Control system for package making machine
First Claim
1. In a machine for making packages by transversely sealing a tube of packaging material at spaced lines along its length, the combination comprising means providing a tube of packaging material, an end sealer with operative and inoperative conditions for flattening, during the former condition, said tube along a zone extending transversely thereof and for sealing opposite flattened sides to one another along said zone, a tube feeder for moving said tube longitudinally of itself past said end sealer, said feeder having powered and non-powered modes for feeding, during the former mode, said tube from alignment of one transverse seal zone with said end sealer to alignment of the next such transverse seal zone with the end sealer, means for producing time spaced bag making cycle start signals, on demand control circuitry operable in response to each appearance of a cycle start signal irrespective of the time interval between signals to generate a feed signal and a delayed stop feed signal, said control circuitry responsive to said feed signal for controlling the operation of said tube feeder so that at the start of said feed signal said feeder is shifted from its non-powered to its powered mode and on receipt of said stop feed signal said feeder is shifted from its powered to its non-powered mode, said control circuitry also being operable responsive to said stop feed signal to generate a seal signal, and said control circuitry also including an end seal timer operable responsive to said stop feed signal to generate a delayed stop seal signal and having manually operable means for selectively varying the duration of the delay in said stop seal signal, said end sealer thus being shifted from its inoperative condition to its operative condition on receipt of said seal signal and subsequently back to its inoperative condition on receipt of said stop seal signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A package making machine of the vertical form, fill and seal type has an improved electrical control system operable on demand irrespective of the intervals of time between a train of cycle start signals and operable independently of the mechanical power source for the machine and/or its associated product feeder. The machine has a tube feeder operable during a portion of each bag making cycle and an end sealer operable during another portion of each cycle. Side sealing is accomplished during feeding by a hot belt sealer and secondary operations include a jammed product dislodging plunger, an air blast, a code dater, and a bag cut-off knife. All of the foregoing are operable by the control system in timed relationship and the system is also capable of controlling a product dump device in the product feeder. The tube feeder is controlled by an adjustable timer or by a photoregistration circuit which reads marks printed along the length of the web from which the package tube is made. When photoregistration feeding is used, the feed timer operates as an override to shut down the system on failure of one or more registration marks. The end sealer is controlled by an adjustable timer as are all secondary operations. A timed overheat device is operable to remove the hot belt sealer from the tube. Independent adjustment of all operations in their timed relationship and duration of operation is possible as well as adjustment of overall cycle time.
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Citations
29 Claims
- 1. In a machine for making packages by transversely sealing a tube of packaging material at spaced lines along its length, the combination comprising means providing a tube of packaging material, an end sealer with operative and inoperative conditions for flattening, during the former condition, said tube along a zone extending transversely thereof and for sealing opposite flattened sides to one another along said zone, a tube feeder for moving said tube longitudinally of itself past said end sealer, said feeder having powered and non-powered modes for feeding, during the former mode, said tube from alignment of one transverse seal zone with said end sealer to alignment of the next such transverse seal zone with the end sealer, means for producing time spaced bag making cycle start signals, on demand control circuitry operable in response to each appearance of a cycle start signal irrespective of the time interval between signals to generate a feed signal and a delayed stop feed signal, said control circuitry responsive to said feed signal for controlling the operation of said tube feeder so that at the start of said feed signal said feeder is shifted from its non-powered to its powered mode and on receipt of said stop feed signal said feeder is shifted from its powered to its non-powered mode, said control circuitry also being operable responsive to said stop feed signal to generate a seal signal, and said control circuitry also including an end seal timer operable responsive to said stop feed signal to generate a delayed stop seal signal and having manually operable means for selectively varying the duration of the delay in said stop seal signal, said end sealer thus being shifted from its inoperative condition to its operative condition on receipt of said seal signal and subsequently back to its inoperative condition on receipt of said stop seal signal.
Specification