TRANSPORT SYSTEM, PLASTICS-PROCESSING JOINING SYSTEM, METHOD FOR OPERATING A PLASTICS-PROCESSING JOINING SYSTEM AND PRODUCT PRODUCED THEREBY

• US 20160031154A1
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kiefer GmbH
• Original Assignee: Kiefer GmbH
• Inventors: HAAS, Johann, HALLETZ, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,399,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7867 using carriers, provided with holding means, said carriers moving in a closed path
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7879 said parts to be joined moving in a closed path, e.g. a rectangular path B29C65/7888 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/53262 Enclosing spouts between the walls of bags, e.g. of medical bags
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8432 Machines for making separate joints at the same time mounted in parallel or in series
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8511 Bag making machines
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7148 Blood bags, medical bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/12 comprising a series of individual load-carriers fixed, or normally fixed, relative to traction element
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 54/02 electrostatic, electric, or magnetic

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport system for a plastics-processing joining system, to the joining system itself and to a method for operating a plastics-processing joining system.

It is known to feed plastics components by means of transport systems for processing purposes to a main material transport means, for example moving film path, in order to produce bags for medical purposes.

According to the invention, individually controlled movable workpiece carriers for the components are provided, or in addition to a work conveyor path for the workpiece carriers, a path for temporary parking is provided for a separate multitude of workpiece carriers.

Claims

1. A transport system for a multitude of identical workpieces, more specifically of identical plastic parts,

wherein the transport system is constructed as an installation part of a plastics-processing joining system for attaching the workpieces to semi-finished products as a step for manufacturing products,

wherein the transport system has a multitude of workpiece carriers on a circulating work conveyor path, wherein the workpiece carriers of the multitude have uniformly configured holding areas, so that respectively one holding area on one workpiece carrier of the multitude can interact with one of the identical workpieces,

wherein the transport system is set up to simultaneously transport, during operation, several of the identical workpieces along the work conveyor path by means of the multitude of workpiece carriers,

wherein

the transport system has a work path output means and a work path input means for the multitude of workpiece carriers.

2. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein a path has a rail.

3. The transport system according to claim 2, wherein the work path output means and the work path input means have a rail switch.

4. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein a workpiece carrier parking path is provided.

5. The transport system according to claim 4, wherein the workpiece carrier parking path is attached to the work conveyor path as a dead end.

6. The transport system according to claim 4, wherein the workpiece carrier parking path is connected to the work conveyor path as a bypass.

7. The transport system according to claim 4, wherein several workpiece carrier parking paths are provided that can be approached without collision.

8. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein a second multitude of workpiece carriers with uniformly designed holding areas are provided in the transport system, wherein the holding areas of the second multitude is different from the holding areas of the first multitude.

9. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein individual closed-loop control means from each workpiece carrier toward a central controller are provided.

10. The transport system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is set up to assign continuously adjustable stopping points to the workpiece carriers.

11. The transport system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is set up to monitor the positions of all the workpiece carriers and to maintain a cleared safety corridor around each workpiece carrier, the size of the safety corridor being preferably dependent upon a motion speed.

12. The transport system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is set up to detect when a workpiece carrier is taken out of a path and/or inserted into a path, and to deactivate or activate a drive for this workpiece carrier.

13. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece carriers are designed to be removable from and insertable into the path without destruction.

14. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece carriers have a magnetic drive, more specifically a linear motor.

15. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein a device for arranging a carrier adapter on a holding area is provided.

18. A plastics-processing joining system, set up for attaching workpieces, more specifically identical plastic parts, to semi-finished products as a step for manufacturing products, wherein the joining system has a transport system according to claim 1.

19. The plastics-processing joining system according to claim 18, wherein two multitudes of workpiece carriers with different holding areas are provided in the paths of the transport system.

20. The plastics-processing joining system according to claim 19, wherein one workpiece carrier parking path is provided for each multitude or for one less than each multitude of workpiece carriers.

25. A product, particularly a medical bag or another medical container, manufactured by means of a plastics-processing joining system according claim 18.

16. A transport system for a multitude of identical workpieces, more specifically of identical plastic parts,

wherein the transport system is constructed as an installation part of a plastics-processing joining system for attaching the workpieces to semi-finished products as a step for manufacturing products,

wherein the transport system has a multitude of workpiece carriers on a circulating work conveyor path, wherein the workpiece carriers of the multitude have uniformly configured holding areas, so that respectively one holding area on one workpiece carrier of the multitude can interact with one of the identical workpieces,

wherein the transport system is set up to simultaneously transport, during operation, several of the identical workpieces along the work conveyor path by means of the multitude of workpiece carriers,

wherein

the workpiece carriers of the multitude have independent drives.

17. The transport system according to claim 16 further comprising a work path output means and a work path input means for the multitude of workpiece carriers.

21. A method for operating a plastics-processing joining system, more specifically for producing medical bags or other medical containers and preferably for filling the containers, wherein a transport system for a multitude of identical workpieces, more specifically for a multitude of identical plastic parts, is closed-loop controlled by means of a controller, wherein the workpieces are attached to semi-finished products as a step for manufacturing products, wherein the controller in the transport system controls the motion speed and/or stopping points of a multitude of workpiece carrier on a circulating work conveyor path, wherein the workpiece carriers of the multitude have uniformly designed holding areas, so that respectively one holding area on one of the workpiece carriers of the multitude interacts with one of the identical workpieces,

wherein, by means of the transport system, several of the identical workpieces are simultaneously transported along the work conveyor path by means of the multitude of workpiece carriers,

wherein

the workpiece carriers for the multitude of identical workpieces are independently closed-loop controlled by means of the controller.

24. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that wherein in the joining system, plastic tubules are welded between film layers.

22. A method for operating a plastics-processing joining system, more specifically for producing medical bags or other medical containers and preferably for filling the containers, wherein a transport system for a multitude of identical workpieces, more specifically for a multitude of identical plastic parts, is closed-loop controlled by means of a controller, wherein the workpieces are attached to semi-finished products as a step for manufacturing products,

wherein the controller in the transport system controls the motion speed and/or stopping points of a multitude of workpiece carriers on a circulating work conveyor path, wherein the workpiece carriers of the multitude have uniformly designed holding areas, so that respectively one holding area on one of the workpiece carriers of the multitude interacts with one of the identical workpieces,

wherein, by means of the transport system, several of the identical workpieces are simultaneously transported along the work conveyor path by means of the multitude of workpiece carriers,

wherein

the controller optionally drives the multitude of workpiece carriers out of the work path into a workpiece carrier parking path by means of a work path output means, preferably for exchanging the multitude of workpiece carriers against a second multitude of workpiece carriers.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein before, during or after the multitude of workpiece carriers has pulled in, the controller drives the second multitude of workpiece carriers out of their workpiece carrier parking path into the work conveyor path.