Patent Grant
10906673
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for filling a package with a flowable composition.
Various compositions are packaged in tubular cartridges for use in caulking guns and other types of dispensing mechanisms. In some instances, the dispensing mechanisms will take two or more cartridges side-by-side so that the contents of the cartridges are dispensed simultaneously and admixed in a mixer as they flow towards the point of deposition. Typically, such cartridges have employed tubes of plastic, or coated or laminated paperboard, and the like. Moreover, the tubes generally include flexible packaging that has been filled through one end packaging, after which a closure is placed thereover. Using such side-by-side cartridges to dispense two components involves a substantial amount of waste and expense.
When filling such flexible packaging, it is important to fill the packaging to a consistent volume so that a known fill volume can be set on the filling apparatus. However, during filling many volumetric filling inconsistencies can occur that cause each flexible packaging unit to be filled with different amounts of flowable composition. These inconsistencies can result from such factors as air entrapment within the flowable composition during filling, uneven unfolding of the flexible packaging, or an improper retraction rate from the flexible packaging of a fill tube that is performing the filling operation. One previously presented solution to address these issues is to apply a positive pressure to the interior of the flexible packaging during the filling operation. However, this method has some downsides, as it risks the source of positive pressure being contaminated with the flowable composition during filling.
As a result, there is a need for a system and method for consistently filling a flexible packaging with a flowable composition to a desired maximum capacity.
An embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for filling a flexible film bag attached to a face plate with a flowable composition. The method includes inserting the flexible film bag into a chamber and creating a vacuum between an exterior surface of the flexible film bag and an interior surface of the chamber, such that the flexible film bag expands from an unexpanded state to an expanded state. The method also includes inserting a fill tube into the flexible film pack through the face plate, and dispensing the flowable composition through the fill tube and into the flexible film bag.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a system for filling a flexible film bag attached to a face plate with a flowable composition. The system includes a chamber for receiving the flexible film bag and a fill tube for dispensing the flowable composition into the flexible film bag, where the fill tube is configured to be at least partially inserted into the flexible film bag. The system also includes a first pump in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the first pump is configured to create a vacuum between an exterior surface of the flexible film bag and an interior surface of the chamber, such that the flexible film bag expands from an unexpanded state to an expanded state.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. The drawings show illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. It should be understood, however, that the application is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
Described herein is a film pack 500 that includes two flexible film bags 502, 504 configured to be filled with a flowable composition, a fill system 600 for consistently filling the film bags 502, 504, and a method for filling the film bags 502, 504. The film pack 500 can comprise a Film-Pak®, which is produced by the Nordson Corporation of Westlake, Ohio. Certain terminology is used to describe the elements in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right”, “left”, “lower,” and “upper” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inner” and “outer” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the description to describe the noted feature and related parts thereof. The terminology includes the above-listed words, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
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Molten synthetic resin is injected into the cavity portion 86 through runners (not shown) to produce the desired face plate 30 including the flanges 32, discharge opening 34 and nosepiece 36. The molten resin heats the exposed end portions of the bags 26, 28 to effect a strong bond between the bags 26, 28 and face plate 30. After cooling, the mold 76 is opened and the mandrel fixture is withdrawn. The film bags 26, 28 are slid off the mandrels 78, 80 and the opposite ends of the bags are sealed to provide an empty cartridge.
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By supporting the upper ends of the mandrel in a properly configured mold cavity, the molten resin will flow about the upper end of the film bag and cause it to become molten and intermix with the molten resin flowing into the cavity
As used herein, the term “discharge” opening includes single partitioned openings and spaced, separate openings. The configuration and size will vary with the volume to flow therethrough and the bag configuration.
As used herein, the term “synthetic resin” includes homopolymers and interpolymers, and various additives including fillers, reinforcing elements, etc. In the instance of the film bags, it includes not only homogenous films but also laminates of different resins with and without additives. A preferred resin is polypropylene but polyethylene and nylon may also be used. For some applications, it is desirable to use a composite film with a center layer of nylon and inner and outer layers of polypropylene.
As used herein, the term “substantially identical” composition refers to resins of similar chemistry which will bond strongly. In the instance of laminates, the resin layer providing the surface of the bag to be bonded to the face plate should be substantially identical to that the resin of the face plate so that the bag will firmly bond thereto.
The film bags are generally formed from tubular film cut to the desired length. Although blown film is preferable, flat film may be formed into a tube with bonded overlapping edges. Bonding of the ends of the bags remote to the face plate can be effected by adhesives, heat, sonic welding, and other readily available techniques. Applicant's process of overmolding the face plate on the exterior of the film eliminates secondary operations with premolded members. It can be seen that the present process permits use of bags of laminated films including one or more resins providing desired properties such as resistance to attack by the contents better bonding and mixing of the resins of the film and face plates.
In contrast, microscopic analysis of the film/reinforcing member of Konuma shows multiple defined layers whereas the overmolding of the present invention produces an integrated structure of essentially uniform composition in which the bag is disposed inwardly of the face plate and there are no distinct layers at the interface.
Various flowable compositions may be used in the film packs including sealants, adhesives, protectants, paints and other coating materials, foams, etc. The film exposed thereto and the face plate should have a composition which will not be adversely affected thereby. The mixed components exiting the static mixer can be applied directly or sprayed by use of a pressurized air source and a suitable nosepiece assembly.
The dimensioning (cross sectional area) of the bags in a film pack will allow proportionating the two components to be mixed. For a 1:1 ratio, the bags have the same cross sectional area. For a 3:1 ratio, one of the bags will have a cross sectional area which is three times that of the other. When the relative viscosity of the compositions or the ratios warrants, the discharge openings may also be customized to facilitate or retard flow therethrough.
The discharge opening may assume several different configurations but should provide partitioning of the flowable compositions until after they have passed into the nosepiece. Moreover, the configuration and dimensioning of the separate portions may provide a restriction for one of the flowable compositions to accommodate variation in viscosity, different ratios, etc.
The dispensers conveniently use as sleeves cylindrical tubes of synthetic resin, spiral wound paperboard, metal and laminates which can be reused. By use of shuttles acted on by the pusher of the piston, the shuttles are moved in the sleeve against the bags to compress them. When the film packs are only partially discharged, the static mixer can be removed and discarded, and the cap is placed on the nosepiece. If the contents are fully discharged, the static mixer is removed and the film pack can be removed from the sleeve; both are discarded. A new film pack can be placed in the sleeve which is rotated end for end before placement in the dispenser. Thus, the shuttle is at the opposite end of the dispenser to be acted upon by the pusher of the piston when the sleeve and cartridge are placed in the dispenser. Thus, the discharged film pack cartridges and static mixers are discarded, but the dispensers, sleeves and shuttles are all reusable. As such, it can be seen from the foregoing detailed description and attached drawings that the film bag cartridges of the present invention are relatively simple to fabricate and the components are bonded to provide good sealing. The bags can be filled easily after assembly of the components.
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Reference is now made to
As mentioned above, the two cylindrical sleeves 302 can be made from any material suitable for a purpose disclosed herein. In
To facilitate dispensing of the flowable material from the film bags 202, 204 in the sleeves 352, and with reference now to
With reference now back to
Continuing with
The face plate 506 can define a nosepiece 508 that extends proximally from the face plate 506 opposite the film bags 502, 504. The nosepiece 508 can be similar to the nosepiece 36 or 208, as previously discussed above. Like the face plate 506, the nosepiece 508 can define a first portion 508a and a second portion 508b releasably coupled to the first portion 508a. The nosepiece 508 can include a partition 512 internally disposed and configured to maintain separate flow streams from respective ones of the two flexible film bags 502, 504. The partition 512 can be partially defined by both the first and second portions 508a, 508b of the nosepiece 508 and can function to separate a first discharge opening 510a from a second discharge opening 510b, where each of the first and second discharge openings 510a, 510b extend through the nosepiece 508. When the film pack 500 is assembled, a first flowable composition can flow from the film bag 502 through the first discharge opening 510a, and a second flowable composition that may be the same or different than the first flowable composition can flow from the film bag 504 through the second discharge opening 510b. The nosepiece 508 can attach to a static mixer, such as the mixer 210 described above, for mixing the first and second flowable compositions.
As shown in
Continuing with
In order to facilitate easy loading and removal of the film pack 500, when the vacuum device 602 does not contain a film pack 500, one or both of the first and second locking sections 616a, 616b can be rotated away from each other such that the film bags 502, 504 can be inserted into the respective first and second chambers 604, 608. Upon inserting the film bags 502, 504 into the vacuum device 602, one or both of the first and second locking sections 616a, 616b can rotate towards each other such that each of the first and second locking sections 616a, 616b engage the first and second portions 506a, 506b of the face plate 506 of the film pack 500. Thus, the locking plate 616 secures film bags 502, 504 within the vacuum device 602 through engagement with the face plate 506.
On the opposite side of the first and second chambers 604, 608, the second ends 604b, 608b of the first and second chambers 604, 608 can be secured to a base 628. Within each of the first and second chambers 604, 608 can be disposed a respective seal 620 that aids in creating an airtight seal within the first and second chambers 604, 608, as will be discussed below. Each of the seals 620 can define a respective bore that extends through an entirety of the seal 620. For example, the seal 620 disposed within the first chamber 604 can define a first bore 624a, while the seal 620 disposed within the second chamber 608 can define a second bore 624b. The first bore 624a can be in communication with a tube 632 that extends through the base 628 of the vacuum device 602, while the second bore 624b can be in communication with a tube 636 that extends through the base 628. Each of the tubes 632, 636 can comprise a flexible polymer, and extend from the respective first and second chambers 604, 608 to a pump 640. The pump 640 can be utilized to impart a positive or negative pressure to the interior of the first and second chambers 604, 608 through the tubes 632, 636, as will be discussed further below. The pump 640 may also be referred to as a first pump.
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The top of the first fill tube 702 can include a fill head 706, while the top of the second fill tube 704 can include a fill head 708. Each of the fill heads 706, 708 can be operatively attached to a respective motor. In the depicted embodiment, the first fill tube 702 and fill head 706 can be operatively coupled to a first motor 740, while the second fill tube 704 and the fill head 708 can be operatively coupled to a second motor 744. Though two motors are shown, in another embodiment each of the fill heads 706, 708 can be operatively coupled to a single motor. The first and second motors 740, 744 are configured to insert the first and second fill tubes 702, 704, respectively, into the film bags 502, 504, respectively, and subsequently remove the first and second fill tubes 702, 704 from the film bags 502, 504. The first and second motors 740, 744 can be configured to move the first and second fill tubes 702, 704 together or independently.
Each of the first and second motors 740, 744 is controlled by a controller 736. The controller 736 can be a programmable logic controller (PLC), a microprocessor based controller, a personal computer, or another conventional control device capable of carrying out the functions described herein as understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, the controller 736 can perform the various methods relating to controlling the fill system 600 based upon user input, as described in detail below. Additionally, the controller 736 can perform the various methods related to controlling the fill system 600 based upon a library of operational cycles or sequences that are stored in a memory unit (not shown) of the controller 736. The memory unit may include one or more memory units, and may also be referred to as a storage device. The operational sequences are recalled and placed in a particular control program, as desired, executing on the controller 736. The operational sequences can be adjusted to accommodate different filling operations, types of film bag or flowable composition, or different dimensions of film pack or chamber, for example through a user interface (not shown).
The fill heads 706, 708 can also be connected to respective first and second pumps 716, 720 through tubes 712. The first and second pumps 716, 720 can be used to pump the flowable compositions from composition sources (not shown), through the tubes 712, and to the respective first and second fill tubes 702, 704. Each of the first and second pumps 716, 720, collectively or individually, can be referred to as a second pump when compared to the pump 640. Like the first and second motors 740, 744, each of the first and second pumps 716, 720 can be controlled by the controller 736 through a wired connection 732 with the controller 736. The controller 736 can monitor the progress of a filling operation performed by the first and second pumps 716, 720 through a variety of means. In the depicted embodiment, the fill system 600 includes a flow monitor 724 in communication with the first pump 716, where the flow monitor 724 is configured to monitor the flow rate of flowable composition from the first pump 716 to the first fill tube 702 and communicate aspects of the flow to the controller 736. The fill system 600 also can include a flow monitor 728 in communication with the second pump 720, where the flow monitor 728 is configured to monitor the flow rate of flowable composition from the second pump 720 to the second fill tube 704 and communicate aspects of the flow to the controller 736.
Continuing with
Once the film pack 500 is in a taut state after step 802, the film pack 500 can be arranged as shown in
This configuration, which can include any amount of film bags 502, 504, allows the film bags 502, 504 to remain in the taut state achieved in step 802 throughout the supply chain until finally reaching the intended destination for final use.
Upon reaching the intended destination, an operator of the filling system 600 can perform step 810 by inserting a particular film bag 502 into a chamber, such as the first chamber 604 of the vacuum device 602. Though inserting a single film bag 502 into the first chamber 604 is described below, step 810 and the following processes can be performed in relation to both the film bag 502 and film bag 504 simultaneously. However, only film bag 502 will be described in relation to the following steps for simplicity and brevity. As described above, when a particular film pack 500 is inserted into a vacuum device 602, the first and second sections 616a, 616b of the locking plate 616 can be rotated away from each other. As such, inserting the film bag 502 into the first chamber 604 can involve rotating the first and second sections 616a, 616b of the locking plate 616 such that the locking plate 616 engages the face plate 506 of the film pack 500 to secure the film bag 502 within the first chamber 604. Upon inserting the film bag 502 into the first chamber 604, step 814 can be performed, in which a vacuum is created in the space between the exterior surface of the film bag 502 and the interior surface of the first chamber 604. This can be performed by the pump 640, which imparts a negative pressure on the aforementioned space through tube 632. As a result of this vacuum, the film bag 502 can transition from an unexpanded state, as shown in
After the vacuum is created in step 814, step 818 is performed, in which the fill tube 702 is inserted into the film bag 502 through the face plate 506, particularly the first fill port 507a of the face plate 506. Once the fill tube 702 is fully inserted into the film bag 502, the flowable composition can be pumped into the film bag 502 in step 822. This is driven by the piston of the first pump 716, which drives the flowable composition from a composition source (not shown), through the tube 712, through the fill head 706 and fill tube 702, and into the film bag 502.
While the fill tube 702 is filling the film bag 502, it will become necessary to gradually remove the fill tube 702 from the film bag 502. There can be several detrimental results if the rate of retraction of the fill tube 702 from the film bag 502 is not correct. For example, as shown in
To ensure that these negative consequences do not occur, the fill tube 702 is gradually removed from the film bag 502 during the filling operation according to step 822. In step 822, at the direction of the controller 736, the motor 740 performs the function of gradually removing the fill tube 702 from the film bag 502 at a deliberate speed. This speed can be determined by the controller 736. The piston position of the pump 716 can be monitored by a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) and communicated to the controller 736 to determine piston speed as a function of position and time. The controller 736 can use these inputs, as well as inputs provided by other sensors not described herein, and direct the motor 740 to remove the fill tube 702 from the film bag 502 at a speed calculated according to the following equation:
Fill Tube Removal Speed=(Ps*Pa)/C Equation 1
where:
After the completion of step 822, in step 823 the first fill port 507a can be plugged such that none of the flowable composition escapes the film pack 500. Also, after the completion of step 822, in step 825 the first discharge opening 510a can be plugged so as to further prevent any of the flowable composition from escaping the film pack 500. After the completion of step 822, the film pack 500 must be removed from the fill system 600. However, the vacuum applied to the film bag 502 and first chamber 604 created by the pump 640 in step 814 can still exist to some degree, rendering removal of the film bag 502 from the first chamber 604 somewhat difficult. As a result, in step 826 the operator can transition the pump 640 from a first state, where the pump 640 creates the vacuum within the first chamber 604, to a second state, where the pump applies a positive pressure through the tube 632 to the space between the exterior surface of the film bag 502 and the interior surface of the chamber 604. This positive pressure can relieve the vacuum and allow the film pack 500 to be easily removed from the vacuum device 602 in step 830. In one embodiment, this positive pressure can be about 10 psi, though positive pressures at different levels are also contemplated.
While the invention is described herein using a limited number of embodiments, these specific embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as otherwise described and claimed herein. The precise arrangement of various elements and order of the steps of articles and methods described herein are not to be considered limiting. For instance, although the steps of the methods are described with reference to sequential series of reference signs and progression of the blocks in the figures, the method can be implemented in a particular order as desired.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent App. No. 62/596,616, filed Dec. 8, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 62596616 | Dec 2017 | US |
