CA1267121A - Bags having zippers and being serially connected by guide rib equipped strips removable for separating the bags, and method of and means for filling and separating such bags - Google Patents
Bags having zippers and being serially connected by guide rib equipped strips removable for separating the bags, and method of and means for filling and separating such bagsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1267121A CA1267121A CA000590829A CA590829A CA1267121A CA 1267121 A CA1267121 A CA 1267121A CA 000590829 A CA000590829 A CA 000590829A CA 590829 A CA590829 A CA 590829A CA 1267121 A CA1267121 A CA 1267121A
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- Prior art keywords
- bags
- bag
- separating
- filling
- jaws
- Prior art date
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- Expired - Fee Related
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title abstract description 6
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 11
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000001125 extrusion Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000000295 complement effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229910003460 diamond Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000010432 diamond Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920006255 plastic film Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229940000425 combination drug Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 239000003000 extruded plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002985 plastic film Substances 0.000 description 1
- -1 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000573 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000000063 preceeding effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010008 shearing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 125000006850 spacer group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
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- Bag Frames (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
ZIPPER EQUIPPED BAGS AND METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MANUALLY
FILLING AND SEPARATING THEM
Integrally serially connected top fillable bags have closed bottoms and sides and reclosable zippers from which pull flanges extend upwardly. The bags are separated along their sides including the pull flanges and continuous connecting strips connect the tops of the pull flanges and have guide ribs extending continuously therealong for engagement by supporting jaws which serve to open the serially connected bags one at a time at a filling station for filling. After the filling station, the filled bag is separated from the connected bags by removing the connecting strip from the tops of the pull flanges of the filled bags in line with or below the top ends of the separations between bags. The zipper of the filled bag is closed by a closing device such as pinch rolls through which the bag is pulled and the connecting strips removed.
ZIPPER EQUIPPED BAGS AND METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MANUALLY
FILLING AND SEPARATING THEM
Integrally serially connected top fillable bags have closed bottoms and sides and reclosable zippers from which pull flanges extend upwardly. The bags are separated along their sides including the pull flanges and continuous connecting strips connect the tops of the pull flanges and have guide ribs extending continuously therealong for engagement by supporting jaws which serve to open the serially connected bags one at a time at a filling station for filling. After the filling station, the filled bag is separated from the connected bags by removing the connecting strip from the tops of the pull flanges of the filled bags in line with or below the top ends of the separations between bags. The zipper of the filled bag is closed by a closing device such as pinch rolls through which the bag is pulled and the connecting strips removed.
Description
~ ~7~
1 BAGS ~AVING ZIPPERS AND BEIMG SERIALLY CONNECTED ~Y GUIDE
RI~ EQUIPPED STRIPS REMOVABLE FOR SEPARA~ING ~HE BAGS, A~D
METHOD OF ANDMEANS FOR FILLING AND SEPARATING SUCH BAGS
DESCRIPTION
This invention relates to zipper equipped bags, and is more particularly concerned with such bags which are connected together in a manner that facilitates handling for manually filling and separating the bags.
Although automatic filling of zipper equipped chain bags is known, reference being had, for example, to U.S.
Patent 4,49G,959 dated January 1, 1985 issued to Peter Lems, one of the applicants herein, there has been a need for a convenient and economiaal arrangement for manual filllng of zipper equipped bags which will avoid the need for handling of each individual bag. It is primarily to the solving of that problem that the present invention has been directed.
Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide 7ipp2r equipped bags in a manner to facilitate manual filling of the bags.
Another obJect of the invention iB to provide a new and improved method of manually filling zipper equippad bags.
A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for manually filling zipper equipped bags.
The present invention provides, integrally serially connected top fillable bags wherein each bag has elosed bottom and side edges and reclosable zipper means extending ~cross the top of each bag with upstanding front and rear pull flanges extending above the zipper means, the bags being partially separated by slots along their adjacent s~des, the slots extending from the pull flanges - .
1 continuously a substantial distance down past the zipp~r means 80 that adjacent bags are freely separable at the location of the zipper means. Respsctive continuous strips integrally connect the tops of the front and rear pull flanges of all of the bags and thereby connect the bags in continuous series. The connecting strips have pr~truding ribs extending continuously along their upper edge portions for supporting the connected bags, so that the connected bags can ~e slidably drawn throush supp~rting jaws serving also as bag top filling separators. The strips are removable from the tops of the pull flanges so that the bags are separated from one another by virtue of the slots upon removal of the trips.
This lnvention also provides a method of filllng and separating top fillable serially connected bags which are closed along thsir bottom and sides and have reclosable zippers along their upper end portions with front and rear pull flanges extending above the zippers, the bags being partially separated from one another along their ad~acent sides by separations which extend upwardly past the zippers and to the tops of the pull ~langes and between the ends of the pull flanges, there being respective continuous integral strips connecting the tops of the front and rear pull ~langes and thereby connecting the bags to one another in series, and the upper portions of the connecting strips having continuous protruding guide ribs therealong for supporting the connected bags. The method comprises slidably engaging the ribs in supportiny and separating ~aw means at a filling station, relatively sliding the ribs in the iaw means and thereby moving and aligning the bags seriatlm $nto the filling station, and as each bag is in i7~
1 the filling station effecting sep~ration of the pull flanges by means of the jaw means and thereby opening the top of the bag by pulling the zipper of the bag open, filling contents $nto the bag in the filling station, advancing the connected bags and theraby moving the filled bag away from the filling ~tation and advarlcing a succeeding bsg into the filling station for opening and filling, closing the zipper of the filled bag, and ~eparating the connecting strips from the tops of the pull flanges of the filled bag at a level at or below the top of the separation to separate the filled bag from the remaining connected bags.
~ here i~ also provided by the present invention apparatus for filling and separating serially connected top fillable bags which are closed along their bottom and sides and have reclosable zippers along their upper end portions with front and rear pull flanges extending above the zippPrs, the bags being separatad from one another along their adjacent sides by 6eparations which extend upwardly past the zippers and to the tops of the pull 1anges and between the ends of the pull ~langes, there being respective contlnuous integral strips connecting the front and rear pull flanges and thereby connecting said tops of the bags to one another, the upper portions of the connecting strips having continuous protuding guide ribs therealong for supporting the connected bags, the apparatus comprising means providing a bag filling station including supporting and separating ~aws for slidably engaging the ribs for movement of said bags along said ~aws and allgnin~ the bags seriatim in the filling station. The ~aws include means for separatlng the pull flanges and thereby the zipper of each bag in the filling station to open the top of the bag for 7~
1 receiving contents into the bag. There are means for moving the filled bag from the filling station and advancing a succeeding bag into the filling station for openlng and fllling of the succeeding bag. Means are provided for 5 closing the zipper of the filled bag, and ~eans for separating the connecting strips from the tops of the pull flanges of the filled bag at a level at or below the top of the separations to separate the filled bag from the remaining connected bags.
ON THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of representative embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations a~d modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts embodied in the disclosure, and in which:
, 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a zipper equipped bag produced according tG the present inventi~n.
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of how material for producing connected zipper equipped bags i6 adapted to be produced by extrusion.
FIG. 3 shows a fragmentary portion of a modified extruded bag making material.
FIG. 4 shows another modification of the material.
FIG. 5 shows how the bag material of FIG. 2 i5 adapted to be supported and guided.
FIG. 6 shows how the bag material o~ FIG. 3 is adapted to be supported and guided.
FIG. 7 shows how the bag material of FIG. 4 is adapted to be supported and guided.
FIG. 8 shows a further modification.
FIG. 9 shows another modification.
FIG. 10 shows ~till another modification.
FIG. 11 is a schematic ill~stration of bag filling and separating apparatus with bag supporting and opening jaws in the open position; and FIG. 12 shows the arrangement of FIG. 11 with the jaws closed.
The bags 15 (FIG. 11 is sho~l as an example of the type of bag which is adapted to be made according to the present invention. It is of the top filling type, commonly made from a suitable plastic film such as polyethylene. A p~uch for the bag 15 is provided between wall panels 17 which are secured together along a bottom edge 18 and opposite side edges 19. As shown, the bottom edge 18 is formed by folding a film web upon itself to provide the wall panels 17. On the other hand, if preferred, the wall panels 17 may comprise separate strips which are secured together as by means of heat sealing, electronic wPlding, or the like. The cides 19 of the bag are secured together as by a means of heat sealing or electronic means.
i7~
1 Within the top portion of the bag 15 is a re-closa~le zipper 20. In a desirable form, the zipper 20 comprises a generally arrowhead shaped rib profile 21 which is separably interengageable within a groove-shaped profile 22. Both of the profiles 21 and 22 are resiliently flexible for readily snapping together for closing the zipper and for pull-apart separation by manipulation of front and rear pull flanges 23 which project upwardly fr~m the zipper 20. As shown, at th~ir opposite ends the profiles 21 and 2~ are secured together by spot seals 24 aligned with the side seals 19. It will be noted that the ends of the pull flanges are also sealed together at l9a in line with the spot seals 24 and the side seals 19.
As represented in FIÇ. 2, the material for the bag 15 may be economically formed by extrusion. By means of an extrusion die 25 which has a suitably configured extrusion orifice 27 by which, in this instance, a tubular extruded plastic film blank B is adapted to be produced as a continuous tube having on its inner dia-meter integrally extruded therewith two sets of the ~
profiles 21 and 22 and with the expanse of the blank B
of such size as to produce two lines of bag material web with each web eq~ipped with cooperatively related complementary zipper profiles 21 and 22.
In addikion, the extruded bag making blank B has integrally extruded therewith guide ribs 28, there being a pair of the ribs 28 fvr each of the bag making webs of the blank B when the blank B is separated along lines 29 between the ~uide ribs 28. The func~ion of the guide ribs 28 will be m~xe particularly described hereinafter.
In one desirable arrangement, the guide ribs 28 are of general T-shape as shown in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 5.
In this instanc~ the guide ribs 28 are l~cated on the inner ~ides of the blank B or the webs to which they are att~ched, that is, on those portions of the web which will face one another in the bag format.
.
7~
1 In another formation of the guide ribs identified as 28' (FIGS. 3 and 6) the suide ribs are formed at each side of the iubular extrusion, but extending lengthwise across the blank B' so that when the web is 6eparated along the line 29' between the ribs 28', the ribs 28' will be along the top edge of the web and desirably with a narrow crown projection spacer 30 along the upper sides of the guide ribs.
In another form, ribs 28'' (FIGS 4 and 7) may he formed along the outer side of the blank B'' so that upon separation along tne line 29' ' the ribs 281 ' will be at the outside of the webs of blank B''.
Other fGrms of the guiding ribs may be found useful. For example, in FIG. 8, instead of the T-shaped rib arrangement of FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 7, companion ribs 31 of solid rectangular form lFIG. 8 or 10) m~y be provided on the upper edge of the bag making wab. On the other hand, the guide ribs may be as shown in FIG. 9 wherein the ribs 32 are of genexally diamond shape with one of the corners of the diamond shape cross-section attached to the bag wall web.
The various forms of the guide ribs are especially useful in adapting bags made from the bag making material for hand filling of the bags in a convenient, efficient, labor saving manner.
A hand filling set~up is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. For this purpose, the extruded bag making material is formed into a continuous, connected series of the bags 15. In the series, the bags are partially separated from one another by separations 33 along and between the adjacent sealed side edges 19 of the bags. Each separation 33 extends all the way from the bottom 18 up between the spot seals 24 on the conti~uous bags and to a desirable extent past and a~ove the zippers of the bags as shown at the upward extensions of the ~eparations 33 and 34. The length of the separation extensions 34 is equal to the desired width 1 of the pull ~langes 23 between the ends o which the separation extensions extend. In a preferred arrangement the pull flanges have their ends sealed together as shown at l9a.
For connecting the bags 15 together in series, connecting strips 35 of the bag wall web material connect the tops of the pull flanyes 23 and extend solidily continuously along the length of the ribbon o~ connected bags to a desirable width above the upper ends of the separation extensions 34. The width of the connecting strips 35 together with the relative mass of the guide ribs 2B is such as to maintain the individual bag sections 15 in a stable connected relation for filling manipulation.
In the filling station the bags 15 are guided seriatim into a filling position by means of the guide ribs 28, 28', 28'', 31 or 32, as the case may be, and are opened, filled, and then moved from the filling station.
The connecting strips are then removed below or along the tops of the separation extension 34, with the zipper 20 of each bag which had been opened for filling being closed, and the separated filled bag 15 removed from the ~eries. To this end, the guide ribs 28 are threaded through complementary dovetail guideways 37 o~ combin-ation supporting and bag opening jaws 38 (FIGS. 5, ll and 12). These jaws 38 may be mo~ted on reciprocating guides 39 connected by means of respective cranks 40 to respective links 41. The links 41 are connected to means such as a foot operated treadle 42, so that by operating the treadle 42 the jaws 38 can be moved apàrt from the closed position in FIG. 12 in opposition to biasing means such as springs 43.
For filling the bags 15, each successive bag may be pulled into filling position such as by manually grasping the lead bag in the series and pulling it to slidably advance the ribs 28 through the jaws 38. When each successive bag 15 is in the filling position, the jaws 38 which normally are biased toward one anothex as .
~ .
, ' , 1 shown in FIG. 12, are pulled apart by operation of the treadle 42 into separated position as showm in FIG. 11.
Thereby the jaws 38 pull the connecting ~trips 35 apart at the top of the bag 15 that is to be filled so that through the strips 35 the separating pull of the jaws 38 is passed on to the pull flanges 23 and causes the pro-files 21 and 22 of the zipper 20 of the affected bag 15 to open. To further improve the pulling force of the jaws 38, it is focused between the sealed ends l9a of the affected pull flanges 23. Contents may then be loaded into the top opened bag in any desirable manner. After the contents have been filled into the bag, the series of bags is pulled onward to advance another bag 15 into filling position.
As the filled bag is pulled away from the filling station, the connecting strips 35 are separated from the filled bag, such as by means of a sharp instrument 44, i.e. a knife blade, which may be stationarily mounted in proper shearing position on the fram~ of the apparatus.
Before or after the cut off knife 41, but preferably i~mediately before, the zipper 20 is closed by means for pressing the profiles 21 and 22 together. In one form such means may comprise pinch rollers 45 mounted rotatably on skub shafts 47 and having respective grooves 48 for recei~ing the zipper 20 therebetween for not only closing the zipper, but also supporting the bag which is engaged between the rollers 45 against sagying away from the cut off member 44. If necessary a second set of rollers may be provided for the purpose of supporting the bag.
It will be observed that the cut-off m~mber 44 is located to separate the strips 35 from the tops of the pull flanges 23 in line with or just below the top ends of the separation extensions 34. The filled bag is not fully separated from the connecting strips 35 until the preceeding bag has been filled. Thereupon, by pulling on the filled bag or on the partially se~ered strips 35 as indicated by the directional arrow 49, the previously filled bag is advanced co~pletely past the cut-off nember 7:~Zl 1 44 and thus en~irely separated from the series of bags, while at the same time the next *illed bag is advanced for cut-off by the cut-off member 44 and closure of the zipper 20 by the rollers 45. Each bag advancing maneuver is facilitated by the indexing advantage afforded by the filling station mechanisms~
It will thus be apparent that the filling, bag separating and zipper closing apparatus can be operated easily and efficiently by advancing the successive bags one at a time by one minipulating hand while the other hand is used for filling the bag which is in position and which is opened by operating the foot treadle to open the bag supporting and opening jaws. Relatively unskilled persons can quickly learn and easily operate the apparatus, which can be inexpensively produced.
The different forms of the guide ribs ~8', 28l', 31, 32 in FIGS. 6-9, can be reail~ accommodated in simple ~odifications of the shoes or jaws 38 to provide comple-mentary and properly positioned tracks for the respective xibs. If desired the shoe jaws may be modified to accept all or at least a number of the various rib forms in one jaw configuration.
Xn FIG. 10 the jaws 38' are substantially the same as the jaws 38' in FIG. 8 but ~o positioned that the connecting strips 35 are maneuvered into a generally horizontal direction away from one another, thus affording more head room, where that is a consideration.
It will be understood that variations and modifi-cations m~y be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.
1 BAGS ~AVING ZIPPERS AND BEIMG SERIALLY CONNECTED ~Y GUIDE
RI~ EQUIPPED STRIPS REMOVABLE FOR SEPARA~ING ~HE BAGS, A~D
METHOD OF ANDMEANS FOR FILLING AND SEPARATING SUCH BAGS
DESCRIPTION
This invention relates to zipper equipped bags, and is more particularly concerned with such bags which are connected together in a manner that facilitates handling for manually filling and separating the bags.
Although automatic filling of zipper equipped chain bags is known, reference being had, for example, to U.S.
Patent 4,49G,959 dated January 1, 1985 issued to Peter Lems, one of the applicants herein, there has been a need for a convenient and economiaal arrangement for manual filllng of zipper equipped bags which will avoid the need for handling of each individual bag. It is primarily to the solving of that problem that the present invention has been directed.
Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide 7ipp2r equipped bags in a manner to facilitate manual filling of the bags.
Another obJect of the invention iB to provide a new and improved method of manually filling zipper equippad bags.
A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for manually filling zipper equipped bags.
The present invention provides, integrally serially connected top fillable bags wherein each bag has elosed bottom and side edges and reclosable zipper means extending ~cross the top of each bag with upstanding front and rear pull flanges extending above the zipper means, the bags being partially separated by slots along their adjacent s~des, the slots extending from the pull flanges - .
1 continuously a substantial distance down past the zipp~r means 80 that adjacent bags are freely separable at the location of the zipper means. Respsctive continuous strips integrally connect the tops of the front and rear pull flanges of all of the bags and thereby connect the bags in continuous series. The connecting strips have pr~truding ribs extending continuously along their upper edge portions for supporting the connected bags, so that the connected bags can ~e slidably drawn throush supp~rting jaws serving also as bag top filling separators. The strips are removable from the tops of the pull flanges so that the bags are separated from one another by virtue of the slots upon removal of the trips.
This lnvention also provides a method of filllng and separating top fillable serially connected bags which are closed along thsir bottom and sides and have reclosable zippers along their upper end portions with front and rear pull flanges extending above the zippers, the bags being partially separated from one another along their ad~acent sides by separations which extend upwardly past the zippers and to the tops of the pull ~langes and between the ends of the pull flanges, there being respective continuous integral strips connecting the tops of the front and rear pull ~langes and thereby connecting the bags to one another in series, and the upper portions of the connecting strips having continuous protruding guide ribs therealong for supporting the connected bags. The method comprises slidably engaging the ribs in supportiny and separating ~aw means at a filling station, relatively sliding the ribs in the iaw means and thereby moving and aligning the bags seriatlm $nto the filling station, and as each bag is in i7~
1 the filling station effecting sep~ration of the pull flanges by means of the jaw means and thereby opening the top of the bag by pulling the zipper of the bag open, filling contents $nto the bag in the filling station, advancing the connected bags and theraby moving the filled bag away from the filling ~tation and advarlcing a succeeding bsg into the filling station for opening and filling, closing the zipper of the filled bag, and ~eparating the connecting strips from the tops of the pull flanges of the filled bag at a level at or below the top of the separation to separate the filled bag from the remaining connected bags.
~ here i~ also provided by the present invention apparatus for filling and separating serially connected top fillable bags which are closed along their bottom and sides and have reclosable zippers along their upper end portions with front and rear pull flanges extending above the zippPrs, the bags being separatad from one another along their adjacent sides by 6eparations which extend upwardly past the zippers and to the tops of the pull 1anges and between the ends of the pull ~langes, there being respective contlnuous integral strips connecting the front and rear pull flanges and thereby connecting said tops of the bags to one another, the upper portions of the connecting strips having continuous protuding guide ribs therealong for supporting the connected bags, the apparatus comprising means providing a bag filling station including supporting and separating ~aws for slidably engaging the ribs for movement of said bags along said ~aws and allgnin~ the bags seriatim in the filling station. The ~aws include means for separatlng the pull flanges and thereby the zipper of each bag in the filling station to open the top of the bag for 7~
1 receiving contents into the bag. There are means for moving the filled bag from the filling station and advancing a succeeding bag into the filling station for openlng and fllling of the succeeding bag. Means are provided for 5 closing the zipper of the filled bag, and ~eans for separating the connecting strips from the tops of the pull flanges of the filled bag at a level at or below the top of the separations to separate the filled bag from the remaining connected bags.
ON THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of representative embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations a~d modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts embodied in the disclosure, and in which:
, 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a zipper equipped bag produced according tG the present inventi~n.
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of how material for producing connected zipper equipped bags i6 adapted to be produced by extrusion.
FIG. 3 shows a fragmentary portion of a modified extruded bag making material.
FIG. 4 shows another modification of the material.
FIG. 5 shows how the bag material of FIG. 2 i5 adapted to be supported and guided.
FIG. 6 shows how the bag material o~ FIG. 3 is adapted to be supported and guided.
FIG. 7 shows how the bag material of FIG. 4 is adapted to be supported and guided.
FIG. 8 shows a further modification.
FIG. 9 shows another modification.
FIG. 10 shows ~till another modification.
FIG. 11 is a schematic ill~stration of bag filling and separating apparatus with bag supporting and opening jaws in the open position; and FIG. 12 shows the arrangement of FIG. 11 with the jaws closed.
The bags 15 (FIG. 11 is sho~l as an example of the type of bag which is adapted to be made according to the present invention. It is of the top filling type, commonly made from a suitable plastic film such as polyethylene. A p~uch for the bag 15 is provided between wall panels 17 which are secured together along a bottom edge 18 and opposite side edges 19. As shown, the bottom edge 18 is formed by folding a film web upon itself to provide the wall panels 17. On the other hand, if preferred, the wall panels 17 may comprise separate strips which are secured together as by means of heat sealing, electronic wPlding, or the like. The cides 19 of the bag are secured together as by a means of heat sealing or electronic means.
i7~
1 Within the top portion of the bag 15 is a re-closa~le zipper 20. In a desirable form, the zipper 20 comprises a generally arrowhead shaped rib profile 21 which is separably interengageable within a groove-shaped profile 22. Both of the profiles 21 and 22 are resiliently flexible for readily snapping together for closing the zipper and for pull-apart separation by manipulation of front and rear pull flanges 23 which project upwardly fr~m the zipper 20. As shown, at th~ir opposite ends the profiles 21 and 2~ are secured together by spot seals 24 aligned with the side seals 19. It will be noted that the ends of the pull flanges are also sealed together at l9a in line with the spot seals 24 and the side seals 19.
As represented in FIÇ. 2, the material for the bag 15 may be economically formed by extrusion. By means of an extrusion die 25 which has a suitably configured extrusion orifice 27 by which, in this instance, a tubular extruded plastic film blank B is adapted to be produced as a continuous tube having on its inner dia-meter integrally extruded therewith two sets of the ~
profiles 21 and 22 and with the expanse of the blank B
of such size as to produce two lines of bag material web with each web eq~ipped with cooperatively related complementary zipper profiles 21 and 22.
In addikion, the extruded bag making blank B has integrally extruded therewith guide ribs 28, there being a pair of the ribs 28 fvr each of the bag making webs of the blank B when the blank B is separated along lines 29 between the ~uide ribs 28. The func~ion of the guide ribs 28 will be m~xe particularly described hereinafter.
In one desirable arrangement, the guide ribs 28 are of general T-shape as shown in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 5.
In this instanc~ the guide ribs 28 are l~cated on the inner ~ides of the blank B or the webs to which they are att~ched, that is, on those portions of the web which will face one another in the bag format.
.
7~
1 In another formation of the guide ribs identified as 28' (FIGS. 3 and 6) the suide ribs are formed at each side of the iubular extrusion, but extending lengthwise across the blank B' so that when the web is 6eparated along the line 29' between the ribs 28', the ribs 28' will be along the top edge of the web and desirably with a narrow crown projection spacer 30 along the upper sides of the guide ribs.
In another form, ribs 28'' (FIGS 4 and 7) may he formed along the outer side of the blank B'' so that upon separation along tne line 29' ' the ribs 281 ' will be at the outside of the webs of blank B''.
Other fGrms of the guiding ribs may be found useful. For example, in FIG. 8, instead of the T-shaped rib arrangement of FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 7, companion ribs 31 of solid rectangular form lFIG. 8 or 10) m~y be provided on the upper edge of the bag making wab. On the other hand, the guide ribs may be as shown in FIG. 9 wherein the ribs 32 are of genexally diamond shape with one of the corners of the diamond shape cross-section attached to the bag wall web.
The various forms of the guide ribs are especially useful in adapting bags made from the bag making material for hand filling of the bags in a convenient, efficient, labor saving manner.
A hand filling set~up is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. For this purpose, the extruded bag making material is formed into a continuous, connected series of the bags 15. In the series, the bags are partially separated from one another by separations 33 along and between the adjacent sealed side edges 19 of the bags. Each separation 33 extends all the way from the bottom 18 up between the spot seals 24 on the conti~uous bags and to a desirable extent past and a~ove the zippers of the bags as shown at the upward extensions of the ~eparations 33 and 34. The length of the separation extensions 34 is equal to the desired width 1 of the pull ~langes 23 between the ends o which the separation extensions extend. In a preferred arrangement the pull flanges have their ends sealed together as shown at l9a.
For connecting the bags 15 together in series, connecting strips 35 of the bag wall web material connect the tops of the pull flanyes 23 and extend solidily continuously along the length of the ribbon o~ connected bags to a desirable width above the upper ends of the separation extensions 34. The width of the connecting strips 35 together with the relative mass of the guide ribs 2B is such as to maintain the individual bag sections 15 in a stable connected relation for filling manipulation.
In the filling station the bags 15 are guided seriatim into a filling position by means of the guide ribs 28, 28', 28'', 31 or 32, as the case may be, and are opened, filled, and then moved from the filling station.
The connecting strips are then removed below or along the tops of the separation extension 34, with the zipper 20 of each bag which had been opened for filling being closed, and the separated filled bag 15 removed from the ~eries. To this end, the guide ribs 28 are threaded through complementary dovetail guideways 37 o~ combin-ation supporting and bag opening jaws 38 (FIGS. 5, ll and 12). These jaws 38 may be mo~ted on reciprocating guides 39 connected by means of respective cranks 40 to respective links 41. The links 41 are connected to means such as a foot operated treadle 42, so that by operating the treadle 42 the jaws 38 can be moved apàrt from the closed position in FIG. 12 in opposition to biasing means such as springs 43.
For filling the bags 15, each successive bag may be pulled into filling position such as by manually grasping the lead bag in the series and pulling it to slidably advance the ribs 28 through the jaws 38. When each successive bag 15 is in the filling position, the jaws 38 which normally are biased toward one anothex as .
~ .
, ' , 1 shown in FIG. 12, are pulled apart by operation of the treadle 42 into separated position as showm in FIG. 11.
Thereby the jaws 38 pull the connecting ~trips 35 apart at the top of the bag 15 that is to be filled so that through the strips 35 the separating pull of the jaws 38 is passed on to the pull flanges 23 and causes the pro-files 21 and 22 of the zipper 20 of the affected bag 15 to open. To further improve the pulling force of the jaws 38, it is focused between the sealed ends l9a of the affected pull flanges 23. Contents may then be loaded into the top opened bag in any desirable manner. After the contents have been filled into the bag, the series of bags is pulled onward to advance another bag 15 into filling position.
As the filled bag is pulled away from the filling station, the connecting strips 35 are separated from the filled bag, such as by means of a sharp instrument 44, i.e. a knife blade, which may be stationarily mounted in proper shearing position on the fram~ of the apparatus.
Before or after the cut off knife 41, but preferably i~mediately before, the zipper 20 is closed by means for pressing the profiles 21 and 22 together. In one form such means may comprise pinch rollers 45 mounted rotatably on skub shafts 47 and having respective grooves 48 for recei~ing the zipper 20 therebetween for not only closing the zipper, but also supporting the bag which is engaged between the rollers 45 against sagying away from the cut off member 44. If necessary a second set of rollers may be provided for the purpose of supporting the bag.
It will be observed that the cut-off m~mber 44 is located to separate the strips 35 from the tops of the pull flanges 23 in line with or just below the top ends of the separation extensions 34. The filled bag is not fully separated from the connecting strips 35 until the preceeding bag has been filled. Thereupon, by pulling on the filled bag or on the partially se~ered strips 35 as indicated by the directional arrow 49, the previously filled bag is advanced co~pletely past the cut-off nember 7:~Zl 1 44 and thus en~irely separated from the series of bags, while at the same time the next *illed bag is advanced for cut-off by the cut-off member 44 and closure of the zipper 20 by the rollers 45. Each bag advancing maneuver is facilitated by the indexing advantage afforded by the filling station mechanisms~
It will thus be apparent that the filling, bag separating and zipper closing apparatus can be operated easily and efficiently by advancing the successive bags one at a time by one minipulating hand while the other hand is used for filling the bag which is in position and which is opened by operating the foot treadle to open the bag supporting and opening jaws. Relatively unskilled persons can quickly learn and easily operate the apparatus, which can be inexpensively produced.
The different forms of the guide ribs ~8', 28l', 31, 32 in FIGS. 6-9, can be reail~ accommodated in simple ~odifications of the shoes or jaws 38 to provide comple-mentary and properly positioned tracks for the respective xibs. If desired the shoe jaws may be modified to accept all or at least a number of the various rib forms in one jaw configuration.
Xn FIG. 10 the jaws 38' are substantially the same as the jaws 38' in FIG. 8 but ~o positioned that the connecting strips 35 are maneuvered into a generally horizontal direction away from one another, thus affording more head room, where that is a consideration.
It will be understood that variations and modifi-cations m~y be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.
Claims (7)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Apparatus for filling and separating serially connected top fillable bags which are closed along their bottom and sides and have reclosable zippers along their upper end portions with front and rear pull flanges extending above the zippers, the bags being separated from one another along their adjacent sides by separations which extend upwardly past the zippers and to the tops of the pull flanges and between the ends of the pull flanges, there being respective continuous integral strips connecting said front and rear pull flanges and thereby connecting said tops of the bags to one another, the upper portions of the connecting strips having continuous protruding guide ribs therealong for supporting the connected bags, the apparatus comprising:
means providing a bag filling station including supporting and separating jaws for slidably engaging said ribs for movement of said bags along said jaws and aligning said bags seriatim in said filling station;
said jaws including means for separating said pull flanges and thereby said zipper of each bag in the filling station to open the top of the bag for receiving contents into the bag;
means for moving the filled bag from the filling station and advancing a succeeding bag into the filling station for opening and filling of the succeeding bag;
means for closing the zipper of the filled bag; and means for separating the connecting strips from the tops of the pull flanges of the filled bag at a level at or below the top of said separations to separate the filled bag from the remaining connected bags.
means providing a bag filling station including supporting and separating jaws for slidably engaging said ribs for movement of said bags along said jaws and aligning said bags seriatim in said filling station;
said jaws including means for separating said pull flanges and thereby said zipper of each bag in the filling station to open the top of the bag for receiving contents into the bag;
means for moving the filled bag from the filling station and advancing a succeeding bag into the filling station for opening and filling of the succeeding bag;
means for closing the zipper of the filled bag; and means for separating the connecting strips from the tops of the pull flanges of the filled bag at a level at or below the top of said separations to separate the filled bag from the remaining connected bags.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said jaws are mounted for relatively reciprocating toward and away from one another, and means for effecting reciprocation of said jaws.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including means for normally biasing said jaws toward one another.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, including a foot operated treadle and linkage means operatively connected to said treadle and to said jaws.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said jaws comprise block members having tracks within which said guide ribs are received.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating means comprises a stationary knife past which the filled bag is pulled for severing and separating the connecting strips from the filled bag.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for closing comprises pinch rollers between which the upper portion of the filled bag is pulled and which have means for supporting the filled bag.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000590829A CA1267121A (en) | 1985-06-18 | 1989-02-10 | Bags having zippers and being serially connected by guide rib equipped strips removable for separating the bags, and method of and means for filling and separating such bags |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US06/746,079 US4665552A (en) | 1985-06-18 | 1985-06-18 | Zipper equipped bags and method of and means for manually filling and separating them |
| US746,079 | 1985-06-18 | ||
| CA000494177A CA1255263A (en) | 1985-06-18 | 1985-10-30 | Bags having zippers and being serially connected by guide rib equipped strips removable for separating the bags, and method of and means for filling and separating such bags |
| CA000590829A CA1267121A (en) | 1985-06-18 | 1989-02-10 | Bags having zippers and being serially connected by guide rib equipped strips removable for separating the bags, and method of and means for filling and separating such bags |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000494177A Division CA1255263A (en) | 1985-06-18 | 1985-10-30 | Bags having zippers and being serially connected by guide rib equipped strips removable for separating the bags, and method of and means for filling and separating such bags |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1267121A true CA1267121A (en) | 1990-03-27 |
Family
ID=25670818
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000590829A Expired - Fee Related CA1267121A (en) | 1985-06-18 | 1989-02-10 | Bags having zippers and being serially connected by guide rib equipped strips removable for separating the bags, and method of and means for filling and separating such bags |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1267121A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2007139465A1 (en) | 2006-05-26 | 2007-12-06 | Pronova Ab | A method of sealingly packing piece goods in a bag, as well as bag units adapted herefor |
-
1989
- 1989-02-10 CA CA000590829A patent/CA1267121A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2007139465A1 (en) | 2006-05-26 | 2007-12-06 | Pronova Ab | A method of sealingly packing piece goods in a bag, as well as bag units adapted herefor |
| EP2021253B1 (en) * | 2006-05-26 | 2019-04-24 | Pronova Aktiebolag | A method of sealingly packing piece goods in a bag |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| MKLA | Lapsed |