EP1266748A1 - Method of manufacturing bags having zipper with cursor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the automatic production of sachets equipped with complementary closure profiles associated with an actuating slider according to which at least one film (100) adapted to form the walls of sachets is supplied in movement, sets of closure (200) comprising complementary closure profiles (210, 220) associated with an actuating slider (300), each closure assembly (200) thus formed is fixed on the film (100) forming the wall of the bag, characterized in that the closure assemblies (200) are conveyed on the film (100), transversely to the direction of movement thereof, and each closure assembly (200) has a length greater than the width of the bag, so that the actuating cursor (300) is placed, during routing, in the vicinity of one end of the closure assembly (200), projecting relative to the film (100).

Description

The present invention relates to the field of sachets comprising additional closing profiles designed to allow a series successive openings / closings by a user.

Many types of sachets and / or closure profiles have already have been proposed for this purpose.

We can for example, and not limited to, refer to documents US-4929225, US-4892414, EP-0562774, EP-0395362, US-5382094, US-3181583, EP-728665.

More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of bags whose closure profiles are ordered upon opening, respectively when closing with a cursor.

Different types of bags and closure profiles activated by cursor were also proposed.

We can for example on this point refer to document FR-2 778,362.

Bags comprising closure profiles actuated by slider offer the huge advantage, compared to sachets devoid of cursor, easy to handle.

Indeed, the cursor facilitates the release of the profiles for opening the bags, or respectively engaging the profiles for closing said sachets. You just have to move the cursor to translation along the profiles.

We have certainly tried to facilitate the handling of the profiles without cursor, in particular by providing on the walls of the bags as well equipped with ribs to facilitate the location, on touchdown, of profiles. However, these provisions are not entirely satisfactory compared to bags fitted with a slider. On the one hand, the producing such ribs complicates the production installation. On the other hand, such ribs do not allow localization and actuation as easy as a slider.

However, in practice, we find that nowadays sachets fitted with slider-actuated closure profiles have not very important industrial development.

This seems to be due in particular to the fact that the use of slider-actuated closure is delicate on machines known to automatic formation and / or filling of sachets. Indeed, these sliders create an extra thickness which makes the displacement of the profiles and / or fitted films, as well as the formation of the very delicate welds required on automatic machines.

As described in documents EP-051010, EP-102301 and EP-479661 for this reason, we proposed to add the cursors on the profiles after fixing the closing profiles on the film (s) composing the sachet. However, these provisions generally require fairly complex equipment to route the cursors, open these, then close them on the closing profiles, with a precise positioning of the cursor / closing profiles, most often in continuous scrolling.

The object of the invention is to propose new means which present superior performance to the state of the art.

• on fournit à défilement au moins un film adapté pour former les parois de sachets,
• on fournit des ensembles de fermeture comprenant des profilés de fermeture complémentaires associés à un curseur d'actionnement,
• on fixe chaque ensemble de fermeture ainsi formé, sur le film formant paroi du sachet,

caractérisé en ce que

• les ensembles de fermeture sont acheminés sur le film, transversalement à la direction de déplacement de celui-ci, et
• chaque ensemble de fermeture a une longueur supérieure à la largeur du sachet, de sorte que le curseur d'actionnement est placé, lors de l'acheminement, au voisinage d'une extrémité de l'ensemble de fermeture, en dépassement par rapport au film.

To this end, the invention proposes an automatic manufacturing process for sachets equipped with complementary closure profiles associated with an actuating slider according to which:

• at least one film adapted to form the walls of sachets is supplied in scrolling mode,
• closing assemblies are provided comprising complementary closing profiles associated with an actuating slider,
• each closure assembly thus formed is fixed to the film forming the wall of the bag,

characterized in that

• the closure assemblies are conveyed on the film, transversely to the direction of movement thereof, and
• each closure assembly has a length greater than the width of the bag, so that the actuating cursor is placed, during routing, in the vicinity of one end of the closure assembly, projecting from the film .

The present invention also relates to a machine for setting using the above method.

• des moyens aptes à fournir à défilement au moins un film adapté pour former les parois de sachets,
• des moyens aptes à fournir des ensembles de fermeture comprenant des profilés de fermeture complémentaires associés à un curseur d'actionnement,
• des moyens aptes à fixer chaque ensemble de fermeture ainsi formé, sur le film formant paroi du sachet,

caractérisée en ce que

• les ensembles de fermeture sont acheminés sur le film, transversalement à la direction de déplacement de celui-ci, et
• chaque ensemble de fermeture a une longueur supérieure à la largeur du sachet, de sorte que le curseur d'actionnement est placé, lors de l'acheminement, au voisinage d'une extrémité de l'ensemble de fermeture, en dépassement par rapport au film.

This machine includes:

• means capable of supplying at least one film suitable for running in order to form the walls of bags,
• means capable of providing closure assemblies comprising complementary closure profiles associated with an actuating cursor,
• means able to fix each closure assembly thus formed on the film forming the wall of the bag,

characterized in that

• the closure assemblies are conveyed on the film, transversely to the direction of movement thereof, and
• each closure assembly has a length greater than the width of the bag, so that the actuating cursor is placed, during routing, in the vicinity of one end of the closure assembly, projecting from the film .

• la figure 1 représente schématiquement une mise en oeuvre préférentielle de la présente invention,
• la figure 2 représente une vue en perspective d'un curseur associé à un ensemble de fermeture,
• la figure 3 représente une vue en coupe longitudinale du curseur, et
• les figures 4 et 5 représentent deux vues en coupe transversales du curseur selon les vues référencées IV-IV et V-V sur la figure 2.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows which is purely illustrative and not limiting and which must be read with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 schematically represents a preferred implementation of the present invention,
• FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of a cursor associated with a closure assembly,
• FIG. 3 represents a view in longitudinal section of the cursor, and
• FIGS. 4 and 5 represent two cross-sectional views of the cursor according to the views referenced IV-IV and VV in FIG. 2.

As previously indicated, the present invention relates to the production of resealable bags on an automatic machine slider-actuated closure profiles.

The present invention can be applied equally well to automatic production of bags with horizontal scrolling than at machines with automatic production of bags with vertical scrolling.

Furthermore, the present invention applies equally well to automatic bag making machines with filling during from a stage subsequent to manufacture and possibly separated geographically from the place of manufacture, than to manufacturing machines, filling and closing, in a single place and during stages successive.

Thus, the present invention applies preferentially, but not limitatively, to the machines for manufacturing, filling and closing of automatic bags (generally called "form, fill and seal" in English), and very advantageously such scrolling machines vertical.

A description of such training machines can be found automatic filling and closing of sachets with movement vertical in the documents cited in the state of the art of this request.

Since such machines are well known to those skilled in the art, one cannot will not proceed here to a new complete description of these.

It is nevertheless recalled that such machines include a neck forming machine which receives as input a film in the planar state coming from a unwinder and which provides the output of the film shaped into a tube, a chute filling which opens into this forming neck and consequently into said tube, longitudinal welding means for closing the tube longitudinally and means capable of sequentially generating a first transverse weld before a product is introduced into the tube through the filler neck, then a second transverse weld when the product has been introduced into the tube, to close a package around the latter.

In the appended figure, the film intended for compose the sachets, 200 a closure set, and 300 a slider associated actuation.

• le film 100 destiné à former les parois de sachets est déplacé dans une direction D,
• les ensembles de fermeture 200 comprenant des profilés de fermeture complémentaires 210, 220 associés chacun à un curseur d'actionnement 300, sont acheminés sur le film 100, dans une direction T transversale à la direction de déplacement D du film, et
• chaque ensemble de fermeture ainsi formé 200, est fixé sur le film 100 formant paroi du sachet.

As indicated above, in the context of the present invention:

• the film 100 intended to form the walls of bags is moved in a direction D,
• the closure assemblies 200 comprising complementary closure profiles 210, 220 each associated with an actuating slider 300, are conveyed on the film 100, in a direction T transverse to the direction of movement D of the film, and
• each closure assembly thus formed 200 is fixed to the film 100 forming the wall of the bag.

The closure assemblies 200 are conveyed on the film 100 with a step, measured in the direction D, equal to the step of the sachets, it is say at the height of the bags considered perpendicular to the profiles closing 200.

More precisely still, within the framework of the present invention, each closure assembly 200 has a length greater than the width of the bag, so that the actuating cursor 300 is placed, when routing, near one end of the closure assembly 200, in excess of film 100.

Thus in the context of the present invention, the cursor 300 does not create no excess thickness at the film 100 and does not disturb the closure of the bag whether it is at the level of carrying out transverse welds or longitudinal welds.

Obviously once the bag is finished, the cursor 300 can be freely moved along the closure assembly 200 to fill his function.

Of course, the closure profiles 210, 220 can make the subject of numerous variant embodiments. It is preferably respectively male / female profiles or additional hooks. Their structure will not be described in more detail later.

Preferably the closure profiles 210, 220 are carried by lateral support webs 212, 222 through which they are fixed, for example by welding to the film 100.

If necessary, these side sails 212, 222 can be connected initially by a connecting strip 230 to be broken at the first opening of the bag. For this purpose the connecting strip 230 can be provided a line of weakness or precut. Such a connecting strip 230 serves as an opening indicator.

Likewise, the cursors 300 can be the subject of numerous variant embodiments. Preferably, each cursor 300 is composed, a sole 310 which carries on one face two lateral wings 320, 322 and a central rib 330 of separation which defines in combination with the side wings 320, 322 two aisles 340, 342 convergent / divergent according to the direction considered, intended to receive respectively one of the profiles 210, 220. The structure of the sliders 300 capable of being used in the context of the invention will not be described in more detail below.

The film 100 used in the context of the present invention can make the subject of numerous variant embodiments. It can be a simple film in thermoplastic material, see composite thermoplastic film, or still a complex formed for example of plastic coated paper or metallic film.

An alternative embodiment is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 appended preferential according to the present invention according to which the film 100 component bags is formed by two sheets 110, 120 superimposed.

Such sheets 110 and 120 could be welded directly to each other along their longitudinal edges.

However, according to the preferred embodiment illustrated on the attached FIG. 1, sections of films 130, folded in V are routed between these longitudinal edges, to ultimately form lateral bellows on the sachets. The length of the sections 130 corresponds to the length of the bags. The closure assemblies 200 are thus engaged between the ends of these sections 130.

As a variant, such lateral bellows can be obtained by equivalent folding of the film 100 itself.

In the case where the bags are made from a film 100 single, the latter is preferably sequentially provided with at least one lateral notch to allow the passage of the closure assemblies 200.

Likewise, the side bellows can be made not at from separate sections of reported films 130 folded in V, but of a continuous strip of film thus folded in V. Preferably this continuous strip is sequentially provided with side notches to allow passage closure assemblies 200.

The welding of the closure assemblies 200 on the film 100 is preferably carried out so as to ensure complete sealing of the sachets obtained.

In FIG. 1, a closure assembly 200 has been illustrated on the left. after fixing on the film 100 and on the right a closure assembly 200 before fixing to the film 100. Furthermore in FIG. 1, we have shown diagrammatically 150 a possible line of transverse cutting in the film 100 to isolate two adjacent sachets. Of course the bottom of the bag adjacent to this cutting line 150 must be sealed, for example by welding, if the sachet is previously filled.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the modes of particular achievements which have just been described but extends to any variant according to his spirit.

Claims (13)

Process for the automatic manufacture of sachets equipped with complementary closure profiles associated with an actuating cursor according to which: at least one film (100) adapted to form the walls of sachets is supplied in sequence, closing assemblies (200) are provided comprising complementary closing profiles (210, 220) associated with an actuating slider (300), each closure assembly (200) thus formed is fixed to the film (100) forming the wall of the bag, characterized in that the closure assemblies (200) are conveyed on the film (100), transversely to the direction of movement thereof, and each closure assembly (200) has a length greater than the width of the bag, so that the actuation slider (300) is placed, during delivery, in the vicinity of one end of the closure assembly ( 200), in excess relative to the film (100). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is carried out on an automatic machine for manufacturing bags with horizontal movement. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is implemented on an automatic machine for manufacturing bags with vertical scrolling. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is implemented on an automatic machine for manufacturing, filling and closing sachets. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the film (100) composing the sachets is formed by two sheets (110, 120) superimposed. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the sheets (110, 120) are welded directly to each other along their longitudinal edges. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that film elements (130), folded in a V shape, are conveyed between the longitudinal edges of the sheets (110, 120), to form lateral bellows on the bags. Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the V-folded film elements (130) are formed of sections the length of the sachets. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the V-folded film elements (130) are formed of continuous strips sequentially provided with notches to allow the passage of the closure assemblies (200). Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that lateral bellows are obtained by folding the film (100) on itself. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4 and 10, characterized in that the film (100) is provided sequentially with lateral notches to allow the passage of the closure assemblies (200). Machine for automatic manufacture of sachets equipped with complementary closure profiles (210, 220) for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 11, comprising: means able to supply at least one film (100) adapted to form the walls of sachets, means capable of providing closure assemblies (200) comprising complementary closure profiles (210, 220) associated with an actuating cursor (300), means capable of fixing each closure assembly thus formed (200), on the film (100) forming the wall of the bag, characterized in that the closure assemblies (200) are conveyed on the film (100), transversely to the direction of movement thereof, and each closure assembly (200) has a length greater than the width of the bag, so that the actuating slider (300) is placed, during delivery, in the vicinity of one end of the closure assembly ( 200), in excess compared to the film. Bag obtained by implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 11 and / or the machine according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a closure assembly (200) of length greater than the width of the bag, so that the actuating slider (300) can be placed in the vicinity of one end of the closure assembly (200), protruding from the film.

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