Patent ID: 6446684
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
A bag opening apparatus for use in a bag filling and packaging machine using a flat bag, said apparatus comprising:a mouth opening device for opening a mouth portion of said bag, said bag being empty and delivered to said mouth opening device with a mouth portion thereof being closed; a bag bottom deforming device for deforming at least a part of a bottom of said empty bag inward of said empty bag whose mouth portion has been opened by said mouth opening device; and a bag movement restraining device for restraining movement of a portion of said empty bag in a vicinity of the bottom of said empty bag in a direction approximately perpendicular to a planar portion of said bag so that said movement is restricted within predetermined limits, said bag movement restraining device having restraining members, said restraining members being capable of moving between a first position where said restraining members are positioned adjacent both sides of said bag so as to face each other across said bag and restrain said movement of said portion of said empty bag in a direction approximately perpendicular to the planar portion of said bag and a second position where said restraining members are positioned apart from said bag so as not to restrain movement of said bag.