Abstract:
A vertical bagging apparatus [ 101 ] comprises a bag station [ 105 ] having multiple stations [ 403 A,  403 B,  403 C,  403 D] for holding a variety of wicket-supported bags. A tooling assembly [ 107 ] accepts product for a product line and dispenses the product into an opened bag from the bag station. A bag transfer assembly [ 109 ] lowers the filled bag to a bag seal assembly [ 111 ] located vertically below the tooling assembly. The apparatus allows high speeds and quick-change of bags and bagged product.

Description:
This Application claims priority benefits of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/422,661, filed Oct. 31, 2002. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to bagging machines and, more particularly, to bagging machines utilizing pre-made wicket bags. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Customer demand for more and better packaging has created a demand for methods and apparatus that provide new and more efficient ways to bag products. For example, poultry product suppliers face a growing demand for packaging a number of different poultry products of varying shapes, weights and sizes that requiring specialized marking and product identification. Unfortunately, bagging is a time-intensive and therefore costly evolution, and automated bagging equipment is expensive and often requires high levels of operator training and maintenance. 
   Form, fill and seal type bagging machines are available which perform high-speed bagging of various products. For producers with small volumes, or those requiring large variety of packaging and bags, this equipment is unsuitable due to its high cost and specialized skills in reconfiguration for different packaging needs. The use of these machines is further complicated by the need for specialized graphics and product marking. Wicket type bagging machines are also available and have advantages in flexibility over more complicated form, fill and seal machines, but for the most part are slow and labor intensive for most bagging evolutions. 
   There exists a need for bagging machines that utilize pre-made bags which provide high-speed operation and can be quickly changed for different products and packaging requirements. 
   OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a bagging apparatus which provides a bagging station for use with pre-made wicket bags, and provides for high speed automated loading, filling and sealing of bags with a variety of products. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a bagging apparatus which incorporates multiple bagging stations so that bags can be loaded on the apparatus during bagging operations; 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a bagging apparatus which incorporates multiple bagging stations so that different type and sized bags can be loaded on the apparatus at the same time; 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a bagging apparatus with an indexing means to index wicketed bags to the desired position each time a bag is removed from the wicket; 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a bagging apparatus with a short, single vertical transfer of the bag after filling, to allow quick cycle time; and 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide a vertical bagging apparatus with a positive means for bag chip removal after sealing. 
   The bagging apparatus of the present invention comprises a carousel-type bagging assembly having four separate bagging stations. Each station utilizes a wicket bar and a wicket wire or other retaining means to support a wicket of open-top bags on the wicket bar. Each wicket station is engageable with a wicket advance cylinder when in the position adjacent to the product tooling. 
   A product tooling assembly comprises a tool horn for receipt of the product to be bagged and for dispensing the product in an opened bag. A bag transfer assembly comprises a pair of vertically and horizontally translatable grippers for gripping the bag before, during, or immediately following the filling operation, and lowering the filled bag to a seal assembly. The seal assembly seals the bag, cuts a top “chip” from the bag, and provides a means for discharging the “chip” to a disposal system. The grippers of the bag transfer assembly may be used to positively remove the “chip” from the sealed bag. 
   A programmable logic controller (PLC) provides a control means for the actuators of the apparatus, and allows flexibility for quick changes in types of products, bags, and sequence of operations. 
   The direct, single vertical motion from the product tooling to the seal assembly allows high speed cycling of the apparatus. Re-positioning of the tooling assembly and grippers can be accomplished coincident to bag sealing operations to reduce cycle time. The wicket advance cylinder allows indexing of the active bag station each cycle by biasing the active wicket against a reference point on the frame of the apparatus. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where: 
       FIG. 1A  is a side elevation drawing of the frame and some of the major assemblies of the bagging apparatus showing the bag carousel and position of the wicket bars of the bagging station, the product tooling assembly and slide cylinder, the bag transfer assembly, and a filled bag in the bag seal assembly; 
       FIG. 1B  is a top view of the assemblies shown in  FIG. 1A  of the vertical bagging apparatus; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the major assemblies of the apparatus; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective drawing of the major assemblies of the vertical bagging apparatus with some of the framing removed for clarity, 
       FIG. 4  is a detailed perspective drawing of the bag station of the apparatus showing a wicket of bags in the loading station; 
       FIG. 5  is a detail perspective drawing of the product tooling assembly of the apparatus showing the pivoting tooling portions, and quick-change fastener for tooling changes; 
       FIG. 6  is a detail perspective drawing of the bag transfer assembly showing the grippers in an unengaged position; 
       FIG. 7  is a detail perspective drawing of the bag seal assembly showing the seal bars, deflation plates, and actuators; 
       FIG. 8  is a side cross section of the vertical bagging apparatus showing the major assemblies of the apparatus and a filled bag in the seal assembly; 
       FIG. 9  is a side elevation drawing of the vertical bagging apparatus showing the framing, outside covers, and programmable logic controller of the device; 
       FIG. 10  is a logic diagram of a sequence of operations for the vertical bagging apparatus; 
       FIG. 11  is a front elevation drawing of a wicketed bag having a notched upper side seal for reducing wrinkling during sealing; 
       FIG. 11A  is an alternative embodiment of the bag of  FIG. 11  having a partially concave notched portion; 
       FIG. 11B  is an alternative embodiment of the bag of  FIG. 11  having an angled notch cut; 
       FIG. 12  is a detailed elevation drawing of an embodiment of one of the bag grippers of the bagging apparatus showing a groove in the gripper block for nesting the upper side seal area of a wicketed bag; 
       FIG. 12A  is a cross sectional drawing of the gripper block, gripper bar and bag of  FIG. 12  taken through lines  12 A— 12 A of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 12B  is a cross-sectional drawing of and alternative embodiment of the gripper block, gripper bar and bag of  FIG. 12 ; and 
       FIG. 13  is an alternative embodiment of a notch-less wicketed bag having straight side-sealed edges and a reduced-width upper side seal portion. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following is a description of the preferred embodiments of a vertical bagging apparatus for high speed bagging operations. 
     FIG. 1A  is a side elevation drawing,  FIG. 1B  is a top view, and  FIG. 2  is a front elevation drawing of the major assemblies of the bagging apparatus  101 .  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the vertical bagging apparatus with some structural framing removed for clarity. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–3 , framing  103  supports the major assemblies of the bagging apparatus including a 4-wicket, carousel type bag station  105 , product tooling assembly  107 , bag transfer assembly  109 , and bag seal assembly  111 . Bag seal assembly  111  is located vertically below tooling assembly  107 , allowing a direct, single-motion transfer of bags by bag transfer assembly  109 . 
     FIG. 4  is a detail perspective drawing of the bag station  105  showing carousel assembly  401  supporting four wicket stations  403 A,  403 B,  403 C, and  403 D. Carousel assembly  401  comprises a stationary vertical support post  405  and a rotating shaft  407  connected to wicket sliding support assemblies  409 A,  409 B,  409 C and  409 D. The support assemblies comprise a sliding block and support rods such as sliding block  413 B and support rod  411 B for assembly  403 B, allowing wicket stations  403 A– 403 D to slide radially in and out relative to vertical axis  415 . A pneumatic cylinder and ratchet assembly (not shown) rotates shaft  407  and wicket stations  403 A– 403 D about axis  415  upon command from programmable logic controller (PLC)  901  of  FIG. 9 . 
   Upon rotation of shaft  407  to position a wicket to the position of wicket station  403 A, PLC  901  energizes solenoid  417  that engages wicket advance cylinder  419  to the corresponding wicket bar bracket  421 A. Engagement of wicket bar bracket  421 A to cylinder  419  allows PLC  901  to advance or retract wicket station  403 A in the direction of arrow  423 A. Wicket station  403 A comprises a wicket wire  425 A that retains a stack  424 A of wicket bags on wicket bar  427 A. Spring-loaded retainer pins  429 A retain wicket stack  424 A against back plate  431 A. A spring-loaded slide (not shown) on wicket bar  427 A engages wicket wire  425 A inserted in wicket bar holes (similar to holes  433 D of wicket station  403 D) in wicket bar  427 A. The construction and operation of the other wicket stations is similar, except that solenoid  417  engages only the wicket bar bracket of the wicket station in the position of wicket station  403 A. 
   Air jet  451  provides a means to open the top opening  453  of front bag  450  of wicket  424 A. Air jet  451  may be a single jet controlled by a solenoid valve connected to PLC  901  or it may be an air knife or other bag opening means known in the art. 
     FIG. 5  is a detail perspective view of tooling assembly  107  comprising tooling horn  501 , tooling cylinders  503 A and  503 B, and quick change fastener  505  attaching tooling horn  501  to bracket  507  via a slide cylinder  513 , best shown on  FIG. 1A . Slide cylinder  513  allows tooling assembly  107  to be raised or lowered in direction  514  to engage a bag such as bag  450  of  FIG. 4 . Horn portions  509 A and  509 B are connected by pivots  511  to allow horn portion  509 B to pivot inward and outward in directions  516  upon actuation of tooling cylinders  503 A and  503 B. Cutout portion  515  on horn portions  509 A and  509 B allows closing of the bottom of tooling horn  501  to prevent discharge of product from horn  501  until actuation of tooling cylinders  503 A and  503 B. 
     FIG. 6  is a detail perspective drawing of bag transfer assembly  109  showing bag grippers  601 A and  601 B mounted on transverse positioning cylinders  603 A and  603 B. Vertical positioning cylinders  605 A and  605 B are rodless cylinders which position bracket assembly  607  supporting transverse positioning cylinders  603 A and  603 B vertically along vertical guide rods  609 A and  609 B. Bushings  611 A and  611 B provide bearing surfaces for bracket portions  613 A and  613 B of bracket assembly  607 . Grippers  601 A,  601 B comprise grip bars  615  which pivot about gripper pivots  617  when upon actuation by gripper cylinders  619 A,  619 B. Upon downward rotation about pivots  617 , gripper bars  615  clamp bag edges against gripper faces  621 . 
     FIG. 7  is a perspective drawing of the bag seal assembly  111 , which in the preferred embodiments, is positioned vertically below tooling assembly  107  of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C. Seal assembly  111  comprises heated seal bar  701  and complementary seal bar  703  for sealing and trimming the top of a filled bag such as bag  171  of  FIG. 1A . Transfer assembly  109  lowers bag  171  vertically through opening  705  of bag seal assembly  111  so that the seal area of bag  171  is positioned in the path of seal bars  701  and  703  and bag  171  is in the position shown in  FIG. 1A . Pneumatic cylinder  707  positions seal bar  701  and holder  702  along rods  709 A,  709 B, and cylinder  711  positions seal bar  703  and holder  704  by extending or withdrawing rods  709 A,  709 B. Bushings  713 A and  713 B allow transverse motion of holder  702  along direction  715  and bushings  717 A and  717 B allow transverse motion of rods  709 A,  709 B, and holder  704  along direction  719 . 
   Pneumatic cylinders  801  and  803  of  FIG. 8  position deflation plates  805  and  807  respectively to remove air from bag  171  prior to sealing. Plates  805  and  807  are displaced transversely in along directions indicated to press and deflate bag  171 , and to retract to allow discharge of filled and sealed bag  171 . Retractable support plate  809  provides support for bag  171  upon sealing and cutting of the bag “chip” produced when seal bars  701  and  703  of  FIG. 7  seal and cut the bag top. Plate  809  may be retracted by a retraction cylinder (not shown) to discharge bag  171  to a conveyor or other storage or transfer apparatus for processing. Handwheel  811  provides a means to adjust the position of seal assembly  111  to accommodate different size bags and product. 
     FIG. 9  is an elevation drawing of the outside components of the apparatus  101  showing programmable logic controller (PLC)  901  for providing logic actuation signals to the actuators of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 10  is a logic diagram of PLC  901  logic in one preferred embodiment of the present invention. The bagging apparatus allows installation of up to four wickets of bags on the bagging station. Either similar or different bags may be installed on the carousel simultaneously. Empty bag stations on the carousel may be loaded during bagging operations, reducing downtime for loading. The PLC of the apparatus allows programming to account for differences in bag sizes and capacities. 
   Once the bag station  105  has been loaded PLC  901  initializes the apparatus by actuating the tooling cylinders  503 A,  503 B to close the product tooling to allow loading of the tooling and allow insertion of a bag during the following operations. The tooling slide cylinder  513  is actuated to raise the tooling to the loading position. The bag transfer cylinders  605 A,  605 B are actuated to raise the bag grippers  601 A,  601 B to the initial loading position, and the gripper cylinders  619 A,  619 B are actuated to open the grippers in the position shown in  FIG. 6 . Seal cylinders  707 ,  711  actuate to retract seal bars  701  and  703 , and deflection plate cylinders  801 ,  803  actuate to retract deflation plates  805  and  807 . 
   To initiate a bagging operation, PLC  901  actuates the carousel rotation cylinder to rotate the desired wicket station to the bagging position of  403 A of  FIG. 3 . Solenoid  417  is actuated to engage wicket bar  427 A of wicket station  403 A to wicket advance cylinder  419 . Cylinder  419  is actuated to bias wicket wire  425 A against a frame stop  813  of  FIG. 8 . An air solenoid (not shown) is actuated by the PLC to pressurize air jet  451  to engage and open top edge  453  of bag  450 . An air knife along the top edge of wicket bar  427 A (not shown) may also be used to aid in opening bag  450 . PLC  901  activates slide cylinder  513  of  FIG. 1A  to lower tooling horn  501  into opened bag  450 . 
   PLC  901  actuates traverse positioning cylinders  603 A,  603 B to position grippers  601 A,  601 B adjacent to opened bag edges and gripper cylinders  619 A,  619 B to grip the bag edges. Unless performed previously, PLC initiates product dispensing (not shown) into product tooling horn  501 , and actuates tooling cylinders  503 A,  503 B to open horn portion  509 B to dispense product in bag  450 . Transfer assembly cylinders  605 A,  605 B are actuated to lower bag  450  to the sealing position of  FIG. 8  (filled bag shown as  171  in the figures). During the downward vertical transfer, PLC  901  actuates traverse positioning cylinders  603 A,  603 B to extend bag  450  top edges away from each other to close the bag top portion. 
   Upon bag  171  reaching the position of  FIG. 8 , PLC  901  actuates deflation plate cylinders  801  and  803  to a predetermined position to deflate and remove air from bag  171 . PLC  901  then activates seal cylinders  707  and  711  to engage heated seal bar  701  and seal bar  703  at the top portion of bag  171  to seal the bag and cut the top “chip” from the bag. PLC  901  activates transfer assembly cylinders  605 A,  605 B to raise closed grippers  601 A,  601 B and positively separate and remove the “chip” from bag  171 . Once the “chip” has been separated, PLC  901  initiates a chip disposal jet ( 220  of  FIG. 2 ) disposed on the bag seal assembly and discharges the chip into a disposal unit such as vacuum disposal unit. 
   Upon completion of the seal operation and chip removal, PLC  901  actuates a support plate  809  actuator to allow filled bag  171  to drop to a bagged product conveyance means such as a bagged product conveyor (not shown). 
   To complete the cycle, PLC  901  initializes the apparatus for another bagging operation as described above. The bias provided by wicket advance cylinder  419  allows indexing of wicket wire  425 A and wicket bags  424 A by the distance of one bag thickness each cycle of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 11  is a front elevation drawing of an embodiment of a wicket bag  450 A for use with the apparatus of  FIGS. 1–9 . Bag  450 A comprises a front side  460 , back side  462 , open top  464 , and closed bottom  466 . Wicket holes  470  provide a means for support from wicket wire  423 A of  FIG. 4  and slits  468  provide a means for removing bag  450  from wicket wire  423 A. Wicket tab portion  472  extends from bag back  462  and is part of the “chip” portion removed during sealing and cutting as described earlier. 
   In the preferred embodiments, bag  450 A is a side sealed bag having side seals  474 A and  474 B to seal the bag sides. Closed bottom  466  may be a fold or gusset type bottom as known in the art, or it may incorporate a separate bottom seal  476 . 
   In the preferred embodiments, the upper portion of the side seals  474 A,  474 B comprise a seal notch portion  480  having a vertical cut  482  and a horizontal cut  484 . The right side notch portion is shown in  FIG. 11 , the left side comprises a similar notch portion. In the preferred embodiments, notch portion  480  is formed by die cutting and removal of a cutout portion defined by vertical cut  482 , horizontal cut  484 , and the broken lines of the figure. Bag  450 A may be formed in a conventional manner with the notch die cuts made subsequent to side seal forming. In other embodiments, notch portion  480  is cut before side seals  474 A,  474 B are formed. The reduced width of the upper side seal portion as compared with the rest or lower side seal portion reduces wrinkling and deformation of the top seal formed during the sealing operation. 
     FIG. 11A  shows an alternative embodiment of notch portion  480 A having a vertical cut  486  and concave portion  488 .  FIG. 11B  shows an embodiment with a notch portion  480 B having a vertical cut  490  and an angle cut  492  forming an obtuse angle with vertical cut  490 . The notch portions define an upper seal portion  494  of reduced width  496  as compared with the width  498  of the lower portion of side seal  474 B. In the preferred embodiments, width  496  is less than ¼″, in the more preferred embodiments, width  496  is less than 3/16″, and in the most preferred embodiments, width  496  is less than ⅛″. In the preferred embodiments, notch length  495  is less than the length of bag  450 A, and in the more preferred embodiments, length  496  is less than 2″, and in the most preferred embodiments, length  496  is less than 1″. 
     FIG. 12  is a detail elevation drawing of the engagement of notched bag  450 A in the gripper  601 B of  FIG. 6 . Groove  1203  of gripper face block  621  provides a recess for upper seal portion of bag  450 A to seat in during gripping of bag  450 A (shown in phantom lines) and sealing of the top of bag  450 A during the sealing operation.  FIG. 12A  is a cross section of bag  450 A and face  621  taken along lines  12 A— 12 A of  FIG. 12 . The recess formed by rectangular groove  1203  reduces deformation of the upper seal portion during gripping of bag  450 A and reduces distortion and wrinkling of the top seal formed during the sealing operation.  FIG. 12B  shows an alternative embodiment of face  621  having a groove  1203 A of trapezoidal section. The converging portion of groove  1203 A toward the center of the block provides guiding of the bag side edge  1205  into groove  1203 A as gripper bar  615  grips the inside of bag  450 A. Other groove cross-sectional shapes may be used such as semi-circular, and elliptical shapes. 
   In the preferred embodiments, the width of groove  1203  is selected to provide a close clearance with the thickness of the upper seal portion of bag  450  as shown in  FIG. 12A . The depth of groove  1203  is selected to be approximately the width of the upper seal portion. Groove  1203  provides improved gripping and reduced seal distortion on notched bags such as bag  450 A, and on conventional, non-notched bags. In still other embodiments, the width of gripper bar  615  may be made wider than the opening of groove  1203  or  1203 A to provide a seating surface to further reduce crushing of the side seal portion inside the groove. 
     FIG. 13  a front elevation drawing of embodiment  450 B of a wicket bag for use with the apparatus of  FIGS. 1–9 . Upper side seal portion  1303  has a reduced width  1305  as compared to the width  1307  lower side seal portion  1309 . The reduced width of upper side seal portion  1303  reduces distortion of the upper portion of the bag during gripping and reduces wrinkling and deformation of the top seal during the sealing operation. The length  1311  of the upper side seal portion is similar to length  495  of  FIG. 11B . The grooved block face  621  of  FIG. 12  may be used with this bag, or the bag may be used with conventional wicket bagging apparatus. 
   In other embodiments of the invention, the bag transfer assembly may be angled, preferably with a direct motion to minimize transfer time. Linear positioners or other actuation devices may be used to provide the actions performed by the pneumatic cylinders of the apparatus. Variations of tooling and product conveyance means may be incorporated to optimize bagging of different products utilizing different bags. Various types of controllers such as micro controllers or relay boxes may be substituted for a PLC. 
   Accordingly, the reader will see that vertical bagging apparatus provides a high speed bagging machine for wicketed bags. The device provides the following additional advantages:
         The bag transfer is a single, direct motion, increasing reliability and speed;   The carousel-type bag station allows loading of bags during bagging operations, as well as different types of bags for quick product changes;   The wicket advance cylinder allows indexing of the wicket station at each bagging cycle; and   The apparatus is simple and inexpensive.       

   Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.