Patent Application
20100069212
This invention relates to an apparatus for making packages, a method for making packages and a package manufactured by said apparatus and method.
Packages with three side gusset are available on the market today for packing liquids and solids and different manufacturing methods are used for the same. These kinds of bags with three side gussets are known in the numerous embodiments, which depend on the use, to which they are to be put. One type of plastic bag forming machine and method of operation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,224 to Hanson et al., which uses closed sleeve plastic material with inwardly gusseted sides as a raw starting material. Another method of making flat-bottomed plastic bags is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,384.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,681 provides a method and apparatus for forming flat-bottomed plastic bags which gives more consistent and precise results than are obtainable using pre-gusseted tubing.
The plastic bag is advantageous in that the first and second side gusset portions can be unfolded between the first and second side edges respectively to obtain a large capacity. The bottom gusset portion and the first and second auxiliary gusset portions can also be unfolded between the bottom edges to constitute a rectangular bottom. The plastic bag can therefore stably stand on a table. However, it has been heretofore difficult to successively make the plastic bags. Further, there are several method of manufacturing the packages with three side gussets are also disclosed in various patent applications and patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,963 and EP 1106339 disclose a new and improved apparatus for successively making plastic bags where every bag is completed with first and second side gusset portions and then a bottom gusset portion. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/052,267 which is continuation application with respect to said U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,963 and matured as U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,148 provides plastic bag making apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,847 provides a method for producing a packing material from plastic film or a similar weldable material in the form of a bag or sack with side folds of the initially given type.
In our co-pending application number 582/MUM/2004, we have described a reclosable flexible package with a slider zipper assembly and three-side gusset having a handle and a method of manufacturing the same.
However the methods used in the above-mentioned documents are very complicated. Further, the methods used in the above-mentioned patent applications/patents increase the rejection rate in the manufacturing of package. Additionally, packages produced by the methods and apparatus disclosed in the documents may not have good dimensional accuracy.
To overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, this invention provides for an apparatus for making packages, a method for making packages and a package thereof.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method for making packages which are simple.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method for making package which has less rejection rate.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for making package with good dimensional accuracy.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the following detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The apparatus for making three side gusset package with improved method of feeding side gusset tube and feeding bottom gusset along with web registration of bottom and side gusset to have printing perfectly located and aligned on package. With help of this method, we can have image or graphics printed partially on front & back portion along with side and bottom gusset.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.
A horizontal package making machine with improved method of inserting side and bottom gusset where a roll of film/laminate is loaded vertically on main unwind (3) of machine with reel loading (2). The said film/laminate passes through unwind pulling (4) and pulled forward with the help of horizontal dancer (5) with AC variable drive. The film/laminate is cut into two equal parts. One layer moves on top & one at bottom. For proper registration of machine mark, servo motor is provided at (6) which pulls the bottom film with perfect registration.
A tube of film/laminate is formed at side gusset forming unit (8). Said tube is fed on bottom sheet in such a manner that the tube joint remains at the bottom web. The tube is then sealed with bottom web with the help of side gusset tagging attachment (9). The said tube is sealed with top web with the help of sealer (10). Top web joins the bottom web after sealing at station (10). The top and bottom webs are pulled apart using rollers to form rhombus shape at station 14.
The film/laminate is folded flat over the side of the top and bottom gusset with the help of bottom folding, creasing & tagging unit (14) for making the bottom gusset.
The bottom gusset feeding starts from unwinding station at (13). The film/laminate moves continuously from side and joins with top & bottom webs and side gussets.
The said top & bottom webs with side and bottom gussets passes through bottom center folding former (15) to flatten the bottom gusset horizontally. The top web is pulled to sealing and cooling station with the help of draw roller (16). The said top & bottom webs along with bottom gusset then move to station (17) for bottom sealing and subsequent cooling unit (18). The said three side gusset film/laminate then moves towards slider & Zipper loading station 19) with or without diaphragm (in case of one up package. The film/laminate moves forward through draw roller (20) for bottom sealing/fusing and cooling station (21). The said three side gusset film/laminate then moves to station (22) for cross sealing and cross cooling (23). The said three side gusset film/laminate then moves to side trimming unit (25) for trimming of excess sealed area on top & bottom webs. The said 3-side gusset film/laminate proceeds towards station (27) for bottom round corner punching, if desired. Center slitting (28) is required for 2-up package line to slit and to separate formed & sealed webs into two halves to form two packages. A servo puller is attached at station (29) for pulling the film/laminate. Finally a combination of two special type of fly blades operation is attached at station (30) which moves to & fro for strip cutting in the sealed area and finally makes one three side gusseted package in case of one up machine and two numbers of three side gusseted packages in case of two up machine.
As shown in the figure, unwinding of film/laminate starts from station (3), (7) and (13). The final stage of receiving the finished packages at the extreme end of the machine on working table (31).
It explains the film/laminate for bottom gusset unwinding layout (F1). The film/laminate is pulled by a precise pulling means (F2). Said precise pulling means can be servo puller. Bottom gusset servo puller (F2) is used for pulling the. The film/laminate for bottom gusset (F8) moves forward for bottom gusset tagging at (F5) before entering into bottom gusset center folder (F3). Forming roller (F6) is to press the film/laminate (F9). Folding is done through creasing plate (F7). The bottom gusset photocell (F4) is used for proper alignment of the bottom gusset.
Through out the patent specification, a convention employed is that in the appended drawings, like numerals denote like components.
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments herein shown. Thus variations may be made within the scope without sacrificing the principal advantages of the invention. For example, said three side gusset film/laminate then moves towards station (19) for making packages with zipper slider/press to lock zipper with or without diaphragm to make the package re-closable in case of one up package.
In another aspect of the invention a diaphragm of film or laminate with or without metalized film, is placed below the zipper assembly to close the mouth of the package and act as barrier, making it tamper proof. A perforations or laser scoring line on said diaphragm can be provided for making it easier and more convenient for the user to tear open and access the contents of the package.
In another embodiment of the invention a handle is provides for easy carrying and handling of the filled package. A pre-cut handles are inserted on top and bottom webs opposite to the bottom gusset.
In yet another embodiment of the invention a slider zipper assembly/press to lock zipper, a diaphragm, a scoring on said diaphragm and a handle is attached to the package.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1448/DEL/2007 | Jul 2007 | IN | national |
This application is a continuation of PCT Application No. PCT/IN2008/000436, filed Jul. 8, 2008, which claims priority to and the benefit of Indian Application No. 1448/DEL/2007, filed Jul. 9, 2007, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/IN2008/000436 | Jul 2008 | US |
| Child | 12621597 | US |
