Abstract:
An packaging apparatus and method to uncuff a package assembly is disclosed. The package assembly includes a container with at least one upstanding sidewall defining an open top. A bag is disposed within the container and a top portion of the bag is folded over the at least one sidewall at the open top to define a cuff. The packaging apparatus includes a first fluid jet directed substantially upward that is configured to uncuff the top portion of the bag from the container. An automatic bag closer gathers the top portion of the bag and applies a clip to close the bag. A second fluid jet is directed substantially downward and is configured to push the top portion of the bag substantially within the container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0001]     The present disclosure relates to a process of closing a bag within a box, and further to a process of uncuffing the bag from the box and closing the bag.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0002]     Many products of a particulate matter are packaged within a flexible bag. The flexible bag can be inside a supportive container to maintain the shape of the bag and to protect the bag and products during transport to form a package assembly. These products include cat litter, foods, and aggregate, for example.  
         [0003]     In the packaging process of the product, it has been found more efficient to place the bag within the supportive container and then fill the bag with the product, rather than vice versa. To ensure the bag stays open while it is being filled with product, the top portion of the bag can be folded over the open top of the container, thereby forming a cuff.  
         [0004]     A problem remains in how to quickly and efficiently uncuff the bag from the end of the container and to close the end of the bag while the bag is inside the container. In one known process, the container moves along a conveyor in an assembly line to a first workstation, where it is stopped. At the first workstation, robotic arms pull the top portion upward, thereby uncuffing the bag from the container. The robotic arms are then clapped about the top portion, thereby attempting to gather the top portion together, and push down against the top of the bag, thereby attempting to remove excess air from the bag.  
         [0005]     The conveyor then moves the container to a second workstation. A clip applicator gathers the top portion together, and applies a retaining clip to the top portion of the bag, thereby closing the top portion.  
         [0006]     The conveyor then moves the container to a third workstation, where the container is again stopped. A second set of robotic arms tamps the bag down such that it is substantially inside the confines of the box.  
         [0007]     In this design, the container must be stopped at the workstations while the robotic arms perform their tasks. This slows down the entire process, lowers the output that may be achieved, and can be a bottleneck in the production process. Further, the robotic arms are expensive and require maintenance, repair, and employee training. It would be beneficial to increase the speed of the uncuffing and closing process and would be further beneficial to improve the reliability and cost of the process. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a package assembly, prior to the uncuffing process.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a continuous assembly line constructed in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the package assembly at the first station of the assembly line of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the package assembly at the second station of the assembly line of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the package assembly at the third station of the assembly line of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the package after being closed at the third station of the assembly line of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the package assembly at the fourth station of the assembly line of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
       [0015]     While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the disclosure to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and the equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , a package assembly  10  is shown. The assembly  10  includes a container  12 , a flexible bag  14  disposed within the container  12 , and a product  16  disposed within the bag  14 . The disclosed container  12  has a left side  18 , a right side  20 , a front side  22 , and a back side  24 . However, the container  12  could have any number of sidewalls, including a single cylindrical sidewall. The container  12  includes flaps  26  which are directed upwards to define an open top  28 . Each flap  26  is flexible about a respective axis  30  and may be folded downwards and inwards to close the open top  28  of the container  12  once the bag  14  has been uncuffed and closed. While flaps  26  are depicted in  FIG. 1 , other containers  12  may be used that do not incorporate flaps  26 .  
         [0017]     The bag  14  includes a top portion  32  that is folded downwards and outward about the flaps  18  to define a cuff  34 . The cuff  34  ensures that the bag  14  maintains an open mouth  36  within the container  12  such that the product  16  can easily be dispensed into the bag  14  by a process prior to the disclosed uncuffing and closing process.  
         [0018]     The product  16  that can be used in the present uncuffing process is any product that can be stored in an aggregate form in a bag. For example, kitty litter, dog food, sand, rock, flour, or other relatively small pieces that are sold in the aggregate can be used. Alternatively, larger items such as stuffed animals can also be used. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize many other products that can be stored and transferred within a bag that is disposed within a container.  
         [0019]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an assembly line  38  is disclosed that can uncuff and close the bag  14  filled with a product  16  while the bag  14  remains within the container  12 . The assembly line  38  includes a conveyor  40  which moves the package assembly  10  on a belt  42  in a direction of travel indicated by arrows  41  through a first workstation  44 , a second workstation  46 , a third workstation  48 , and a fourth workstation  50 . While four workstations are shown, other workstations may be added that provide additional functions not detailed herein.  
         [0020]     At the first workstation  44 , the top portion  32  of the bag  14  is uncuffed from the container  12 . At the second workstation  46 , excess air is removed from the bag  14 . At the third workstation  48 , the top portion  32  of the bag  14  is gathered and closed. Finally, at the fourth station  50 , the bag  14  is pushed back down into the container  12 .  
         [0021]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a detail of the first workstation  44  is shown. The first workstation  44  includes a first pair of fluid jets  52  and a second pair of fluid jets  54  at the end of an fluid line  55 . The fluid jets  52 ,  54  are capable of delivering a blast of fluid  56  and are controlled by a valve  58 . While in this example all four fluid jets  52 ,  54  are fed by the same valve  58 , those skilled in the art will easily understand that more complex arrangements can be used depending on the application.  
         [0022]     In this disclosure, the term fluid is used in the engineering sense and refers to both gas and liquid. In this example, the working fluid  56  is compressed air. Other situations, however, could require another gas, such as an inert gas like helium, in a situation in which flammability could pose a problem. Still other situations may require a larger force that could be applied by a liquid such as water. Other uses are within the scope of this disclosure.  
         [0023]     The air jets  52 ,  54  can be controlled by articles known in the art. In this example, a laser  60  and an electronic eye  62  are disposed adjacent the path of the conveyor  40 . As is known, the laser  60  is set up such that its light beam is directed into the electronic eye  62 . If the light beam is blocked, the electronic eye  62  sends a signal to a programmable logic controller (not shown). The PLC then sends a signal to the valve  58  to open and allow the compressed air  56  to be expelled through the air jets  52 ,  54 . The valve  58  can remain open for a programmed amount of time, or can remain open for as long as the light beam is blocked. Other controls for the air jets  52 ,  54 , such as limit switches and proximity switches can be used.  
         [0024]     In this example, the package assembly  10  can be moved continuously along by the conveyor  40  through the first workstation  44 . As the package assembly  10  is moved through the first workstation  44 , the container  12  of the package assembly  10  blocks the laser beam. The electronic eye  62  signals the PLC, which signals the air valve  58  to open.  
         [0025]     The air jets  52 ,  54  expel high pressure fluid  56  upwards and along the left and right sides  18 ,  20  of the container  12  as it passes by. This high pressure fluid  56  forces the top portion  32  of the bag  14  upward, thereby uncuffing the bag  14  from the container  12 . The natural rigidity of the bag  14  helps the top portion  32  to remain in an extended position as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0026]     In this example, a pair of air jets  52 ,  54  are depicted on the left and right side  18 ,  20  of the container  12 . Depending on the application, more or less air jets  52 ,  54  may be necessary. Further, if the conveyor  40  includes an open chain conveyor belt  42 , air jets can be disposed underneath the conveyor  40  such that an air blast will travel from under and through the conveyor belt  42  and hit the front and back sides  22 ,  24  of the container  12 . This could thereby provide an air force on all four sides of the container  12 .  
         [0027]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the second workstation  46  includes a hose  64  with a distal end  66  and a proximal end  68 . A vacuum motor (not shown) connected to the distal end  66  of the hose  64  creates a low pressure within the hose  64  such that air adjacent the proximal end  68  of the hose  64  is sucked into and through the hose  64  to the vacuum motor.  
         [0028]     The package assembly  10  is moved continuously by the conveyor  40  underneath the proximal end  68  of the hose  64 . Because the bag  14  is in the extended position as it is moved under the proximal end  68  of the hose  64 , air is sucked from inside the bag  14  into the hose  64 , i.e., the air is removed from the bag  14 , and the bag  14  collapses about the product  16 .  
         [0029]     The pressure differential created by the vacuum motor must be selected to be strong enough to remove the air from inside the bag  14 , but not too strong so as to remove the product  16  from the bag  14 . As such, the pressure must be selected based on the properties of the individual pieces of product  16 . The inherent rigidity of the bag  14  can maintain the bag  14  in a collapsed state about the product  16  with the top portion  32  of the bag  14  still extending upward. The package assembly  10  can be moved continuously through the second workstation  46  and on to the third workstation  48 .  
         [0030]     Referring now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the third workstation  48  is shown. The third workstation  48  includes an automatic bag closing machine  70  which includes a bag gathering portion  72  and a clip applicator  74 . The automatic bag closing machine  70  depicted herein is manufactured by Kwik-Lok, Model No. 865. While the depicted automatic bag closing machine  70  has proven to be sufficient, any system that performs the similar function of gathering the top portion  32  of the bag  14  and closing the bag, such as with a retaining clip  76 , could be employed. This could encompass heat sealing, closing a plastic zipper, applying twist tie closures, or even a human on an assembly line twisting the top portion  32  closed and tying it.  
         [0031]     The bag gathering portion  72  includes a first conical roller  78  and a second conical roller  80 . A passage  82  is defined between the first conical roller  78  and the second conical roller  80 . The passage  82  includes a wide entrance  84  that tapers to a narrow exit  86 . In this example, the first roller  78  rotates in a first direction  88 , and the second roller  80  rotates in an opposite second direction  90  such that both rollers  78 ,  80  are rotating upwards in the passage  82 .  
         [0032]     As the package assembly  10  travels along the conveyor  40 , the top portion  32  is gathered in and passes through the wide entrance  84 . As the top portion  32  is engaged by the first and second rollers  78 ,  80 , it is drawn upward by the rotation of the first and second rollers  78 ,  80 . The bag  14  travels through the passage  82  and the narrow exit  86  and is thereby prepared for the clip applicator  74 .  
         [0033]     As is known in the art, the clip applicator  74  applies a retaining clip  76  to the top portion  32  of the bag  14 . Clip applicators  74  are well known and used in the closing of bags containing, for example, bread, fruit, vegetables, and other products. This closes the bag to maintain the product within the bag until a user pulls the retaining clip  74  from the bag  14 . Due to the rigidity of the bag  14 , the top portion  32  of the bag  14  can be maintained in the extended position upon leaving the third workstation  48 , as seen in  FIG. 6 . The package assembly  10  can be moved continuously through the third workstation  48  and on to the fourth workstation  50 .  
         [0034]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the fourth workstation  50  is shown. The fourth workstation  50  includes a fluid jet  92  at an end of a fluid line  94  that is controlled by a valve  96 . The fluid jet  92  is directed downward. Again, the term fluid is used in its engineering sense to encompass both gas and liquid. In this example, compressed air is again used.  
         [0035]     The air jet  92  can be controlled by articles known in the art. In this example, a second laser  98  and a second electronic eye  100  are used in the same manner as in the first work station  44 . Again, other controls for the air jet  92 , such as limit switches and proximity switches can be used, and other methods and articles for sensing the package assembly  10  will be known by those in the art.  
         [0036]     The package assembly  10  can be moved continuously along by the conveyor through the fourth workstation  50 . As the package assembly  10  is moved past the fourth workstation  50 , the light beam is broken and the second electronic eye  100  sends a signal to the PLC, which then sends a signal to the second valve  96 . The second valve  96  opens and compressed air is released to travel through the air jet  92  downward against the top portion  32  of the bag  14 . The compressed air forces the top portion  32  of the bag  14  from its extended position downward into the container  12  such that the entire bag  14  is substantially inside the container  12 . While a compressed air jet  92  is depicted, other methods to push the top portion  32  into the container  12 , such as a ram pushing down on the top portion  32 , can be used. The package assembly  10  is now ready for steps in which the flaps  26  are folded down and in and the open top  28  of the container  12  is closed.  
         [0037]     The package assembly  10  can move continuously on the conveyor  40  through all the workstations  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50  to define an assembly line  38  that can be continuous throughout its entire process. In this manner, a bag  14  filled with a product  16  that has a top portion  32  folded over the open top  28  of the container  12  can quickly, inexpensively, and efficiently be uncuffed and closed.  
         [0038]     The conveyor  40  can have an adjustable speed for fine tuning the operation of the assembly line  38 . For example, larger bags or bags with thicker walls may require an air blast for a longer period of time than smaller bags or bags with thinner walls. Accordingly, depending on the application, the speed of the conveyor  40  may be increased or decreased.  
         [0039]     It has been found that when using a bag with a wall thickness of 1.5 mil and with a width of 22½″, the fluid jets can be regulated to 70-75 psi. However, differently sized bags may require higher or lower air pressure, further depending on the placement of the fluid jets relative to the conveyor. It is within the scope of this disclosure and the ordinary skill of one in the art for bags and fluid jets with a variety of parameters to be used.  
         [0040]     From the foregoing, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure sets forth a process for uncuffing a bag and closing the bag within a container. However, one of ordinary skill in the art could readily apply the teachings of this disclosure to any number of situations. As such, the teachings of this disclosure shall not be considered to be limited to the specific examples disclosed herein, but to include all applications within the spirit and scope of the invention.