Patent Publication Number: US-9409737-B2

Title: Endless clip-strip feed splicer

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention pertains to a machine for feeding strips of closures or clips. The clips formed of flat plastic material, and for receiving portions of flexible bags. More specifically, the invention relates to the automated handling of strips of such clips, where strips of the clips are held together by interlocking portions of the clips. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     ‘Bag-clip’ types of closures are commonly used for holding closed the necks of flexible bags. Generally, these closure clips, also referred to as simply as ‘closures,’ ‘clips,’ or ‘bag-clips,’ are formed of semirigid flat, plastic material, and can be manufactured and handled in bulk as multi-closure strips of such clips, which can be separated by the automated breaking the connections between the adjacent clips of the strip, as each individual clip applied to a bag in succession. Conventionally, the individual clips in these strips are ‘frangible’ from adjoining, neighboring clips, in that they break apart easily to separate from the remaining strip of clips. These conventional clips have one or more ‘tabs’ or ‘webs’ that physically adjoin and interconnect each clip to the neighboring clip in the strip. 
     A difficulties occurs in the automated use of the clip-strips, in that the strips are not continuous and must be manually fed into machines that the clips to an article, such as a bag. 
     The following is a disclosure of the present invention that will be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an endless clip-strip feed spicier, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the endless clip-strip feed spicier, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the endless clip-strip feed spicier, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the endless clip-strip feed spicier, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a back view of the endless clip-strip feed spicier, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the endless clip-strip feed spicier, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a second front view of the endless clip-strip feeder, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a second top view of the endless clip-strip feed spicier, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of the endless clip-strip feed spicier sectioned along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 , according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the endless clip-strip feed spicier of detail  10  of  FIG. 9 , according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     Reference characters included in the above drawings indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, as discussed herein. The description herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and the description herein is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. It should be understood that the above listed figures are not necessarily to scale and may include fragmentary views, graphic symbols, diagrammatic or schematic representations, and phantom lines. Details that are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention by one skilled in the technology of the invention, or render other details difficult to perceive, may have been omitted. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides a clip-strip feed splicer, which serves as an endless clip-strip spicier and feeder of a strip of interlocking and interlock-able clips. The clip-strip feed splicer automatically couples rolls of clips together end to end without the need to halt the feed of the clips in a downstream use.  FIGS. 1 through 10  show a preferred embodiment of the endless clip-strip feed splicer, which can be referred to herein simply as a ‘splicer’  15 .  FIG. 1  illustrates the splicer processing a strip of clips or a ‘clip-strip’  17 , made up of a multiple of an interlock-able clip  18  The clips of the strip removably interlock together in series, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 . Each of the clips is typically formed of a flat material  19 , such as a thin plastic sheet or strip of polystyrene or other conventional material, and is often used to attach to a bag, and more specifically to close a neck of a bag. 
     Each clip  18  of the clip-strip  17  includes a first interlock element  20 A that is mate-able to a second interlock element  20 B of a neighboring clip  18 ′, to form the desired interlock  23  between the two clips. Preferably, the first interlock element is a pocket  21 , received into a tab  22 , which serves as the second element of the neighboring clip  18 ′. The interlock-able clip conserves space, as it is compact along the length of the clip-strip or in the preferred form of a clip-roll  24 , as compared to prior multi-closure clips. Typically, these clip-strips are approximately 0.0032 inches in ‘gauge’ or thickness and, are packaged conventionally in rolls with approximately 4,000 clips per roll. The present invention eliminates the need to stop an automated clip applying process, such as bread-bagging, to change-out empty rolls of clips. 
     Additionally, the terms “approximately” or “approximate” are employed herein throughout, including this detailed description and the attached claims, with the understanding that is denotes a level of exactitude commensurate with the skill and precision typical for the particular field of endeavor, as applicable. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  the splicer  15  includes the ability to hold two of the clip-rolls  24  on a pair of spools  25 , namely a first clip-roll  24 A received on a first spool  25 A and a second clip-roll  24 B, received on a second spool  25 B, with each spool mounted to a toggle  30 . The toggle is shown in  FIG. 8 , most preferably is a two lobed lever, mounted on a toggle arm  32  of the splicer  15 . As an alternative, it is envisioned that a symmetric, three-lobed lever toggle could be employed, with a third roll held on a third spool held as a rotating reserve, waiting to cycle through the splicer, in turn. 
     The toggle  30  rotates about a toggle pivot  31 , with the two spools alternating from a feed position  38  to a pre-stage position  39 . Initially, the first clip-roll in the feed position on the first spool un-reels its clip-strip into the splicer  15 , past a clamp mechanism  33  and through a pair of feed-rolls  35 . The clamp mechanism includes a stationary block  43 , preferably mounted above a moving block  44 . The moving block cycles reciprocally up and down, by action of a clamp servo  46  that rotates a block rod  47 , so that the moving block acts as a piston to clamp against the stationary block when the clamp servo rotates. The clamp servo is most preferably a electric servo-motor, or alternatively may be a conventional ‘stepper motor.’ 
     The pair of feed-rolls  35  primarily serve to pull the clip-strip  17  through the clamp mechanism  33 , but preferably can also stop slow or reverse the clip strip, if desired. With the first clip-roll  24 A feeding into the splicer  15  from the feed position  38 , the second clip-roll is queued-up in the pre-stage position  39 , with the first interlock element  20 A leading from the second clip-roll  24 B and positioned on the moving block and waiting for the last clip from the top roll to cycle into a clamping position  50  with the stationary block  43 . The pair of feed rolls are preferably driven by a feed servo  51 , which is most preferably a electric servo-motor, or alternatively may be a conventional ‘stepper motor.’ 
     The clip-strip  17  from the first clip-roll  24 A feeding from the feed position  38  into the clamp mechanism  33 , is monitored by a clip-sensor  55 . Primarily, the clip-sensor is employed to direct the clamp mechanism  33  operation of the splicer  15 . Most preferably, the sensor is two-part and includes an end-roll detector  56  and a clip-end detector  57 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . The sensors mount to the upper stationary block  43 , near the pair of feed-rolls  35 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 . 
     The end-roll detector  56  will sense the end of the first clip-roll  24 B for the clip-strip  17  entering the clamp mechanism  33 , and preferably will slow the pair of feed-rolls  35 . The clip-end detector  57  then senses a more precise second interlock element  20 B at the last clip of the first clip-roll. Most preferably, the pair of feed-rolls will reverse the feed of the clip-strip back toward the first spool  25 A, still in the feed position  38  for a predetermined number of clips  18 , which can be adjusted through use of a controller, which is most preferably a conventional programmable logic type of controller (PLC). This will allow the alignment of the remaining clip-strip from the first clip-roll to the incoming first interlock element  20 A as mounted in the moving block  44 , from the second spool  25 A at the pre-stage position  39 . Again, most preferably, the first interlock element of the interlock  23  is the pocket  21 , with the pocket is used as the leading end of first clip of each clip-roll, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and also most preferably, the second interlock element of the interlock is the tab  22 , with the tab used as the terminal end of last clip of each clip-roll 
     To interlock the clips from the first clip-roll  24 A to the second clip-roll  24 B, the moving block  44  runs reciprocally to clamp with the stationary block  43 , crating the interlock  23  between the first clip-roll and the second clip-roll. After clamping, the lower block returns to the a hold portion  60  at the bottom of its stroke, and the pair of feed rolls  35  resume pulling the clip-strips from the second clip-roll, which by rotation of the toggle  30  now travels to the feed portion, and so the second clip-roll becomes the first clip-roll and a replacement second clip-roll is placed on the second spool in the pre-stage position  39 . 
     Preferably, spring loaded register  70  holds the lead clip of the second clip-roll in alignment on the moving block  44 , as detailed in  FIG. 10 . Additionally, a low clip level detector can be employed for the pair of spools  25 , to warn of a low number of clips on the first clip-roll  24 A in the feed position  38 . A flashing light can let the operator know when to have the next roll installed so not to interrupt the flow of clips downstream. 
     Therefore, the present invention is a significant improvement over conventional clip feeding processes, in that currently in the typical clip feeder process, an operator would need to replace a new clip-roll by hand, and clear any clips have not feed through a clip indexer. This interrupts the production flow at least every two hours, depending on the size of the clip-roll. 
     In compliance with the statutes, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features and process steps. While this invention is susceptible to embodiment in different forms, the specification illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and the disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. Those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other embodiments and variations of the invention are possible, which employ the same inventive concepts as described above. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited except by the following claims, as appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.