Vertical form, fill and seal machine, components and method for making reclosable bags

• US 5,768,852 A
• Filed: 04/04/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacmac Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pacmac Incorporated
• Inventors: Terminella, Emanuele, Terminella, Joseph, Terminella, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, LINDA B
• Application Number:
  US08/628,966
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 53/133.4, 53/139.2, 53/373.6, 53/389.4, 53/551, 53/552, 53/554
• US Class Current: 53/133.4
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/188 by applying or incorporating profile-strips, e.g. for reclosable bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/28 for discharging completed packages from machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/20 the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/2028 Rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/2042 Means for altering the cross-section of the tube filling opening prior to transversal sealing, e.g. tube spreading devices subdividing filled tubes to form two or more packages by sealing involving displacement of contents B65B9/12
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/213 the web having intermittent motion B65B9/22 takes precedence

Abstract

A vertical form, fill and seal machine, components and method is disclosed which makes reclosable bags having a safety seal exterior to a reclosable seal and also produces durable, substantially air-tight bags at high speed and provides for the production of different size bags and different amounts of product in the bags. The disclosed machine includes a drive and pinch roll pair for pulling plastic film off of a plastic film supply roll, a pair of film pull belts biased against the plastic film wrapped around the fill tube and driven to pull the plastic film down along the side of the fill tube, and a pair of drive rollers for pulling the zipper strip through the machine. The production of different size bags is facilitated by having the plastic film drive roll, endless film pull belts, and zipper strip drive rollers all driven by a common drive source which is operated in bag length increments. Also, to accommodate the production of different size bags, a vertically adjustable ejector paddlewheel is located at the base of the machine. Further, the vertical form, fill and seal machine, components and method of the present invention insures reliable seals along the edges of each product-filled bag by having the zipper drive rollers elongate or stretch the bag material prior to cross-sealing the bag material. Also, the ejector paddlewheel serves to support the base of the bag in a manner which reduces wrinkles in the bag material along the upper edge during cross-sealing.

Claims

1. A common drive arrangement for a vertical, form, fill and seal apparatus of the type that includes a film drive roll, film pull belts, and zipper drive rollers and that operates in conjunction with a product supply apparatus providing product in discrete quantities to form a continuous, heat sealable plastic film and zippered cap strip into separate, product-filled, reclosable, sealed bags comprising:

an electric servo-motor having a drive output connected to a T-transmission having a first transmission output driving said zipper drive rollers and said film pull belts, and a second transmission output driving said film drive roll.

2. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the first transmission output drives the zipper drive rollers by being operatively connected to a hexagonal shaft extending transverse to and spaced from a fill tube, and wherein a first drive belt pulley having a hexagonal central opening is mounted for sliding movement along at least a portion of the hexagonal shaft, a first drive belt passes over the first pulley and a second pulley operatively connected to at least one of the zipper drive rollers.

3. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 2 wherein each of the zipper drive rollers has a set of gear teeth at one end thereof, the gear teeth of each zipper drive roller intermeshing with one another to cause the drive rollers to rotate in opposite directions.

4. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a vertical fill tube and said zipper drive rollers are mounted for reciprocation between first and second positions in a plane transverse to the vertical fill tube.

5. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the servo-motor is activated by a computer control system to feed the plastic film and zippered cap strip in bag length increments.

6. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the first transmission output drives the film pull belts by being operatively connected to a horizontally compact, vertical belt transmission.

7. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 6 wherein the belt transmission is operatively connected to respective drive shafts which drive each of the pull belts at equal speed, but in opposite directions.

8. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 7 wherein each of the drive shafts include an expanding universal joint at at least one end thereof.

9. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the second transmission output drives the film drive roll via a first drive sprocket mounted on a second transmission output shaft, a second drive sprocket mounted on a shaft extending from one end of the film drive roll, and a toothed belt passing over both of the first and second drive sprockets.

10. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 9 wherein the rotational axis of the second transmission output shaft is parallel to the rotational axis of the drive roll shaft.

11. In a vertical, form fill and seal apparatus, the improvement comprising:

a common drive arrangement for selectively driving a film drive roll, film pull belts, and zipper drive rollers,

and including an electric servo-motor having a drive output connected to a T-transmission having a first transmission output providing drive to the zipper drive rollers by being operatively connected to a hexagonal shaft extending transverse to and spaced from a fill tube, and wherein a first drive belt pulley having a hexagonal central opening is mounted for sliding movement along at least a portion of the hexagonal shaft, a first drive belt passes over said first pulley and a second pulley operatively connected to one of said zipper drive rollers;

said zipper drive rollers having a set of gear teeth at one end thereof, the gear teeth of each zipper drive roller intermeshing with one another to cause the drive rollers to rotate in opposite directions;

said zipper drive rollers are mounted for reciprocation between first and second positions in a plane transverse to the vertical fill tube;

said first transmission output also providing drive to film pull belts by being operatively connected to a horizontally compact, vertical belt transmission operatively connected to respective drive shafts which drive each of the pull belts at equal speed, but in opposite directions;

each of said drive shafts including an expanding universal joint at at least one end thereof; and

, a second transmission output driving said film drive roll via a first drive sprocket mounted on a second transmission output shaft, a second drive sprocket mounted on a shaft extending from one end of the film drive roll, and a toothed belt passing over both of the first and second drive sprockets, wherein the rotational axis of the second transmission output shaft is parallel to the rotational axis of the drive roll shaft.

12. A common drive arrangement for a vertical, form, fill and seal apparatus of the type that operates in conjunction with a product supply apparatus for providing product in discrete quantities and that forms a continuous, heat-sealable plastic film and a continuous cap strip into separate product-filled sealed bags comprising:

an electric servo-motor having a drive output connected to T-transmission having a first transmission output driving cap strip drive rollers and film pull belts and a second transmission output driving at least one film drive roller.

13. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 12 wherein the first transmission output drives the cap strip drive rollers by being operatively connected to a hexagonal shaft extending transverse to and spaced from a fill tube, and wherein a first drive belt pulley having a hexagonal central opening is mounted for sliding movement along at least a portion of the hexagonal shaft, a first drive belt passes over the first pulley and a second pulley operatively connected to one of the drive rollers.

14. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 13 wherein each of the cap strip drive rollers has a set of gear teeth at one end thereof, the gear teeth of each drive roller intermeshing with one another to cause the drive rollers to rotate in opposite directions.

15. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 12 wherein the apparatus includes a vertical fill tube and said cap strip drive rollers are mounted for reciprocation between first and second positions in a plane transverse to the vertical fill tube.

16. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 12 wherein the servo-motor is activated by a computer control system to feed the plastic film and cap strip in bag length increments.

17. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 12 wherein the first transmission output drives the film pull belts by being operatively connected to a horizontally compact, vertical belt transmission.

18. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 17 wherein the belt transmission is operatively connected to respective drive shafts which drive each of the pull belts at equal speed, but in opposite directions.

19. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 18 wherein each of the drive shafts include an expanding universal joint at at least one end thereof.

20. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 12 wherein the second transmission output drives the film drive roll via a first drive sprocket mounted on a second transmission output shaft, a second drive sprocket mounted on a shaft extending from one end of the film drive roll, and a toothed belt passing over both the first and second drive sprockets.

21. The common drive arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein the rotational axis of the second transmission output shaft is parallel to the rotational axis of the drive roll shaft.

22. A common drive arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus comprising an electric servo-motor having a drive output connected to a transmission having a first transmission output driving at least one zipper drive roller and at least one film pull belt, and a second transmission output driving at least one film drive roll.

23. A common drive arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus comprising an electric servo-motor having a drive output connected to a transmission having a first transmission output driving at least one zipper drive roller and a second transmission output driving at least one film drive roll.

24. A common drive arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus of the type that operates in conjunction with a product supply apparatus for providing product in discrete quantities and that forms a continuous, heat-sealable plastic film and a continuous zipper strip into separate product-filled sealed bags comprising an electric servo-motor having a drive output connected to a transmission having a first transmission output driving at least one zipper strip drive roller and film pull belt, and a second transmission output driving a film drive roll.

25. A common drive arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus comprising an electric servo-motor having a drive output operatively connected to and driving at least one zipper drive roller and at least one film pull belt.

26. A zipper roller drive arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus of the type that operates in conjunction with a product supply apparatus providing product in discrete quantities and that forms a continuous, heat-sealable plastic film and zippered cap strip into separate, product-filled, reclosable sealed bags comprising:

an electric servo-motor having a drive output operatively connected to a hexagonal shaft extending transverse to and spaced from a fill tube,

a first drive belt pulley having a hexagonal central opening mounted for sliding movement along at least a portion of the hexagonal shaft,

a second drive belt pulley operatively connected to one of a pair of the zipper drive rollers,

a first drive belt passing over the first and second pulleys with each of the zipper drive rollers having a set of gear teeth at one end thereof, the gear teeth of each zipper drive roller intermeshing with one another to cause the drive rollers to rotate in opposite directions.

27. The zipper roller drive arrangement as recited in claim 26 wherein the zipper drive rollers are mounted for reciprocation between first and second positions in a plane transverse to the vertical fill tube.

28. The zipper roller drive arrangement as recited in claim 26 wherein the drive output of the electric servo-motor is operatively connected to the hexagonal shaft by a T-transmission having a first transmission output shaft having a hexagonal end.

29. A zipper roller drive arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus comprising

an electric servo-motor having a drive output connected to a T-transmission having a first transmission output driving a pair of zipper drive rollers by being operatively connected to a hexagonal shaft extending transverse to and spaced from a vertical fill tube;

a first drive belt pulley having a hexagonal central opening mounted for sliding movement along at least a portion of said hexagonal shaft, a first drive belt passes over the first pulley and a second pulley operatively connected to one of the zipper drive rollers; and

each of zipper drive rollers having a set of gear teeth at one end thereof, the gear teeth of each drive roller intermeshing with one another to cause the drive rollers to rotate in opposite directions.

30. A cap strip roller drive arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus of the type that operates in conjunction with a product supply apparatus providing product in discrete quantities and that forms a continuous, heat-sealable plastic film and cap strip into separate, product-filled, reclosable sealed bags comprising:

an electric servo-motor having a drive output operatively connected to a hexagonal shaft extending transverse to and spaced from a fill tube,

a first drive belt pulley having a hexagonal central opening mounted for sliding movement along at least a portion of the hexagonal shaft,

a first drive belt passing over the first pulley and a second drive belt pulley operatively connected to one of a pair of cap strip drive rollers, each of the drive rollers having a set of gear teeth at one end thereof, the gear teeth of each drive roller intermeshing with one another to cause the drive rollers to rotate in opposite directions.

31. The cap strip roller drive arrangement as recited in claim 30 wherein the drive rollers are mounted for reciprocation between first and second positions in a plane transverse to the vertical fill tube.

32. The cap strip roller drive arrangement as recited in claim 30 wherein the drive output of the electric servo-motor is operatively connected to the hexagonal shaft by a T-transmission having a first transmission output shaft having a hexagonal end.

33. A reciprocating and rotary zipper roller drive arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus comprising:

an electric servo-motor having a drive output operatively connected to a hexagonal shaft by a T-transmission having a first transmission output shaft having a hexagonal end extending transverse to and spaced from a vertical fill tube,

a first drive belt pulley having a hexagonal central opening mounted for sliding movement along at least a portion of the hexagonal shaft,

a first drive belt passing over the first pulley and a second drive belt pulley operatively connected to one of a pair zipper drive rollers, each of the drive rollers having a set of gear teeth at one end thereof, the gear teeth of each drive roller intermeshing with one another to cause the drive rollers to rotate in opposite directions, and wherein said drive rollers are mounted on a movable member for reciprocation between first and second positions in a plane transverse to the vertical fill tube.

34. A reciprocating and rotary zipper drive roller arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus of the type that operates in conjunction with a product supply apparatus providing product in discrete quantities and that forms a continuous, heat-sealable, plastic film and zippered cap strip into separate product-filled, reclosable, sealed bags comprising:

means for rotating each of a pair of zipper drive rollers about a horizontal axis in opposite directions and at equal speeds, and

means for reciprocating the zipper drive rollers as a unit in a horizontal plane.

35. The reciprocating and rotary zipper drive roller arrangement as recited in claim 34 wherein said means for rotating includes an electric servo-motor controlled by a computer control system and having an output shaft operatively connected to a hexagonal shaft extending transverse to and spaced from a fill tube, a first drive belt pulley having a hexagonal central opening mounted for sliding movement along at least a portion of the hexagonal shaft, a first drive belt passing over the first pulley and a second pulley operatively connected to one of the zipper drive rollers, each of the zipper drive rollers having a set of gear teeth at one end thereof with the gear teeth of each zipper drive roller intermeshing with one another to cause the drive rollers to rotate in opposite directions.

36. The reciprocating and rotary zipper drive roller arrangement as recited in claim 35 wherein said means for reciprocating comprises a zipper drive roller supporting and reciprocating assembly including parallel upper and lower slide rods mounted transverse to the fill tube and fixed with respect to the apparatus, a slide bar mounted for sliding movement on the slide rods, the slide bar having an opening extending therethrough for accommodating a zipper roller drive shaft, cylinder unit fixed in position relative to the apparatus and having a piston shaft connected at its far end to the slide bar, extension and retraction of the piston shaft upon activation-deactivation of the cylinder unit causes translational movement of the slide bar along the slide rods, the zipper drive rollers are mounted for rotation near one end of an elongate cantilever member having its other end attached to the slide bar, the cantilever member also supports a plurality of idler rollers for the first drive belt, the idler rollers insure that the drive belt remains entrained about the first and second drive sprockets during translational movement of the first drive sprocket along the hexagonal shaft.

37. The reciprocating and rotary zipper roller drive arrangement as recited in claim 36 wherein each of the slide rods and the cylinder unit are fixed in position to the apparatus by vertical brackets with one bracket including an opening for receiving the hexagonal shaft therethrough.

38. The reciprocating and rotary zipper roller drive arrangement as recited in claim 36 wherein said cantilever member also supports a drive belt tensioning sprocket for tensioning the drive belt and insuring that the drive belt remains entrained about the drive sprockets and idler rollers.

39. The reciprocating and rotary zipper roller drive arrangement as recited in claim 34 wherein the apparatus includes zippered cap strip feeding and guiding means having a pair of grooved idler rollers mounted adjacent an upper end of the fill tube and a grooved guide bar extending along a portion of the length of the vertical fill tube, and wherein the zipper drive rollers are mounted downstream of the vertical fill tube, and wherein the zipper drive rollers are reciprocated between first and second positions, in the first position, the grooved idler rollers, grooved guide bar, and zipper drive rollers are vertically aligned along a common vertical axis parallel to the vertical fill tube, and in the second position the zipper drive rollers are spaced away from the vertical fill tube and out of vertical alignment with the grooved idler rollers and grooved guide bar, and wherein the zipper drive rollers are located in the second position during horizontal sealing and severing of a product-filled bag and in the first position during incremental movement of the plastic film and zippered cap strip along the vertical fill tube.

40. A reciprocating and rotary cap strip drive roller arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus of the type that operates in conjunction with a product supply apparatus providing product in discrete quantities and that forms a continuous, heat-sealable, plastic film and cap strip into a vertical plastic tube and then into separate product-filled, sealed bags comprising:

drive means including an electric servo-motor for rotating each of a pair of cap strip drive rollers about a horizontal axis in opposite directions but at equal speeds to drive the vertical plastic tube, and

means for reciprocating the cap strip drive rollers as a unit in a horizontal plane to stretch the vertical plastic tube.

41. A reciprocating and rotary drive roller arrangement for a vertical form, fill and seal apparatus of the type that operates in conjunction with a product supply apparatus providing product in discrete quantities and that forms a continuous, heat-sealable, plastic film and zipper strip into separate product-filled, reclosable, sealed bags comprising:

drive means including an electric servo-motor for rotating at least one of a pair of zipper strip drive rollers about a horizontal axis, and

means for reciprocating said zipper strip drive rollers as a unit in a horizontal plane.