APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SHEETS OF SOFT MATERIAL, STICKING TOGETHER

Abstract: Sheets of soft plastics material can strongly adhere together by electro-statical or pseudo vacuum attractions. They can only be separated with the aid of a separating means (3,4), provided the sheets be enclosed between the blocks (1,2) of a positioning body, so that they cannot give way. Only for the begin part of the separating means a space is recessed in the two blocks. The separating means (3,4) comprises two claws (11,12) which can penetrate a short distance into the filling mouth of the bag to be formed from the sheets. Next the positioning blocks and the separating claws go apart (in the Z-direction) so that the sheets are moved apart sofar that a filling spout can be inserted in it. In an alternative embodiment the claws of the separating means are provided with pins so that the opening or gap between the claws can be made greater in the transverse direction (X-direction).

Description: Title: A method and apparatus for separating sheets of soft material, sticking together. The present invention relates to a method for separating layers of soft, not self-sustaining material which are mutually strong adhering by electro-static or pseudo vacuum attractions, for example thin sheets of plastics, metal foil, paper and similar matter, by means of a positioning body having two positioning blocks and a separating means, in which the layers to be separated are fixed between the positioning blocks of said postioning body, except in the domain, where the separating means is operative, since in said domain provisions have been made such that said means can be incorporated wholly or partly within the positioning body. The disadvantage of the strong adhesion of two superimposed sheets of soft and smooth material presents itself, when small separate sheets of transparent plastics material have been put on a stack in order to remove them therefrom one by one lateron and use them as wrapper for the packaging of all kinds of separate objects, or as clear transparent cover for a tray of cardboard or papiermache in which meat or sausage products or thelike are packaged "visibly". These sheets cannot be picked off the stack by machinery, thus this operation must be conducted by hand. In the production of self-closing bags from the materials mentioned, one has to fight with similar problems. One starts then from two superimposed sheets of material, which receive a final seam along three sides of the bag, after which into the non-closed side (forming the mouth of the bag thus obtained) is inserted a valve for filling, closing and tapping of the contents (often liquids, which must be able to be taken off in dosed quantities, such as infusion liquid or blood) and are also used for the packaging of other liquids, such as milk. Due to the softness of the sheets of the bag to be produced, it is not possible to drive the walls of the bag with mechanical means apart. The edges around the filling mouth warp or curl. The adhe#io.n between the layers must therefore be broken by hand. For manufacturing processes, which strive at obtaining high production rates, this is an unacceptable situation. To meet this objection, the sheets or the bag are enclosed in a positioning body composed of two blocks acting as masses which are displaceable with respect to each other. Hence tho sheets or walls of the bag are not clamped, but are solely arrested (held on their place), except in a certain domain, where the separating means is operative, because provisions have been made there such that the separating means presses the edges around the bag-opening apart wholly or partly, and in this manner penetrates between the walls of the bag, for which in the domain concerned of the positioning body has been recessed a corresponding space for receiving the separating means and a bag-opening' 5 edge being pressed aside. Next to the provisions mentioned the invention proposes still another measure, viz. that the edges, which are a little overturned by the separating means, are retained in that position In this way a flat object can be slid between the parts of the separating means to complete the separation between the mutually adhering layers. Consequently the separation method according to the invention is characterized in that after the fixation of the layers between the positioning blocks, the separating means is driven between the free projecting leading edges of.the web-like layers, which edges are thereafter retained between the positioning blocks and the separating means. By moving the blocks apart and further by keeping fixed the overturned edges 0L the sheets, tlte entran#e-opening is widened such that also objects of greater dimension, blunt objects (such as tubes) can be slid without hindrance between the walls of a bag. This particular measure according to the invention is character in that for widening the entrance-opening between the separated leading edges, the positioning blocks are moved apart, while the leading edges of the layers are kept in a retaining position. The invention is also related to an apparatus for conducting the method above mentioned, comprising a positioning body composed of two blocks mutually displaceable, acting as masses, and a separating mear An important improvement of apparatus also applied in this domain of technics, in which the'positioning body does consist of two parts, but not the separating means, is to construct the latter as consisting of two parts. In this manner objects can be slid between the parts of the separating means, said objects including a valve for the bag or a temporary filling spout, etc. Forthat reason the apparatus according to the invention is so constructed that the separating means consists of two parts acting on both sides of the separation plane, said parts being each connected to one of the blocks of the positioning body. In a preferred embodiment the parts of the separating means are connected hingedly to the blocks of the positioning body. Instead of a hinge-connection to have the parts of the separating means describe part of a circle's arc, in order to bring them so-doing together in the starting position, when the edges bordering the filling mouth are still superimposed and sticking together, said parts can be given an axially directed translatory displacement with respect to the block masses of the positioning body by means of screw-thread or telescopically. Apart from a wide mouth (Z-dimension), it is also an advantage if the filling mouth can open far in the width direction (X-dimension). This is possible without it being necessary therefor that the part of the separating means being received in the positioning body, has large dimensions. Inspite thereof the parts to be received can have restricted dimensions, in that according to the invention one or both parts of the separating means is equipped with one or more finger-shaped penetration elements which are spaced a certain distance transversally to the axial penetration direction of the separating means. In order that the invention may be more fully understood, reference will now be made to the drawing accompanying this specification. In this drawing the apparatus according to the invention is shown in a number of positions being characteristic for various stages of the inventive method. Figures' 1-3 show the apparatus according to the invention in three stages' of the'method to be conducted therewith, viz. - in the starting position with opened claws of the positioning body and of the separating means; - in an intermediate position, in which the leading part of the bag is retained by the positioning blocks, but the separating means is just in front of the bag; and - in the closing position, in which the pointed ends of the separating means have already penetrated in-between the leading edges of the bag opening. Fig. 4 shows a stage in which the blocks and claws are again moving apart, so that a wide opening is obtained, in which also blunt objects can be inserted; and Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4, seen in the direction of the arrow A. The apparatus applied in the method according to the invention includes a positioning body with blocks 1, 2 being mutually movable in a vertical direction, and a two-parts separating means 3, 4 being hingedly connected to these blocks of the positioning body, around axes 6, 7. The two separating parts 3, 4 are provided with one or more fingershaped elements 8, 9, whose pointed extremities'11, 12 can cooperate with recesses 13, 14 in the blocks 1, 2. In Fig. 1 the begin stage is shown, in which the two parts 1, 2 of the positioning body and those (3, 4) of the separating means are spaced a certain distance, so that a bag (16, 17) being clamped in the clamping means 18, 19, can be inserted in-between the blocks 1, 2. In Fig. 2 the blocks 1, 2 and the parts 3, 4 of the separating means are moved together according to the arrows 23, 24 so that the part of the bag 16, 17 projecting outwards of the clamping means 18, 19, is fixed. The tips of the pointed extremities 11 and 12 approach each other in the separation plane 22. Thereafter the parts 3, 4 of the separating means are allowed to describe around the hinge axis 6, 7 part of a circle' arc, indicated with the arrows, 26, 27 (see Fig. 3). The pointed extremities 11, 12 have now penetrated between the edges 28, 29 of the bag 16, 17, so that these edges are overturned a little in the recesses 13, 14. Due to the fact that the mass of the parts 3, 4 of the separating means exerts, with respect to the hinge axis 6, 7, a moment, the pointed extremities of the fingers 8, 9 exert a horizontally directed force on the edges 28, 29, which since the greatest portion of the leading part of the bag is fixed, give way for that reason and are kept pressing against the blocks 1, 2#. 'Nhen now the blocks 1, 2 again are moved apart according to arrows 31, 32, the layers 16, 17 of the bag are drawn'far away from each other, so that a wide opening or gap 33' is created. Into that opening a a blunt object such as a tube 34 being advanced over a core or mandrel 36, is easily inserted (Fig. 4). In Fig. 5 a sideview of Fig. 4 is shown. Note that the gap 33 has indeed also in the transverse direction large dimensions, so that next to the tube 34 another tube 37 slid over a core or mandrel 38, can be inserted.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for separating layers of soft, not self-sustaining material which are mutually strong adhering by electro-static or pseudo vacuum attractions, for example thin sheets of plastics, metal foil, paper and similar matter, by means of a positioning body having two positioning blocks and a separating means, in which the layers to be separated are fixed between the positioning blocks of said positioning body, except ' in the domain, where the separating means is operative, since in said domain provisions have been made such that said means can be incorporated wholly 'or partly within the positioning body, characterized in that after the fixation of the layers between the positioning blocks, the separating means is driven between the free projecting leading edges of the web-like layers, which edges are thereafter retained between the positioning blocks and the separating means. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that for widening the entrance-opening between the separated leading edges, the positioning blocks are moved apart, while the leading edges of the layers are kept in a retaining position. 3. An apparatus for conducting the method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a positioning body composed of two blocks mutually displaceable, acting as masses, and a separating means, characterized in that the separating means consists of two parts (3, 4) acting on both sides of the separation plane (22), said parts being each connected to one of the blocks (1, 2) of the positioning body. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the parts (3, 4) of the separating means are connected hingedly (6) to the blocks (1, 2) of the positioning body. 5. An apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized-in that one or both parts (3, 4) of the separating means is equipped with one or more finger-shaped penetration elements (8, 9) 'which arew-spaced a certain distance transversally to the axial penetration direction of the separating means.

Inventors: VOSSEN, ALBERTUS GERARDUS
Applicants: COLPITT B.V.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B65H5
IPC codes: B29C63, B65H41