PROCESS FOR MAKING, FILLING AND SEALING OF MEDICAL BAGS

Abstract: Process for complete production, filling and sealing of medical bags, starting from spools of heat-sealing materials and characterized by the fact that it includes a horizontal annular conveyor (1) whose links (2) are equipped with articulated units (3) with grasping devices (4); said devices hook onto the connectors (5), duly provided with a slot (6), and position them for introduction and synchronized enclosure within the heat-sealing material (11/11a).

Description: PROCESS FOR MAKING, FILLING AND SEALING OF MEDICAL BAGS FIELD OF THE ART This invention falls within the field of systems for manufacturing medical bags. International classification B 65 b. STATE OF THE ART In current practice and in patent literature we may find various processes for manufacturing medical bags, starting off from folded strips or manifolds of heat- sealing materials. All known processes involve a combination of several specific machines working in synchronization. The existing equipment has cumbersome dimensions. The challenge is thus to develop an integrated procedure based on equipment that is compact in size, dependable and versatile. DESCRIPTION The invention will now be described in reference to the schematic drawings attached herein, solely for the purpose of providing an example. The diagram in figure 1 shows a horizontal annular conveyor whose links are equipped with articulated units with grasping devices; the latter hook onto the connectors, duly provided with slots, and position them for introduction and synchronized enclosure within the heat-sealing material. In said figure 1 , the process provides for the folded strip of heat-sealing material to be fed in a direction that is parallel to the rectilinear path of the conveyor. Figure 1a shows the tubular heat-sealing material fed in a direction that is perpendicular to the rectilinear path of the conveyor. Figure 2 illustrates the vertical profile of an articulated unit equipped with a grasping device for manipulating the bags during the manufacturing process. Figure 3 shows a front view of the grasping device. It may be noted that the connector fixed to the bag has a special slot to hook onto. The diagram in figure 4 shows a filling station; it is also possible to note the presence of the subsequent stations where the filled bags are sealed closed and unloaded. The diagram in figure 5 shows the unloading station, where the filled, sealed bags are removed. In the figures, each individual part is marked as follows: 1. is a horizontal annular conveyor having an intermittent movement. 2. indicates the articulated links making up said conveyor. 3. are articulated units fitted onto the links of the conveyor. 4. are grasping devices for manipulating the connectors fixed to the bags. 5. are the connectors fixed to the bags. 6. indicates a slot that may hooked onto for the purpose of manipulating the bags. 7. indicates an empty bag. 7'. indicates a filled bag. 8. indicates the stations where the bags are filled by gravity. 9. indicates the bag closing stations. 10. indicates the station where filled, sealed bags are unloaded. 11 and 11a indicate the heat-sealing material for manufacturing medical bags. 12. indicates a specially profiled rod for turning over the grasping device. The profile of said rod causes the latter to rotate so that the bags are taken into an upright position for the gravity filling process and then returns it to a horizontal position, ready to engage new connectors for the start of a new operating cycle. The system in question, which is only schematically illustrated in the drawings, may be built with different structural and dimensional features. Therefore, the patent protecting this invention will cover all the procedures for the complete production, filling and sealing of medical bags, starting off from spools of heat- sealing materials, which bear the distinguishing characteristics of this invention as basically described and illustrated in the claims below.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) Process for complete production, filling and sealing of medical bags, starting from spools of heat-sealing materials, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that it comprises a horizontal annular conveyor 1 whose links 2 are equipped with articulated units 3 with prehensile devices 4; the latter hook onto the connectors 5, duly provided with a slot 6, and position them for introduction and synchronized enclosure within the heat-sealing material 11 / 11a. 2) Process for complete production, filling and sealing of medical bags, starting off from spools of heat-sealing materials, as per the previous claim, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that the connectors 5, already fixed to the heat-sealing material 11 , move forward in a horizontal rectilinear path, along which the individual empty bags 7 are formed and subsequently separated. 3) Process for complete production, filling and sealing of medical bags, starting off from spools of heat-sealing materials, as per the previous claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that during the travel of the conveyor 1 , the prehensile devices 4, with the bags 7 still empty, are turned ninety degrees by the specially profiled rod 12 in such a manner as to set the empty bags in an upright position at the gravity filling stations 8 and subsequent closing stations 9. 4) Process for complete production, filling and sealing of medical bags, starting off from spools of heat-sealing materials, as per the previous claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that the prehensile devices 4, travelling along the path of the conveyor 1 , disengage the hook 4 from the slot 6 to release the filled, sealed bags 7' on reaching the unloading station 10. 5) Process for complete production, filling and sealing of medical bags, starting off from spools of heat-sealing materials, as per the previous claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that after releasing the filled, sealed bags 7', the prehensile devices 4 return to their horizontal position and start a new operating cycle by engaging new connectors 5 fed horizontally, along the path of the annular conveyor.

Inventors: LUPI LUCIANO, LUPI, LUCIANO
Applicants: LUPI LUCIANO, LUPI, LUCIANO
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65B61
IPC codes: B65B43