U.S. patent application number 17/123190 was filed with the patent office on 2021-06-24 for packaging machine with reject pouch conveyor.
The applicant listed for this patent is Pouch Pac Innovations, LLC. Invention is credited to R. Charles Murray.
Application Number | 20210188471 17/123190 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005292412 |
Filed Date | 2021-06-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210188471 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Murray; R. Charles |
June 24, 2021 |
PACKAGING MACHINE WITH REJECT POUCH CONVEYOR
Abstract
A fill/seal machine for a flexible pouch having at least one
gripper for holding the pouch. The machine having turret for moving
the pouch and at least gripper and pouch through a plurality of
stations. The machine having a camera at one of the plurality of
stations for providing a video image. The machine having a control
module for comparing the video image of the pouch to at least one
parameter to determine whether the pouch is to be accepted or
rejected. The control module operable to generate a signal to open
the at least one gripper if the pouch is rejected. The machine
having a conveyor positioned to receive the pouch is rejected and
released by the at least one gripper.
Inventors: |
Murray; R. Charles;
(Sarasota, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Pouch Pac Innovations, LLC |
Sarasota |
FL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005292412 |
Appl. No.: |
17/123190 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62950422 |
Dec 19, 2019 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 57/04 20130101;
B65B 61/26 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65B 57/04 20060101
B65B057/04; B65B 61/26 20060101 B65B061/26 |
Claims
1. A machine for filing and sealing a flexible pouch; the machine
comprising: a turret having at least one gripper, the machine
operable to rotate the at least one gripper through a plurality of
stations; one of the plurality of stations being an inspection
station having a camera, the camera producing a video image of the
pouch; a control module connected to camera, the control module
operable to compare the video image with at least one selected
parameter to determine whether the pouch is accepted or rejected,
if rejected, the control module opens the at least one gripper to
release the pouch.
2. The machine of claim 1, further comprising: a conveyor
positioned at the inspection station below the at least one gripper
to receive the pouch, if released by the at least one gripper.
3. The machine of claim 1, further comprising an exit station
positioned downstream of the inspection station, the exit station
having a second conveyor for receiving a pouch that is not
rejected.
4. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a marking station
which applies marking including a date to the pouch.
5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one selected
parameter relates to the marking.
6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one selected
parameter is quality of the seal.
7. The machine of claim 5, wherein the at least one parameter is
the length of the marking.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application 62/950,422 filed on Dec. 19, 2019.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a flexible pouch fill and seal
machine and more particularly to a machine with an inspection
station.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is known to fill and seal flexible pouches on turret type
machines. The turret has pairs of grippers which holds the pouches
by side edges. Pouches are loaded into the grippers of the turret
at first bag loading station and then conveyed by the turret
through a number of stations. The turret moves the pouch to
stations where the pouch is marked with a date and tracking
information the pouch is opened, filled with product and sealed.
The pouches are conveyed to an unloading station where the pouch is
dropped on to a conveyor to carry the pouches away from the turret.
The pouches are then inspected for proper marking and sealing. If
improperly marked or sealed, the pouch is removed from the conveyor
before delivered into a carton for shipping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A fill seal machine for a flexible pouch having at least one
gripper for holding the pouch. The machine has a turret for moving
the at least one gripper and pouch through a plurality of stations.
The machine has an inspection station with a camera for providing a
video image of the pouch. The video image is delivered to a control
module for comparing the video image of the pouch to at least one
parameter to determine whether the pouch is to be "accepted" or
"rejected". The control module is operable to generate a signal to
open the at least one gripper if the pouch is "rejected" after
inspection. A conveyor may be positioned beneath the gripper to
receive the rejected pouch if rejected.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a top view of a fill/seal machine in accordance
with the invention;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a top view of an inspection station of the
machine; and
[0007] FIG. 3 is a front view of a pouch after it has been
marked.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0008] As shown in FIG. 1, a multi-station turret packaging machine
10 for filling and filing a flexible pouch 12 includes an automated
inspection station 14 and a conveyor 16 for carrying "rejected"
pouches from the machine 10. The improved packaging machine 10
eliminates the need for additional inspection and sorting
downstream from the machine thereby reducing the overall footprint
of the process. This allows properly filled and sealed pouches to
be routed directly from the machine into shipping cartons from the
machine.
[0009] As shown in FIG. 3, the pouch is pre-formed from panels 17
of flexible material the pouch has an open top 18 and a pair of
side seals 20. If the pouch is a "sand up pouch", the pouch is
provided with a bottom gusset. The pouch is loaded into a pair of
grippers which grasp side seals 20 at a top 18 of the pouch 12. As
shown in FIG. 1, the pouch 12 is then moved sequentially through a
series stations. The machine 10 is a fill and seal machine with ten
stations for filling food product into stand up pouches with
gussets. However, the machine 10 may have less or more stations
depending on the style of the pouch and the contents to be packaged
in the pouch 12. The machine 10 includes a base 26 supporting a
rotating turret 28. The turret 28 is rotated and indexed to move
the pouch 12 sequentially through each of the stations. The turret
28 has at least one pair at grippers 22 of each station. The pouch
12 is loaded into the pair of grippers 22 from a cassette 30 at a
loading station 32. As shown in FIG. 3, the pouch 12 is then moved
by the turret 28 to a marking station 34. The pouch is marked with
information, such as the date that the pouch is filled and tracking
information. The tracking information may be codes that relate to
the product batch or machine. The pouch may be marked by an inkjet
printer 36 or a stamp.
[0010] The pouch 12 is then moved to an opening station 36. As is
known in the art, suction cups are moved and affixed to the front
and back panels 17 of the pouch 12 and then moved apart to open the
pouch 12. In the case that the pouch 12 is provided with an
interlocking zipper, opening fingers extend downwardly to separate
the zipper at the pouch top 18.
[0011] At a bottom opening station 38, the bottom gusset of the
pouch is pushed downwardly into position by an air blower or a
plunger 40. At a filling station 42, product is loaded from a
reservoir 44 above the turret through a funnel or diving wand into
the pouch 12. At a degassing station 46, oxygen is removed from the
pouch in a nitrogen bath prior to sealing. If a food product is
being filled. At a closing station 48, the top of the panels 17 are
pressed together. At a sealing station 50, seal bars 52 are
positioned across the top of the pouch to heat and melt the
adhesive layers of the film to form a seal 21 at the top 18 of the
pouch (FIG. 3).
[0012] At the inspection station 14, as shown in FIGS. 2,3, the
seal 21 is cooled and the pouch 12 is inspected with a video camera
56 to ensure the marked information 24 is complete, readable and
has been properly placed and that the seal has been properly
applied. A video image 58 from the camera is delivered to a control
module 60. The video image 58 is compared to selected parameters
which are stored in the control module 60. The selected parameters
can include the existence, completeness legibility and alignment of
the marked information 24 if desired the parameters can include the
proper position and alignment of the top seal 21. If the comparison
of the video image with selected parameters reveals that all of the
selected parameters are within tolerance, the pouch is "accepted".
However, if the video image of the pouch does not meet the selected
parameters, the pouch is "rejected". If "rejected", the control
module 60 sends a signal 70 to a gripper controller to open the
pair of grippers 22. When the pairs of grippers 22 open, the pouch
12 is released from the grippers. The pouch drops onto a conveyor
such as a ramp 64 or a belt. The ramp 64 extends downwardly and
outwardly to the side of the base collection bin. Alternatively, a
bin can be located below the grippers to directly receive the
pouches after "rejection." The turret then moves an "accepted"
pouch to a discharge station 66 where the "accepted" pouch is
discharged into a carton or conveyor 68 for packaging into
cartons.
[0013] This is disclosed a novel packaging machine with an
inspection station where pouches are imaged by camera and inspected
for quality. "Rejected" pouches are dropped from the turret. The
arrangement provides for a compact machine and simplifies the
rejection process.
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