowing down sufficiently the movement of the clamps with respect to the rotating shaft on at least two occasions along one and the same turn of the rotary body and such that in one of them the open clamps are closed for seizing containers placed in a standby position and in another one the clamps closed sufficiently for seizing a container are opened for releasing said containers in a delivery position different from the standby position, all this without changing the rotating speed of the rotary body.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein the mechanisms are adapted for varying the gap between two consecutive clamps according to the instantaneous position of the rotary body.

11. The device according to claim 6, wherein the mechanisms comprise a series of articulated structures each of which comprises a radial arm, with

an inner segment which is connected in a guided and slidable manner on a cam follower, linked to a first cam channel which forms a closed path about the rotating shaft and is integral with the control component of the device, in turn the cam follower also being assembled in a guided and slidable manner on an articulated attachment connecting with the rotary body;

and

an outer segment which supports one of the clamps of the device,

the radial arm being linked to a second cam channel which also forms a closed path and is integral with the control component of the device, the path of the first cam channel comprising at least one concave segment with respect to the rotating shaft which, together with the path which the second cam channel follows, arranges the first runner in a static position or transmits a small enough movement thereto even when the rotary body does not stop rotating for seizing a container located in the standby position or releasing a container in its delivery position.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the inner segment and outer segment of the radial arm are articulated with one another at a mid point of the radial arm, and in that the outer segment is firmly attached to a first runner circulating through the second cam channel.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the articulated structure mechanically links another clamp of the device, which is consecutive to clamp, to the radial arm.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the articulated structure comprises a first lever with a first end attached in an articulated manner to the outer segment of the radial arm;

an articulation node sliding on a slide; and

a second end attached in an articulated manner to a second lever connected in an articulated manner with a second runner supporting the mentioned other clamp of the device adjacent to the clamp which is supported on the first runner, and which is also linked to the second cam channel, the articulation node being able to be fixed in a predetermined position along a transmission rod also attached in an articulated manner to said first runner and guided by a third cam channel.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the articulated structure comprises, on each side of the outer segment of the radial arm and connected therewith, respective sets of rods articulated to one another transmitting their movement to a respective clamp, each set of rods comprising:

a first rod attached in an articulated manner to the outer segment of the radial arm at a first point and guided by a first cam roller linked to a cam channel which forms a closed path about the rotating shaft and is integral with the control component of the device;

a second generally bent rod supporting a clamp, which is attached in an articulated manner to the outer segment of the radial arm at a second point and which is guided by a second cam roller linked to another cam channel which forms a closed path about the rotating shaft also integral with the control component of the device; and

a third rod connected in an articulated manner between the first and second rods.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein the articulated structure comprises a first lever, attached in an articulated manner to the outer segment of the radial arm, the relative position of which with respect to said radial arm is imposed by a second cam channel;

a second lever attached in an articulated manner to the first lever and to a carriage, supporting the mentioned other clamp, slidable on guide attached in an articulated manner to the second outer segment of the radial arm and the relative position of which with respect to the latter is imposed by a third cam channel.

17. The device according to claim 6, wherein the clamps comprise two gripping fingers capable of moving closer to and away from one another for seizing or releasing a container respectively, according to two different movements:

a) by rotating at least one of the fingers about a first rotating shaft; and

b1) by rotating at least one same finger about a second rotating shaft, or

b2) by displacing at least one of the fingers along a straight trajectory perpendicular to the gripping plane of the container.

18. A packaging system comprising

a packaging module with an endless conveyor element holding and conveying previously formed suspended flexible containers, moving forward continuously and describing a closed trajectory imposed by a series of diverting elements;

and

a container transferring device according to claim 6, wherein at least one section of the trajectory which the clamps driven by the rotary body of the device follow coincides with a section of the closed trajectory which the endless conveyor element of the packaging module follows during which said endless conveyor element contacts or links up with one of the diverting elements.