U.S. patent application number 10/774986 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for device for stacking tube sections for producing bags.
This patent application is currently assigned to Maschinenbau Wilhelm Kochsiek GmbH. Invention is credited to Brusdeilins, Wolfgang, Hindemith, Reinhold, Kolbe, Wilfried, Kuckelmann, Andreas.
Application Number | 20040256791 10/774986 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32798738 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040256791 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kolbe, Wilfried ; et
al. |
December 23, 2004 |
Device for stacking tube sections for producing bags
Abstract
Device for stacking tube sections (30) for producing bags, with
a transporting facility (12), which supplies the tube sections to a
stacking station (10), characterized in that the transporting
facility (12) has an upper transport (14) and a lower transport
(16) and that the lower transport (16) is formed in the region of
the stacking station (10) by two endless conveyor belts (44), which
revolve above the stacking station outside of the lateral edges of
the tube sections (30) and are connected by at least two cross
members (48, 50), which are disposed with uniform spacings, the
spacings of which corresponding to the spacings between the leading
edges of consecutively supplied tube sections (30).
Inventors: |
Kolbe, Wilfried; (Gulzow,
DE) ; Hindemith, Reinhold; (Ottersweier, DE) ;
Brusdeilins, Wolfgang; (Bielefeld, DE) ; Kuckelmann,
Andreas; (Ibbenburen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD M. GOLDBERG
25 EAST SALEM SREEET
SUITE 419
HACKENSACK
NJ
07601
US
|
Assignee: |
Maschinenbau Wilhelm Kochsiek
GmbH
Leopoldshohe
DE
|
Family ID: |
32798738 |
Appl. No.: |
10/774986 |
Filed: |
February 9, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2404/23 20130101;
B65H 29/26 20130101; B65H 2701/191 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/207 |
International
Class: |
B65H 031/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 12, 2003 |
EP |
03 003 023.3 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Device for stacking tube sections for producing bags, comprising
a transporting facility which supplies the tube sections to a
stacking station the transporting facility including: an upper
transport, a lower transport formed in a region of the stacking
station by two endless conveyor belts, which revolve above the
stacking station outside of lateral edges of the tube sections, and
at least two cross members which connect the two endless conveyor
belts and which are disposed with uniform spacings corresponding to
spacings between leading edges of consecutively supplied tube
sections.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein downstream ends of the lower
transport and the upper transport are offset relative to one
another in a longitudinal direction thereof.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one leaf spring is
disposed in the upper transport and presses the tube section
provided downward in a direction of the stacking station.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the transporting facility has an
inlet section, in which a vertical distance between the upper and
lower conveyor belts decreases in a transporting direction.
5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a length-adjustable
clamping roller in the inlet section, which deflects the upper
conveyor belt against the lower conveyor belt, in order to take
hold of the leading edge of a tube section, which has been
supplied.
6. The transporting facility of claim 1, further comprising a
severing device upstream from the transporting facility, with which
an endless tube is divided into tube sections.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the severing device has a tear-of
head, which tears off the tube sections at pre-perforated places
from an endless tube.
8. The device of claim 6, wherein a transporting speed of the
transporting facility is greater than a speed with which the tube
is supplied upstream to the severing device.
9. A method for stacking tube sections used for producing bags,
comprising the steps of: holding a tube section in a transporting
facility with a leading edge thereof clamped between a cross member
of a lower transport and an upper transport, and supplying the tube
section to a position above a stacking station, while a different
cross member of the lower transport, which is returning above the
stacking station to an upstream end of the transporting facility,
holds a trailing, rear end of the tube section away from the stack,
until the leading edge is released by the first cross member and
the tube section falls onto the stack.
10. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one leaf spring is
disposed in the upper transport and presses the tube section
provided downward in a direction of the stacking station.
11. The device of claim 2, wherein the transporting facility has an
inlet section, in which a vertical distance between the upper and
lower conveyor belts decreases in a transporting direction.
12. The device of claim 3, wherein the transporting facility has an
inlet section, in which a vertical distance between the upper and
lower conveyor belts decreases in a transporting direction.
13. The transporting facility of claim 2, further comprising a
severing device upstream from the transporting facility, with which
an endless tube is divided into tube sections.
14. The transporting facility of claim 3, further comprising a
severing device upstream from the transporting facility, with which
an endless tube is divided into tube sections.
15. The transporting facility of claim 4, further comprising a
severing device upstream from the transporting facility, with which
an endless tube is divided into tube sections.
16. The transporting facility of claim 5, further comprising a
severing device upstream from the transporting facility, with which
an endless tube is divided into tube sections.
17. The device of claim 7, wherein a transporting speed of the
transporting facility is greater than a speed, with which the tube
is supplied upstream to the severing device.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a device for stacking tube sections
for producing bags, with a transporting facility, which supplies
the tube sections to a stacking station.
[0002] For producing bags of paper or film, an endless tube is
frequently produced first and then divided into individual tube
sections, each of which forms a bag. The individual tube sections,
which are transported continuously and consecutively with a
transporting facility, are then frequently, to begin with,
collected in a stack. Only in a later operation are the ends of the
tube sections closed and the bags optionally filled with their
content.
[0003] For certain applications, bags are required, which have
multilayer walls, for example, a wall with a layer of paper and at
least one layer of film, which is impermeable to air. One example
of such bags is inflatable bags, which are used as supporting
cushions for the transport of goods.
[0004] Frequently, particularly in the case of multilayer bags that
are relatively long, it often proves to be difficult to stack the
tube sections cleanly one above the other. When a freshly supplied
tube section is pushed or pulled during a stacking process over the
uppermost tube section, which is already lying on the stack, the
individual layers of material can easily slip out of place relative
to one another and/or form folds, so that a clean stack and a
satisfactorily further processing are not possible.
[0005] It is an object of the invention to provide a device, which
makes clean stacking possible even in the case of tube sections of
a flexible, slack or multilayer material.
[0006] Pursuant to the invention, this objective is accomplished
owing to the fact that the transporting facility has an upper
transport and a lower transport and that the lower transport, in
the region of the stacking station, is formed by two endless
conveyor belts, which revolve above the stacking station outside of
the lateral edges of the tube sections, and by at least two cross
members, which are disposed with uniform spacing, the spacing
corresponding to the spacing of the leading edges of the tube
sections, which are supplied consecutively.
[0007] With the help of the transporting facility, the tube
sections are supplied above the stack, which is being formed. At
the same time, the leading edge of a tube section is clamped
between the upper transport and one of the cross members of the
lower transport. When the stacking position is reached, the cross
member of the lower transport reaches the turn-around roller, at
which the conveyor belt is turned around and, consequently, the
clamping of the leading edge between the upper transport and the
lower transport is canceled, so that the tube section drops onto
the stack. While the next tube section with the subsequent cross
member is being supplied, the turned-around cross member is
returned on the lower section of the conveyor belt. In so doing, it
moves on a path, which is also above the stack that is being
formed. The trailing rear part of the newly supplied tube section,
which is clamped only at the front edge, is therefore kept away
from the upper side of the stack by the returning cross member, so
that it does not graze over the stack and therefore cannot shift
the tube sections present there. Only after the tube section, newly
supplied, has been allowed to drop, has the lower cross member
moved back so far, that it releases the trailing edge of this tube
section.
[0008] It is a further object of the invention to provide a method
for stacking tube sections, especially tube sections of a
multilayer material, for producing bags, for which the tube section
is clamped with its leading edge between a cross member of a lower
transport and an upper transport and supplied in a position above
the stacking station, while a different cross member of the lower
transport, which is returned above the stacking station to the
upstream end of the transporting facility, keeps the trailing, rear
part of the tube section away from the, stack until the leading
edge is released by the first cross member and the tube section
falls onto the stack.
[0009] Advantageous developments of the invention arise out of the
dependent claims.
[0010] Preferably, the lower transport has precisely two cross
members, which are disposed diametrically opposite to one another
on the conveyor belts.
[0011] Preferably, the lower transport extends somewhat beyond the
upper transport at the downstream end of the transporting facility,
so that the released tube section can fall freely onto the
stack.
[0012] The released tube section can be pressed down in the
direction of the stack by one or more leaf springs, which are
disposed in stationary fashion in the upper transport, so that the
depositing of the tube section on the stack is accelerated.
[0013] The action of depositing the tube sections flush on the
stack can be aided by stops at the stacking table. Preferably, the
stacking table is formed by a conveyor, with which the stack can be
transported away as soon as it has reached the desired height.
[0014] A severing device, in which the endless tube is divided into
individual tube sections, preferably is disposed upstream from the
transporting facility above the stacking station. The transporting
speed of the transporting facility above the depositing station
preferably is greater than the transporting speed, with which the
tube is supplied to the severing device. Since the tube sections,
upon entering the stacking device, accordingly are accelerated,
spaces are formed between the consecutively supplied tube sections
and provide sufficient time for depositing the tube sections on the
stack.
[0015] The lower transport must be synchronized with the tube
sections supplied, so that each cross member arrives at the same
time with the leading edge of a tube section supplied at the
upstream end of the transporting facility. Since the spaces, formed
between the individual tube sections because of the acceleration
depend on the difference between the transporting speeds, the
distances between the leading edges of consecutive tube sections
can be adapted to the spacing of the cross members of the lower
transport.
[0016] Particularly in the case of multilayer tube sections, the
severing device is constructed preferably as a tear-off head, with
which the individual layers of material of the tube are torn off at
previously formed perforation sites. Due to the acceleration of the
tube sections upon entry into the transporting facility of the
stacking device, the tensile stress, required to tear of the tube
sections, can be produced at the same time.
[0017] Preferably, at the upstream end, the transporting facility
of the stacking device has an inlet section, in which the vertical
distance between the upper transport and the lower transport
becomes narrower, until finally the leading edge of the tube
section is clamped. The clamping site preferably is defined by a
clamping roller, which can be adjusted in the longitudinal
direction so that it can be adapted for different lengths of the
tube sections.
[0018] In the following, an example of the invention is explained
in greater detail by means of the drawing, in which
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of a stacking
device,
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a device of FIG. 1 in plan view and
[0021] FIGS. 3 and 4 show side views of a device, similar to that
of FIG. 1, however for different phases of the stacking
process.
[0022] The stacking device, shown in FIG. 1, has a stacking station
10, above which a transporting facility 12 with an upper transport
14 and a lower transport 16 is disposed.
[0023] An endless, multilayer tube 18 is supplied from the right in
FIG. 1 with the help of upper and lower conveyor belts 20, 22. The
walls of the tube 18 consist of several layers of material, which,
to begin with, are perforated at positions preferably offset
somewhat with respect to one another in the longitudinal
direction.
[0024] Behind the conveyor belts 20, 22, the tube 18 enters a
tear-off head 24, which is also formed by the upper and lower
conveyor belts 26, 28. The transporting speed of the tear-off head
24 is greater at least on a phase level than the transporting speed
of the conveyor belts 20, 22, so that a tensile stress is produced
in the tube 18. When the aforementioned perforation site reaches
the space between the downstream end of the conveyor belts 20, 22
and the upstream end of the tear-off head 24, this tensile stress
causes the tube section 30 to be torn from the endless tube 18.
[0025] At this instant, the leading edge of the tube section 30 has
already entered the inlet section 32 of the transporting facility
12. The inlet section is formed by several parallel upper and lower
conveyor belts 34, 36, the transporting speed of which is identical
with that of the tear-off head 24. The vertical distance between
the upper conveyor belts 34 and the lower conveyor belt 36
gradually decreases in the transporting direction, so that it
becomes possible to introduce the leading edge of the tube section
30 reliably. A clamping roller 38 directs the lower half of the
upper conveyor belts 34 somewhat in the downward direction, so that
the leading edge of the tube section 30 is clamped at the instant,
at which the trailing edge of the endless tube is torn off. The
clamping roller 38 can be adjusted to adapt to the length of the
tube section 30.
[0026] The transporting path, formed by the inlet section 32, is
inclined slightly upwards, so that the tube sections, during the
further transport, reach a certain height above the stacking
station 10. In the region above the stacking station, the upper
transport 14 is formed by several parallel conveyor belts 14, which
extend in the horizontal direction and share a turnaround roller 42
with the conveyor belts 34. The lower transport 16 is formed here
by two conveyor belts 44, which run over two turn-around rollers 46
and, as can be seen more clearly in FIG. 2, lie outside of the
lateral edges of the tube section 30. The conveyor belts 44 are
connected by cross members 48, 50 only at two places and are
synchronized by positive driving mechanisms, such as cogged belts.
The cross members 48, 50 are disposed at the conveyor belts 44 in
diametrically opposite positions, so that they have equal spacing
to one another on both paths along the conveyor belts 44 and
consequently reach the turn-around roller at the same time. In the
state, shown in FIG. 1, the leading edge of a tube section 30 is
clamped by the conveyor belts 40 of the upper transport and held by
the cross member 48. The trailing, rear end of this tube section 30
rests on the other cross member 50, which returns on the lower half
of the conveyor belts 44 to the upstream turn-around roller 46. In
this way, the tube section 30 is kept away from an already formed
stack 52 of tube sections, which rests in the stacking station 10
on a stacking table 54, which is constructed as a conveyor.
[0027] In FIG. 2, the stacking device is shown in plan view. To
improve the clarity, only the upper conveyor belts 20, 36 and 34
with their respective turn-around rollers are shown on the
supplying side. In the downstream region, however, the conveyor
belts 44 of the lower transport are also drawn. It can be seen that
the distance between these conveyor belts 44 is greater than the
width of the tube section 30 supplied, so that the tube section,
when released, falls between these conveyor belts 44 and can reach
the stack 52. The depositing of the tube section 30 on the stack 52
is supported by leaf springs 56, which extend in the longitudinal
direction between the conveyor belts 40 of the upper transport and
are fastened at a stationary support 58, so that, with their free
ends, they press on the tube section 30 in the region of the
leading edge.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows the stacking device in a state, which
chronologically is a little later than the state shown in FIG. 1.
The upper cross member 48 has just passed the downstream end of the
upper transport 14 here, so that the tube section 30, supported by
the action of the leaf springs 56, falls on the stack 52. The tube
section still has a certain velocity component in the direction of
motion, which, however, in the case of the preferred transporting
speed of the transporting facility 12, is only slight (preferably
less than 60 meters per minute), so that the tube section comes to
rest in position on the stack 52. If necessary the alignment on the
stack is supported by a stop 60, which is mounted securely on the
stacking table 54.
[0029] In FIG. 3, the rear edge of the tube section 30 just passes
through the lower cross member 50 and, accordingly, is also dropped
on the stack 52.
[0030] FIG. 4 shows the state at a sill later time. The cross
member 48 has just been turned around here at the turn-around
roller 46 and now returns on the underside of the lower transport.
At the same time, the other cross member 50 has reached the
corresponding position on the upper side of the lower transport
where, together with the conveyor belts 40 of the upper transport,
it now takes hold of leading edge of the next tube section 30,
which is supplied at the proper time by the inlet section 32. This
tube section is then pulled further forward. When its trailing edge
has passed by the rear turn-around roller 46 of the lower transport
and fallen down, it is caught by the returning cross member 48, so
that it does not come into contact with the stack 52. Finally, the
condition, shown in. FIG. 1 is reached once again, so that a new
cycle can commence.
[0031] When the stack 52 has reached the desired height, the
conveyor belt, which forms the stacking table 54, is started up, so
that the stack is transported away and a new stack can be formed in
the stacking section 10.
[0032] For the stacking device described, the length of the tube
section 30 can be varied within certain limits, since the distance
between the cross member 48 and 50 must agree with the distances
between the leading edges of consecutive tube sections and not with
the precise length of the tube sections. Accordingly, a shorter
length of the tube sections can be compensate for by appropriately
larger spacings.
[0033] In a modified embodiment the lower transport 16 may also
have more than two cross members, distributed uniformly over the
length of the conveyor belts 44. In this case, the tube sections 30
are transported over a greater length, before they are deposited on
the stack. The cross members 48, 50 may then be fastened detachably
at the conveyor belts 44, so that their number can be varied.
[0034] Since it is at least largely avoided with the device
described that a new tube section, supplied to the stack, drags
over the upper surface of the already formed stack a clean stack
becomes possible especially in the case of sensitive, multilayer
tube sections.
* * * * *