Method and system for manufacturing medical pouches

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10703576-B2
Application number	US-201515519285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2015
Priority date	Oct 19, 2014
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for manufacturing medical pouches and a method for manufacturing medical pouches in a system, said pouch being made from two layers of plastic film and at least one component per pouch, the system comprising a group of positioning aids for the components as well as a group of supports for the positioning aids, the positioning aids being supported on the supports which are conveyed in an endless path with the aid of a guiding mechanism, the system further comprising a component application station designed to bring a component, which has been introduced into the station by a positioning aid with the aid of a support, into a joining connection with the plastic film. The invention is characterized in that on the endless path, the supports are alternately guided first along a process run and then along a return run; the supports are placed at a certain distance from one another in the process run, are accelerated to increase the distance therebetween when the supports travel along the return run, and are decelerated to reduce the distance therebetween again when the supports intermittently travel along the process run. As a result, the system requires fewer product-specific parts.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for manufacturing medical bags in a plant from two layers of plastic film and at least one component per bag, with an assemblage of positioning aids for the components, and with an assemblage of carriers for the positioning aids, the positioning aids being carried by the carriers, the carriers being transported in an endless path by means of a guide, the plant having a component application station adapted to couple by a joining the component with the plastic film, which has been placed in the station by the positioning aid by means of the carrier, with the plastic film; characterized in that the carriers on their endless path are first guided alternatingly along a process path and then along a return path, the carriers in the process path having spacings between them, wherein the carriers are accelerated in a return direction to form larger spacings from additional carriers entering the return path from the process path and from carriers entering the return path via an inlet, and wherein the carriers are decelerated again to form smaller spacings for intermittently passing through the process path.

2. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the carriers are guided in a continuous movement along the return path.

3. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the carriers are coupled with an intermittent film feed along the process path and decoupled from the intermittent film feed for the return along the return path.

4. Method according to claim 3 , characterized in that coupling takes place by means of a mechanical coupling member.

5. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that for intermittent feed, the carriers in the process path are driven by a separate drive means, in particular by a motor or a permanent magnet.

6. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the carriers in the process path are coupled by an electronic coupling to the guide.

7. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that for passing through the return path, the carriers are rapidly transported via a linear motor drive enabled by controllable magnetic field generators.

8. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that at a back side of the plant, the positioning aids are cleaned.

9. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that positioning aids position the components between the two layers of plastic film and the coupling process in the component application station integrally couples the components to the two layers of plastic film.

10. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the positioning aids are rod-shaped.

11. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the components are welding ports, tubular pieces for ports or breaking valves.

12. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that on the back side of the plant, the components are plugged onto a central electrode.

13. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that on the back side of the plant, the components are subjected to an active preheating process by means of a passage through a heating station.

14. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the carriers are guided on a rail.

15. Method according to claim 14 , characterized in that the carriers are guided on the rail along the endless path in sections and removed from the rail in sections, in particular for guiding a change in direction.

16. Method for replacing an assemblage of positioning aids to be replaced by a new assemblage of positioning aids in a plant for manufacturing medical bags by performing the method according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning aids to be replaced are taken from the endless path, and the new positioning aids are introduced in the endless path.

17. Method according to claim 16 , characterized in that for replacement, the positioning aids to be replaced are removed from the carriers and after that, the new positioning aids are placed onto the carriers.

18. Plant for manufacturing medical bags from two layers of plastic film and at least one component per bag, with an assemblage of positioning aids for the components, and with an assemblage of carriers for the positioning aids, where the positioning aids are carried by the carriers, the plant having a guide for the carriers which is adapted to move the carriers in an endless path, the plant having a component application station which is adapted to couple the component, which has been placed in the station by the positioning aid by means of the carrier, with the plastic film; characterized in that the plant has a controller, the controller being operatively connected to the transport of the carriers, the controller being adapted to guide the carriers on their endless path alternatingly first along a process path and then along a return path and to move the carriers in the process path in mutual spacings, wherein the controller accelerates the carriers in a return direction to form larger spacings from additional carriers entering the return path from the process path and from carriers entering the return path via an inlet, and wherein the controller decelerates the carriers to form smaller spacings for intermittently passing through the process path.

19. Plant according to claim 18 , characterized in that the carriers have a pronounced two-dimensional, flat shape.

20. Plant according to claim 19 , characterized in that the carriers are puck-shaped.

21. Plant according to claim 19 , characterized in that the carriers have a carrying side, with the positioning aids being carried on the carrying side of the carriers.

22. Plant according to claim 18 , characterized in that the guide has a rail along the endless path.

23. Plant according to claim 18 , characterized in that the guide has a circulating transport chain.

24. Plant according to claim 18 , characterized in that the plant has a tube plug-on station adapted to plug on one tube each on central electrodes for subsequent positioning for welding into the layers of plastic film for forming a port in the bag, wherein the central electrodes are carried by carriers, the plant having a front side, a back side and two face sides therebetween, with the endless path extending along the front side and along the back side and having one turning unit each on both face sides, the front side having different stations for manufacturing and, if desired, filling of the bag and the guide being adapted to drive, on the front side, the central electrodes intermittently from station to station with a front-side velocity and to guide on the back side a return of the carriers in the direction of the tube plug-in station.

25. Plant according to claim 18 , characterized in that the guide has a plurality of electronically controllable magnets, the carriers being designed so that they can be driven magnetically.

26. Plant according to claim 18 , characterized in that the carriers have a friction or roller bearing along the endless path.

27. Plant according to claim 18 , characterized in that each of the carriers has a snap-in coupling with the positioning aid.

28. Plant according to claim 18 , characterized in that carriers are provided alongside the endless path which have a peg recess for the positioning aids, the positioning aids having pegs which can be inserted in the peg recesses.

29. Plant according to claim 28 , characterized in tha

Assignees

• Kiefel Gmbh

Inventors

• Stein Bernd

Classifications

• B31B70/006 Primary

  Controlling; Regulating; Measuring; Safety measures · CPC title

• B65G35/06 Primary

  comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path (effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32) · CPC title

• B31B70/66

  by high-frequency electric heating · CPC title

• B31B70/64

  by applying heat or pressure (to unite areas where adhesives are applied B31B70/62) · CPC title

• B31B70/844

  Applying rigid valves, spouts, or filling tubes · CPC title