Void-fill bag filling system and method

• US 6,877,533 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roskam Automatic Machinery Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Roskam Automatic Machinery Incorporated
• Inventors: Roskam, Mervin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US10/361,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20030150512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 141/10, 141/114, 141313-317, 141/391, 141/94, 206/522, 206/591, 383/3, 410/419
• US Class Current: 141/114
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/20 Embedding contents in shock-absorbing media, e.g. plastic foam, granular material

Abstract

A system and method for securing package contents is provided. One embodiment which secures package contents comprises a supply conveyor configured to transport at least one package having at least one deflated void-fill bag, the void-fill bag having a collar protruding through the package, an inflate nozzle configured to sealably couple with the collar such that the void-fill bag may be filled to secure contents of the package, a vision system configured to detect a target associated with the collar of the void-fill bag, and a servo-drive system configured to control a position of the inflate nozzle based upon the detected target such that the position of the inflate nozzle is adjusted to sealably couple the inflate nozzle with the collar.

Claims

1. A system which secures package contents comprising:

a supply conveyor configured to transport at least one package having at least one deflated void-fill bag, the void-fill bag having a collar protruding through the package;

an inflate nozzle configured to sealably couple with the collar such that the void-fill bag may be filled to secure contents of the package;

a vision system configured to detect a target associated with the collar of the void-fill bag; and

a servo-drive system configured to control a position of the inflate nozzle based upon the detected target such that the position of the inflate nozzle is adjusted to sealably couple the inflate nozzle with the collar.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a collar position sensor configured to detect position of the collar as the void-bag fills, and wherein a change in position of the collar by a predetermined distance corresponds to a filled void-fill bag.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply conveyor further comprises:

a side-push member configured to engage the package;

a side-push actuator coupled to the side-push member and configured to extend the side-push member; and

a restraining member such that when the side-push actuator extends the side-push member, the package is held in a fixed inflate position between the restraining member and the side-push member.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the supply conveyor further comprises a pressure sensitive device configured to cause the side-push actuator to stop and remain in a fixed position to hold the package in the fixed inflate position.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the servo-drive system further comprises an inflate nozzle actuator coupled to the inflate nozzle and configured to extend the inflate nozzle such that the position of the inflate nozzle is adjusted to sealably couple the inflate nozzle with the collar.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the servo-drive system further comprises:

a connector coupled to the inflate nozzle actuator;

a vertical nozzle-support member coupled to the connector such that the connector is moveable in a vertical direction;

a first servo motor drive system coupled to the connector and configured to control a vertical position of the connector;

a horizontal nozzle-support member coupled to the vertical nozzle-support member; and

a second servo motor drive system coupled to the vertical nozzle-support member and configured to control a horizontal position of the vertical nozzle-support member.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vision system further comprises a vision sensor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the vision system further comprises a vision sensor position system coupled to the vision sensor and configured to facilitate adjustment of a position of the vision sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a gas flow valve configured to communicate a gas to the inflate nozzle;

a pressure regulator configured to sense a pressure of the gas; and

a controller configured to receive a first signal generated by the pressure regulator corresponding to the pressure of the gas, and further configured to communicate a second signal to the gas flow valve when the pressure of the gas reaches a predefined pressure so that the gas flow valve closes.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to communicate a third signal to the gas flow valve when the pressure of the gas reaches a second predefined pressure so that the gas flow valve partially closes so that the void-fill bags slowly fills to the predefined pressure.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising an interface configured to receive commands such that a value corresponding to the predefined pressure is specified so that the predefined pressure is variable.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure sensor configured to measure a final pressure of gas in the void-fill bag; and

a package rejection unit configured to reject the package when the measured final pressure does not substantially equal a desired pressure.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a plurality of inflate nozzles configured to sealably couple with a plurality of collars such that a plurality of void-fill bags may be filled to secure contents of the package;

and

a plurality of servo-drive systems, each of the servo-drive systems configured to control a position of one of the inflate nozzles based upon the detected target such that the position of the inflate nozzle is adjusted to sealably couple the inflate nozzle with the collar.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a robot mechanism coupled to the nozzle and controlled by a multiple-axis servo-drive system configured to control position of the inflate nozzle.

15. A method for securing package contents, the method comprising:

visually detecting position of a target, the target corresponding to a collar of a void-fill bag residing in a package;

determining a location of the collar based upon the detected position of the target;

aligning an inflate nozzle with the collar;

sealably coupling the inflate nozzle to the collar; and

filling the void-fill bag with a gas communicated from the inflate nozzle through the collar.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting the retraction of the collar during filling such that the retraction of the collar by a predetermined distance corresponds to a filled void-bag.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising actuating an inflate nozzle actuator such that the inflate nozzle is extended to come into contact with the collar.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

advancing the package along a conveyor;

stopping advancement of the package at a desired position; and

actuating a side-push actuator such that the package is secured in a fixed position.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein actuating the side-push actuator further comprises extending a side-push member until the package is secured in the fixed position between the side-push member and a restraining member.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein aligning the inflate nozzle with the collar further comprises:

actuating a first servo motor drive system such that a vertical position of the inflate nozzle is adjusted;

actuating a second servo motor drive system such that a horizontal position of the inflate nozzle is adjusted; and

actuating an inflate nozzle actuator such that the inflate nozzle is extended to come into contact with the collar.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein filling the void-fill bag with the gas further comprises:

opening a gas flow valve such that pressurized gas flows through the inflate nozzle into the void-fill bag;

detecting a pressure corresponding to a void-fill bag gas pressure; and

closing the gas flow valve such that the pressurized gas flow stops.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

comparing the pressure corresponding to the void-fill bag gas pressure with a predetermined pressure; and

partially closing the gas flow valve when the detected pressure is at least equal to the predetermined pressure such that the pressurized gas flows slowly into the void-fill bag.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

retracting the inflate nozzle; and

advancing the package along a conveyor.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

detecting a final void-fill bag condition; and

rejecting the package when the final void-fill bag condition is undesirable.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein detecting the final void-fill bag condition further comprises sensing at least one selected from a group consisting of a final pressure, a collar position and a void-fill bag position.

26. A system for securing package contents, comprising:

means for visually detecting a position of a target, the target corresponding to a collar of a void-fill bag residing in a package;

means for determining the location of the collar based upon the detected position of the target;

means for aligning an inflate nozzle with the collar;

means for extending the inflate nozzle so that the inflate nozzle comes into contact with the collar to sealably couple the inflate nozzle to the collar; and

means for filling the void-fill bag with a gas communicated from the inflate nozzle through the collar.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for controlling a vertical position of the inflate nozzle; and

means for controlling a horizontal position of the inflate nozzle.

28. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for opening a gas flow valve such that pressurized gas flows through the inflate nozzle into the void-fill bag;

means for detecting a pressure corresponding to a void-fill bag gas pressure; and

means for closing the gas flow valve such that the pressurized gas flow stops.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

means for comparing the pressure corresponding to the void-fill bag gas pressure with a predetermined pressure; and

means for partially closing the gas flow valve when the detected pressure is at least equal to the predetermined pressure such that the pressurized gas flows slowly into the void-fill bag.