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JP-7854705-B2 - Web processing machine equipped with ultrasonic sealer

JP7854705B2JP 7854705 B2JP7854705 B2JP 7854705B2JP-7854705-B2

Inventors

  • エヴァンズ，ホームズ ジョン
  • ホワイト，リー クリストファー

Assignees

  • シーエムディー コーポレーション

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20220427
Priority Date
20220426

Claims (20)

  1. A machine for forming a web into a bag or pouch, A sealing station in which the web is conveyed in the direction of the machine, wherein the sealing station is configured to form a wrap seal on the web, An input terminal configured to receive the web having a first web section and a second web section, An ultrasonic sealer having a horn and an anvil defining a nip between which a first side and a second side of the first web section pass, wherein the ultrasonic sealer is configured to form the lap seal on the first side and the second side of the first web section, and the anvil is positioned between the first web section and the second web section passing below the ultrasonic sealer, The sealing station comprises an output terminal configured to distribute the web formed inside the wrap seal, The web defines a gap between the first web section and the second web section, and as the web is transported through the sealing station, the anvil is in the gap, and each of the first web section and the second web section moves along both sides of the anvil. A machine in which the sealing station includes a frame extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the machine, the frame cantilevering the anvil within the gap .
  2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the first web section includes a first side and a second side of the web that overlap each other.
  3. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the web is continuously conveyed through the sealing station, and the ultrasonic sealer continuously forms the wrap seal on the web.
  4. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the web received via the input terminal has a tubular shape with an elliptical cross-section and a defined gap between the first web section and the second web section, the anvil is located within the gap, and each of the first web section and the second web section advances along both sides of the anvil, respectively.
  5. The web is transported through the machine in the direction of the machine, and the machine, A folding station upstream of the sealing station, the folding station further comprises a folding station configured to fold the first side and the second side of the web in opposite intersecting directions such that the first side and the second side of the web overlap each other. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the first web section includes the overlapping first and second sides of the web.
  6. The machine according to claim 5, wherein the folding station is configured to fold the web into a tubular shape.
  7. The machine according to claim 5, wherein the folding station is configured to fold the web such that a gap is defined by the web, and the anvil is positioned within the gap.
  8. The machine according to claim 1, further comprising a roller system configured to transport the web in the direction of the machine.
  9. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the web is transported through the machine in the direction of the machine, and the sealing station further comprises the arm assembly, configured to extend in the direction of the machine such that the arm assembly extends between the first web section and the second web section, thereby holding the anvil.
  10. The machine according to claim 9 , wherein the sealing station further comprises a frame extending in the lateral machine direction and spaced apart from the web, the frame supporting the arm assembly relative to the web.
  11. A machine for forming a web into a bag or pouch, wherein the first side and the opposite second side of the web are folded overlapping each other such that the web has a first web section including a first side and a second side, a second web section on the opposite side, and a defined gap between the first web section and the second web section, and the machine An ultrasonic sealer having a horn and anvil jointly configured to form a wrap seal on a first web section as the web is transported through the machine in the direction of the machine, A frame extending in a direction perpendicular to the machine direction and spaced apart from the web, A machine comprising: an arm assembly coupled to the frame and cantilevered within the gap, thereby supporting the anvil within the gap between the first web section and the second web section.
  12. The machine according to claim 11 , wherein the web has an elliptical cross-section.
  13. The machine according to claim 11 , wherein the arm assembly is movable along the frame in the intersecting direction so that the anvil can be repositioned relative to the horn.
  14. The arm assembly comprises a first arm coupled to the frame, a second arm extending in the machine direction and holding the anvil, and a channel between the first arm and the second arm. The machine according to claim 11 , wherein the web is transported along the arm assembly in the direction of the machine such that the first side surface of the web passes through the channel.
  15. The machine according to claim 14, wherein the first side of the web is transported along a first path along the arm assembly, and the second side of the web is transported along a second path along the arm assembly before the wrap seal is formed on the web .
  16. The machine according to claim 11, wherein the arm assembly comprises a first arm coupled to the frame and a second arm extending in the direction of the machine and holding the anvil, the second arm comprising a cooling component configured to cool the second arm, thereby cooling the anvil.
  17. A machine for making bags from a web having a first web section and a second web section, A sealing station through which the web is transported, the sealing station comprising an ultrasonic sealer having a horn, and an anvil defining a nip between which a first side and a second side of the first web section pass, such that the ultrasonic sealer is configured to form a lap seal therein, the anvil being positioned between the first web section and the second web section passing below the ultrasonic sealer , The sealing station is a machine that includes a frame on which the anvil is cantilevered so that the anvil is positioned between the first web section and the second web section .
  18. The machine according to claim 17 , wherein the web is continuously conveyed in the machine direction through the sealing station such that the horn and the anvil continuously form the lap seal on the first web section.
  19. The machine according to claim 17 , further comprising a roller system configured to transport the web through the sealing station.
  20. The machine according to claim 17, wherein a folding station is further configured upstream of the sealing station, the folding station being configured to fold the web such that the first web section is on the opposite side of the second web section and the web has a tubular shape.

Description

Cross-reference to related applications: This disclosure claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/181,475, filed April 29, 2021, and the entirety of that disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. This disclosure relates to a machine for converting webs, and more particularly to a machine that uses an ultrasonic sealer to convert webs into pouches or bags with a wrap seal. The following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. U.S. Patent No. 7,191,575 discloses a vertical filling and sealing continuous pouch machine having a molded tube. U.S. Patent No. 8,029,428 discloses a machine and method for manufacturing bags from web, moving from an input section to a rotating drum and then to an output section. U.S. Patent No. 10,946,591 discloses a method and apparatus for manufacturing bags or pouches. An ultrasonic sealer can be used to form a seal, and different seal patterns may be available. This summary is provided to introduce the selection of concepts further described below in modes for carrying out the invention. This summary is not intended to identify any important or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. In a specific example, a machine for forming a web into a bag or pouch includes a sealing section through which the web is conveyed in the direction of the machine. The sealing section has an input end configured to receive the web, which has a first web section and a second web section, and is configured to form a wrap seal on the web. An ultrasonic sealer having a horn and an anvil defines a nip between them through which the first web section passes. The ultrasonic sealer is configured to form a wrap seal on the first web section. The anvil is positioned between the first and second web sections. The output end is configured to distribute the web formed within the wrap seal. Various other features, purposes, and advantages will become clear from the following description, along with the drawings. This disclosure will be described with reference to the following figures. The same numbering is used throughout the drawings to refer to similar features and components. This is a perspective view of an exemplary machine in this disclosure. This is another perspective view of the machine shown in Figure 1. This is a schematic diagram of a web folded for wrapping and sealing. This is a perspective view of an exemplary arm assembly supporting an anvil in this disclosure. This is a perspective view of the arm assembly in Figure 4 interacting with the material web.Figure 4 is a perspective view of the arm assembly interacting with the material web. Figure 6 is a side view of the arm assembly. This is an end view of the arm assembly shown in Figure 6, which has a web made of material. This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary sealing station in this disclosure. This is a perspective view of an exemplary arm assembly. Figure 10 is another perspective view of the arm assembly. Figure 10 is a side view of the arm assembly. Figure 10 is an end view of the arm assembly. This is a cross-sectional view of the arm assembly in Figure 10 along line 14-14 in Figure 12. This is a perspective view of an exemplary anvil. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the anvil. This is a magnified view of the anvil in Figure 15, located within line 17-17 in Figure 16. Another illustrative perspective of an anvil. This is a magnified view of the anvil in Figure 18, located within the line 19-19 in Figure 18. This is a cross-sectional view of the anvil in Figure 18 at one of the grooves located approximately at the line 20-20 in Figure 19. Another illustrative perspective of an anvil. Figure 21 is an end view of the anvil. This is a magnified view of the anvil in Figure 21, located within the line 23-23 in Figure 22. This is a schematic diagram showing a partial cross-section of the web. This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary control system in this disclosure. Known web processing machines convert web, typically supplied as a continuous sheet of material from a web feed roll, into pouches or bags. The machine may be a continuous motion machine, an intermittent motion machine, or a hybrid machine possessing features of both continuous and intermittent motion. A continuous motion machine conveys the web at a constant speed, and various actions are performed on or against the web as the machine conveys the web through it. The machine can further perform various actions or operations on the web to create a bag or pouch. For example, the machine can use a sealer to form one or more seals on the web to at least partially form a pouch or bag. The machine can also heat the web with a heater, cool the web with a cooler, attach inserts (e.g., zippers) to the web, cut the web with a knife or cutter, and/or perforate the web with a perforator. The machine may include a rotating drum and/or shut