Patent Description:
Different machines and systems for quality control in bags manufacture are known in the state of the art.

Thus is <CIT> (<CIT> which relates to a bag dispensing device, especially for bags that have a previously folded part that is superimposed in a lateral wall of the bag, enabling the bag supply and control process to be automated by means of the arrangement of a sorting element provided with a pair of rotating elements, such that it selects, using control means, with artificial vision, the dimensionally correct bags from the bags that have some type of shape defect. The invention relates to a bag dispensing machine provided with a dispensing device of the above-mentioned type.

Also state of the art is Patent <CIT>, which refers to a method for sorting bags that comprises the following steps: the bags are provided by passing in plates, one after the other, being separated by a gap; the external edges of each bag is checked to determine if the plate and the position of the bag correspond to a calibrated bag or to a non-calibrated bag; non-calibrated bags are discarded; the calibrated bags are presented before the visual inspection system to determine the acceptable or non-acceptable quality of the inspected bag; and the acceptable bags are stacked and the non-acceptable bags are discarded after having passed by the visual inspection system. The invention also refers to a machine that implements the method.

It is also worth mentioning <CIT> which refers to a machine having a drum that conveys bags by gripping them by means of clamps, the bags being held by the perimeter of the drum and being released vertically into a box and being arranged vertically, and the last bag pushes all the previous group of bags to make room for itself and be stored with the group of bags.

Known is also Patent <CIT> which refers to a device for detecting flaws in the tubular bags bodies shapes, in particular in bag bodies folded to form rectangular-cuboid-shaped bags, while the bag bodies are transported along a conveying path on a conveying apparatus, comprising at least one contour sensor for detecting the contour of a bag body and a comparison apparatus for comparing the detected contour of the bag body with a desired contour, wherein the comparison apparatus sends out a shape flaw signal if the deviation between the detected contour of the bag body and the desired contour exceeds a predefined threshold. The comparison apparatus compares the detected contour of the bag body with a surrounding curve that represents the desired contour. The invention also refers to a device for producing bags from tubular bag bodies, comprising a shape flaw detection device.

Further, the European Patent <CIT> in the name of Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba is known in the technical field. It relates to a sheet sorting/conveying apparatus which includes a conveying unit, a sorting lever, a guide roller, and a positioning unit. The conveying unit pinches and conveys a sheet. The sorting lever guides the sheet pinched and conveyed by the conveying unit, in a first conveying direction or a second conveying direction different from the first conveying direction. The guide roller is opposed to the sorting lever and configured to guide the sheet being conveyed. The positioning unit applies a force elastically to the guide roller, thereby to set the guide roller at a prescribed position. The guide roller retreats from the prescribed position against the force applied by the positioning unit, upon receiving a force from the sheet being pinched and conveyed by the conveying unit.

Last, the Applicant company is also the owner of Patent <CIT>, which refers to a system for checking bags, a visual inspection bag machine and a bag conveyor machine that comprises a first stage wherein some supply means supply some bags to be checked, characterized in that it comprises: a second stage wherein the first visual inspection means or cameras check, according to a pre-established pattern, if the bottom of the bag is within said parameters, accepting it if it observes them and sending it to the third stage, or rejecting it if it does not observe them; and a third stage wherein some packaging means package those accepted bags. Claim <NUM> and subsequent of the Patent describe a bag conveying machine of the type comprising a rotating drum, driven by certain driving means and a bag retention means, characterized in that it comprises a first manual or automatic discriminator that deviates the bags towards a third container or to the following machine.

This patent application falls within the field of the machines for controlling bag manufacturing.

Said patent solves the problem of selecting two types of bags by means of a discriminator adopting two positions: one position that allows the bag to proceed through the drum, and another position that removes the bag from the drum and redirects the bag towards another machine or towards a bag warehouse.

The problem arises because in the case of bags advancing towards another machine or warehouse, if the bag has a small defect, it may be thrown above the other machine due to the impulse and the acceleration conveyed by the drum.

The inventors have solved this problem by adding a pressure roller above the diverter element that covers the diverter element, such that said pressure roller becomes an upper stopper for the bags that must continue to move forward, through the inner passage or, if the bags are deviated towards a different predetermined destination.

In this manner, the bags are prevented from being thrown away through the top by the effect of the acceleration carried from the previous machine or workstation, and from the possibility that the contact with the diverter element may cause them to lose continuity by rising above the conveyance means.

Furthermore, an advantage of the present invention is that it may be installed in checking machines of the types currently used, thanks to the versatility of the module.

An object of the present invention is a bag checking machine with a sorting module, installed before the bag is able to enter the checking machine, and which comprises driving means that activate the module, characterized in that said module comprises: a pressure roller that puts pressure on the bags as they pass through under said roller, which has an ascending and a descending motion, a first input roller being connected to conveyance means of the checking machine and to the pressure roller, and at least one automatic or manually-operated diverter element, positioned below said pressure roller, which has at least two positions, a first upward position that blocks the passing of the bags towards the conveyance means and guides them towards another predetermined destination, and a second downward position that defines a passage formed by the conveyance means while said diverter element blocks the passing of the bags towards the other predetermined destination and guides them towards the passage.

To facilitate the explanation of the invention, seven sheets of drawings are included herein. The drawings represent a practical embodiment, which is cited as a non-limiting example of the scope of the present invention, in which:.

<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> show a bag <NUM>, passing means <NUM>, conveyance means <NUM>, a drum <NUM> having an outer gripper <NUM> and a cam <NUM>, a first input roller <NUM>, a pressure roller <NUM>, a diverter element <NUM> and a passage <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate bag <NUM>, passing means <NUM>, conveyance means <NUM>, first input roller <NUM>, pressure roller <NUM>, diverter element <NUM>, passage <NUM> and a conveyance belt <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates bag <NUM>, passing means <NUM>, conveyance means <NUM>, drum <NUM>, outer gripper <NUM>, cam <NUM>, first input roller <NUM>, pressure roller <NUM>, diverter element <NUM>, passage <NUM> and a second input roller <NUM>.

Last, <FIG> shows bag <NUM>, passing means <NUM>, conveyance means <NUM>, first input roller <NUM>, pressure roller <NUM>, diverter element <NUM>, second input roller <NUM>, passage <NUM> and conveyor belt <NUM>.

Thus, in a practical embodiment, the present sorting module for bag checking machines, is one of the types that are installed before the bag enters the checking machine, that is, between the bag feeder machine and bag checking machine.

This module comprises driving means of a known type (not shown) that activate the module, for example, a servo motor.

The module comprises a pressure roller <NUM> that puts pressure on the bags <NUM> as they pass through under said roller <NUM>. It should be noted that this pressure roller <NUM> has an ascending motion that allows that any bags <NUM> that could have been blocked or trapped to be detected by the passing means <NUM> to pass, and a descending motion to recover its initial position.

The upward motion can also be used to facilitate the passing of the bags <NUM> on their way to the predetermined destination, allowing the diverter element <NUM> to fully free the flow of the bag <NUM> (<FIG>).

In addition, the module comprises a first input roller <NUM> that is connected to the conveyance means <NUM> of the checking machines and to the pressure roller <NUM>.

El pressure roller <NUM> may be driven by the conveyance means <NUM> and be formed as a part of the conveyance means <NUM>, as it is shown in the drawings. Otherwise, the pressure roller <NUM> can be driven by its friction with the drum <NUM> or the conveyor belt <NUM> or by independent driving means, such as an engine.

The module in addition comprises at least one diverter element <NUM> (the number of the diverter elements <NUM> will depend on the width of the module) that can be automatic or manually driven, that is, it will be either started by the passing means <NUM> upon detecting the jam, or an operator will start it manually upon reception of a signal from the passing means <NUM>.

The diverter element <NUM> is positioned under del pressure roller <NUM>, and has at least two positions, a first upward position which blocks the passing of the bags towards the conveyance means <NUM> (<FIG> y <FIG>) and guides them towards another predetermined destination.

The second position arranges the diverter element <NUM> downwards (<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>) which thus defines a passage <NUM> formed by the conveyance means <NUM>; the diverter element <NUM> thus blocks the passing of the bags <NUM> towards the other predetermined destination and guides them towards the passage <NUM>.

Optionally, the module can comprise a second input roller <NUM> connecting the pressure roller <NUM> (<FIG> y <FIG>) that allows keeping the bag <NUM> under pressure and to continue its due course towards the passage <NUM> or to the predetermined destination.

One of the possible embodiments of the diverter element <NUM> is in the form of a nail, as shown in the figures, but other shapes or configurations could be used depending on the machines in which the module is to be fitted. The number of nails will depend on the size of the module, starting from one nail.

As above stated, one of the embodiment comprises that when the nails <NUM> are in the upward position, the pressure roller <NUM> is likewise moved upwards, the nails <NUM> thereby completely blocking the passing of the bags <NUM> to the conveyance means <NUM> (<FIG>), thus facilitating the passing of the bags to the predetermined destination.

Optionally, when the passing means <NUM> detect a delay in the passing of the bags <NUM>, the pressure roller <NUM> moves upwards and, if the passing means <NUM> keep detecting the delay, they cause the nails <NUM> to move to the upward position, thus blocking the passing of the bags <NUM> to the conveyance means <NUM> (<FIG>). In other words, at a first moment, the passing means <NUM> attempt to let the bag that is delayed, for example, because it is higher than the normal, to pass towards the passage <NUM> by elevating the pressure roller <NUM> to avoid a jam. If this fails, the nails <NUM> move upwards, redirect the bags to the predetermined destination, and gradually stop the machines in use to allow the jammed bags <NUM> to be removed.

Constructively, it can be configured that the first input roller <NUM> be formed integrally with the conveyance means <NUM>, thus facilitating both the operation and the implementation of the modules.

The module works similarly when the feeding machine is fed by the drum <NUM> and when it is fed by the conveyor belt <NUM>.

If a conveyor belt <NUM> is used, the same conveyor belt <NUM> leaves bag <NUM> near the diverter element <NUM> and if the diverter element <NUM> is in a position for conveying the bag <NUM> to the passage <NUM>, it will divert its course and make the bag <NUM> pass under the pressure roller <NUM> and then through the first input roller <NUM>, which provides for its admission into passage <NUM>.

If the passing means <NUM> detect a problem, the pressure roller <NUM> will be elevated to let the bag <NUM> pass anyway. If the passing means <NUM> detect that the bag <NUM> has still not passed, they will change the diverter element <NUM> so that the bags <NUM> continue their course through the conveyor belt <NUM> until a different predetermined destination and, at the same time, the machine will gradually come to a stop.

If a drum <NUM> is provided, the bag <NUM> would be released from the outer gripper <NUM> by the interaction of the cam <NUM> in the manner described in document <CIT> of the same applicant.

Once the passing means <NUM> detect the jam, they will anyway rise the pressure roller <NUM>, and if the passing means <NUM> detect that the bag <NUM> has still not passed to the passage <NUM>, then the diverter element <NUM> would change its position so that the bags proceed to the predetermined destination and, at the same time, the machine will gradually come to a stop.

Claim 1:
A bag checking machine with a sorting module, installed before the bag (<NUM>) can enter the checking machine, and which comprises driving means that activate the module
characterized in that said module comprises:
- a pressure roller (<NUM>) that puts pressure on the bags (<NUM>) as they pass through under said pressure roller (<NUM>), which has an ascending and a descending motion
- a first input roller (<NUM>) connected to conveyance means (<NUM>) of the checking machine and to the pressure roller (<NUM>), and
- at least one automatic or manually-operated diverter element (<NUM>) positioned below said pressure roller (<NUM>), which has at least two positions, a first upward position that blocks the passing of the bags (<NUM>) towards the conveyance means (<NUM>) and guides the bags (<NUM>) towards another predetermined destination, and a second downward position that defines a passage (<NUM>) formed by the conveyance means (<NUM>) while said diverter element (<NUM>) blocks the passing of the bags (<NUM>) towards the other predetermined destination and guides the bags (<NUM>) towards the passage (<NUM>).