Method and machine for producing bags containing fiber material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561635-B2
Application number	US-201213711334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2012
Priority date	Dec 16, 2011
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A method for producing bags containing fiber material, comprises the steps of forming at least one continuous layer of fiber material; separating in succession portions of fiber material from the continuous layer and moving them along a predetermined path; feeding each portion of fiber material to respective containment and compaction elements of a first transfer conveyor; feeding an ordered succession of bags containing respective portions of fiber material to respective supporting elements of a second transfer conveyor; transferring the portions of fiber material into respective housings of a third transfer conveyor; transferring the portions from the third transfer conveyor inside respective containment bags carried by a second transfer conveyor; transferring the containment bags from the second transfer conveyor to a fourth transfer conveyor; and moving in succession the bags housing respective portions of fiber material to a folding unit at which the bags are closed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing bags containing fiber material, comprising:
forming two continuous layers side by side of fiber material;
weighing a leading end portion of each continuous layer with respective weighing devices;
separating the leading end portion of each of the two continuous layers into a succession of portions of fiber material separate from each other and moving the portions of fiber material along respective predetermined paths, wherein the separating the leading end portion of each of the two continuous layers into the succession of portions of fiber material is based on respective weight values measured by the respective weighing devices and is activated by a control unit according to a defined time scale such that the portions of fiber material are obtained by separation of the respective continuous layer when the weight of the leading end portions is equal to, or just under, a nominal target weight of the portions of fiber material;
feeding in succession pairs of the portions of fiber material coming from the two predetermined paths to containment and compaction elements supported by a first transfer conveyor and each for receiving a portion of fiber material;
feeding an ordered succession of bags for containing respective portions of fiber material to respective supporting elements of a second transfer conveyor;
simultaneously transferring the portions of fiber material forming part of each pair from the containment and compaction elements of the first transfer conveyor into respective housings of a third transfer conveyor;
simultaneously transferring the portions of fiber material forming part of each pair from the housings of the third transfer conveyor into respective containment bags carried by supporting elements of the second transfer conveyor;
transferring the pairs of containment bags housing respective portions of fiber material from the respective supporting elements of the second transfer conveyor to a fourth transfer conveyor; and
moving in succession the bags housing respective portions of fiber material to a folding unit at which the bags are closed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the weighing of the leading end portion of each layer is performed by progressively weighing the leading end portion by the respective weighing device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the weighing of the leading end portion of each layer is performed by progressively weighing the leading end portion by the respective weighing device while the leading end portion rests on a conveyor belt.

4. A machine for producing bags containing fiber material, comprising:
two forming devices for forming relative continuous layers of fiber material;
at least one weighing device for weighing, in at least one position, a leading end portion of each continuous layer;
two portioning sections for separating the leading end portion of each of the continuous layers into a succession of portions of fiber material separate from each other and for moving the portions of fiber material along respective predetermined paths;
a control unit activating the portioning sections based on respective weight values measured by the at least one weighing device and according to a defined time scale such that the portions of fiber material are obtained by separation of the respective continuous layer when the weight of the leading end portions is equal to, or just under, a nominal target weight of the portions of fiber material;
a first transfer conveyor including compacting receptacles for receiving pairs of portions of fiber material wherein each portion of fiber material comes from one of the two predetermined paths;
a second transfer conveyor equipped with pairs of supporting elements each for receiving and holding a bag for containing a portion of fiber material;
a first transfer mechanism including at least one first pusher for simultaneously transferring the portions of fiber material forming part of each pair from the compacting receptacles of the first transfer conveyor into respective housings of a third transfer conveyor,
a second transfer mechanism including at least one second pusher for transferring the portions of fiber material from the housings of the third transfer conveyor into respective containment bags carried by the pairs of supporting elements of the second transfer conveyor, and for transferring the pairs of containment bags housing respective portions of fiber material from the respective supporting elements of the second transfer conveyor to a fourth transfer conveyor; the fourth transfer conveyor configured for moving in succession the bags housing respective portions of fiber material to a folding unit at which the bags are closed.

5. The machine according to claim 4 , and further comprising an additional weighing device for checking that each portion of fiber material separated from the leading end portion of a respective layer has a weight corresponding to a predetermined weight value and a supplemental feeding device for adding predetermined quantities of fiber material to the portions of fiber material; the amount of the predetermined quantity of fiber material being established by the control unit based on the weight of the portion of fiber material measured by the additional weighing device.

6. The machine according to claim 5 , wherein the supplemental feeding device is connected to one of the feeding devices for receiving fiber material for integrating into the portions of fiber material.

7. The machine according to claim 5 , and further comprising, for each continuous layer of fiber material, a feeding device for supplying fiber material to a respective forming device, wherein the supplemental feeding device is connected to the feeding devices for receiving fiber material for integrating into the portions of fiber material.

8. The machine according to claim 6 , wherein the supplemental feeding device is subdivided into two separate portions, associated with a respective conveyor for conveying portions of fiber material obtained from the respective continuous layers of fiber material; each separate portion of the supplemental feeding device being respectively served by a device for weighing the portions of fiber material transported by the conveyor associated with the relative separate portion of the supplemental feeding device.

9. The machine according to claim 4 , wherein the two forming devices are positioned alongside each other relative to a vertical reference plane parallel to a feeding direction of the continuous layers of fiber material out of the forming devices; the forming devices, being horizontally offset from each other by a stretch of predetermined length according to a direction parallel to the vertical reference plane, so that the layers of fiber material are parallel to each other and shifted along the vertical reference plane.

10. The machine according to claim 9 , and further comprising, for each continuous layer of fiber material, a dispensing section which comprises two elements for conveying fiber material defining, between them, a duct extending downwards according to a substantially vertical direction; the inlet of each forming device being located below the lower end of each duct.

11. The machine according to claim 10 , wherein each forming device comprises two belt conveyors including respective sections substantially parallel to each other forming between them a passage in which the continuous layer of fiber material is formed.

12. The machine according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one second pusher includes at least one pushing face for pushing the portions of fiber material.

Assignees

• Gd Spa

Inventors

• Boldrini Fulvio
• Ghiotti Roberto Claudio Franco

Classifications

• B65B63/02

  for compressing or compacting articles or materials prior to wrapping or insertion in containers or receptacles · CPC title

• B65B37/00

  Supplying or feeding fluent-solid, plastic, or liquid material, or loose masses of small articles, to be packaged (methods of, or means for, filling individual containers with such materials or articles B65B1/04, B65B3/04) · CPC title

• B65B29/00

  Packaging of materials presenting special problems · CPC title

• B65B63/022

  using compressing chambers or plates moving in an endless path · CPC title

• B65B7/08

  and folding · CPC title