ADJUSTABLE, INLINE PACKAGING MACHINE FOR FILLING AND SEALING POUCHES AND METHOD OF USING SAME

• US 20200130878A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nortech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortech, Inc.
• Inventors: Jovanovic, Bojan, Showman, David, Krneta, Sergej
• Granted Patent: US 11,091,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/14 Feeding individual bags or carton blanks from piles or magazines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/26 Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/54 Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/146 Closing bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/001 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/003 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging

Abstract

An inline packaging machine for automatically accommodating and filling different sized containers, such as pouches, to reduce changeover time and thereby improve operating efficiency of the machine. The machine includes stations disposed longitudinally along a center line of the machine, including a first carrier track opposing a second carrier track with respect to the center line. A first clamp is disposed on the first carrier track and at least a second clamp is disposed on the second carrier track wherein the clamps are configured to releasably secure first-sized pouches for filling. The pouches are advanced inline from a setup station through an opening station to a filling station for filling with contents. The filled pouches are then advanced to a sealing and discharging station. A control system automatically adjusts the distance between the corresponding clamps to accommodate second-sized and/or third-sized pouches for inline processing and filling.

Claims

1. An inline machine for filling different sized pouches with contents and sealing the filled pouches, the inline machine comprising:

a center line;

a loading station for receiving the pouches in a flat closed pouch state, the loading station disposed longitudinally along the center line; and

a processing system disposed longitudinally along the center line and disposed adjacent the loading station, the processing system including;

a setup station;

an opening station;

a filling station;

a sealing and discharging station;

a first carrier track opposing a second carrier track with respect to the center line;

at least one first clamp disposed on the first carrier track and at least one second clamp disposed on the second carrier track, the at least one first clamp and the at least one second clamp configured to releasably and securely receive the pouches from the loading station in the flat closed pouch state at the setup station;

wherein the pouches, in the flat closed pouch state, are advanced inline from the setup station to the opening station for opening the pouches into an open pouch state;

wherein the pouches in the open pouch state are advanced inline from the opening station to the filling station for filling the pouches, in the open pouch state, with contents; and

wherein the filled pouches are advanced inline from the filling station to the sealing and discharging station for sealing the filled pouches and discharging the sealed pouches.

2. The inline machine of claim 1, wherein the loading station includes a transfer mechanism for transferring the pouches, in the closed flat pouch state, to the setup station of the processing system.

3. The inline machine of claim 1, wherein the first carrier track is driven in a counter-clockwise direction and the second carrier track is driven in a clockwise direction.

4. The inline machine of claim 1, wherein the first carrier track is in mechanical operation collectively with a first drive sprocket, a first driven sprocket, and a first chain, and the second carrier track is in mechanical operation collectively with a second drive sprocket, a second driven sprocket, and a second chain.

5. The inline machine of claim 1, wherein the opening station of the processing system includes a vacuum suction cup mechanism for opening the pouches.

6. The inline machine of claim 1, wherein the filling station of the processing system includes one of an auger filler, a multi-head scale, a robotic arm, a vibratory counter, and a volumetric cup filler.

7. The inline machine of claim 1, wherein the sealing and discharging station of the processing system includes a hot bar for sealing the filled pouches.

8. The inline machine of claim 1, wherein the sealing and discharging station of the processing system includes one of a nitrogen gas flushing mechanism, a seal cooler, a hot puncher, a vibratory settler, and a pouch deflator.

9. The inline machine of claim 1, wherein the processing system further includes a printing station disposed inline between the setup station and the opening station, the printing station configured to print codes and dates on the pouches.

10. The inline machine of claim 9, wherein the printing station includes a camera for verifying correct printing of the codes and dates.

11. An inline machine for filling and sealing pouches of varying sizes and configurations, the inline machine comprising:

a center line; and

a first carrier track opposing a second carrier track with respect to the center line, the first carrier track and the second carrier track being laterally adjustable with respect to the center line to accommodate securing a first pouch and a second pouch,

wherein the first pouch includes a first upper most width in a flat closed pouch state and the second pouch includes a second upper most width in the flat closed pouch state that is different from the first upper most width.

12. The inline machine of claim 11, further including a loading station for receiving the first pouch and the second pouch in the flat closed pouch state, wherein the loading station is disposed longitudinally along the center line and upstream of the first carrier track and the second carrier track.

13. The inline machine of claim 12, wherein the first pouch is received in a first magazine receptacle of the loading station and the second pouch is received in a second magazine receptacle of the loading station.

14. The inline machine of claim 11, further including at least one first clamp disposed on the first carrier track and at least one second clamp disposed on the second carrier track, wherein the at least one first clamp and the at least one second clamp are laterally adjustable to releasably and securely receive the first pouch and the second pouch at a setup station of the inline machine.

15. The inline machine of claim 14, wherein the first carrier track and the second carrier track are configured to advance the first pouch and the second pouch from the setup station inline to an opening station of the inline machine.

16. The inline machine of claim 15, where the first carrier track and the second carrier track are configured to advance the first pouch and the second pouch from the opening station inline to a filling station of the inline machine.

17. The inline machine of claim 16, wherein the first carrier track and the second carrier track are configured to advance the first pouch and the second pouch from the filling station to a sealing and discharging station of the inline machine.

18. An inline machine for filling and sealing pouches of varying sizes and configurations, the inline machine comprising:

a center line; and

a first carrier track opposing a second carrier track with respect to the center line, wherein one of the first carrier track and the second carrier track is laterally adjustable with respect to the center line to accommodate securing a first pouch and a second pouch,

wherein the first pouch includes a first upper most width in a flat closed pouch state and the second pouch includes a second upper most width in the flat closed pouch state that is different from the first upper most width.

19. The inline machine of claim 18, further including a loading station for receiving the first pouch and the second pouch in the flat closed pouch state, wherein the loading station is disposed longitudinally along the center line and upstream of the first carrier track and the second carrier track.

20. The inline machine of claim 19, wherein the first pouch is received in a first magazine receptacle of the loading station and the second pouch is received in a second magazine receptacle of the loading station.

21. The inline machine of claim 18, further including at least one first clamp disposed on the first carrier track and at least one second clamp disposed on the second carrier track, wherein the at least one first clamp and the at least one second clamp are laterally adjustable to releasably and securely receive the first pouch and the second pouch at a setup station of the inline machine.

22. The inline machine of claim 21, wherein the first carrier track and the second carrier track are configured to advance the first pouch and the second pouch from the setup station inline to an opening station of the inline machine.

23. The inline machine of claim 22, where the first carrier track and the second carrier track are configured to advance the first pouch and the second pouch from the opening station inline to a filling station of the inline machine.

24. The inline machine of claim 23, wherein the first carrier track and the second carrier track are configured to advance the first pouch and the second pouch from the filling station to a sealing and discharging station of the inline machine.