Methods for producing and filling bags with guide belts and bag assembly belts, bags, and bags on bag belts.

Abstract

A bag conveyor belt (10) configured to be guided through a filling station (80) includes: - a continuous guide (20) made of guide material (22) configured to be guided through the filling station (80), wherein the continuous guide (20) is connected to one or more bags (30) made of bag material (32) and including a bag opening (34) that provides access to the bag interior (36), wherein the one or more bags (30) includes two opposing bag walls (40a, 40b), each bag wall (40a, 40b) including: - a first side (42a, 42b) which are substantially opposite each other, thereby defining the bag interior (36); and - a second side (44a, 44b) opposite the first side (42a, 42b), wherein the continuous guide (20) is connected to each second side (44a, 44b).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a web of bags and a web of bag series, configured to be guided through a filling station. The web of bags and the web of bag series include continuous guides made of a guide material configured to guide through the filling station. The invention also relates to a bag for forming part of the web of bags or the web of bag series. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing the web of bags or the web of bag series, and a method for filling bags on the web of bags or the web of bag series. Background Technology

[0002] The efficient filling of contents or articles into bags on an industrial scale is an important technological field. Over the years, filling stations have been continuously developed and configured for efficient operation.

[0003] The filling station may be one of those devices disclosed in EP1087890, EP3160862, EP3160863, EP3307641, EP3277595 or WO2020108719, referred to as Schur® Star or Schur® StarLight. Other similar or alternative filling stations may also be used.

[0004] Bags serve multiple purposes beyond simply packaging contents or items for delivery. They can also protect the contents and items, and improve or even facilitate their delivery and presentation. Furthermore, bags protect the contents from contamination.

[0005] These filling stations and bag conveyors have been developed in tandem and are adapted to operate efficiently.

[0006] Polymers have proven to be effective both as guides and as connectors for use with filling stations, providing efficient conveying and handling. Polymers or similar materials have proven ideal as guides on bag conveyors due to their flexibility, durability, and tear resistance. Therefore, conveyors or bag conveyors can often be efficiently produced from the same material.

[0007] However, it has been shown that bags made from optimized materials, as well as those using automated or semi-automated processes, have a negative impact on the environment when discarded.

[0008] Existing production processes fill bags with material tape that have uniform and identical dimensions and shapes. However, some products may consist of multiple components and may require packaging with several bags of different shapes and sizes.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need to improve and provide alternatives to existing technologies for industrial-scale bag filling. There is a need for a durable bag that has a minimal environmental impact upon disposal.

[0010] There is also a need for a type of bag that can be filled and withstand automated or semi-automated industrial processes in order to produce large quantities of environmentally friendly bags.

[0011] There is also a need for a bag that can be produced without contaminating the inside of the bag, thereby avoiding contamination of the contents.

[0012] A bag feeder and a method for simultaneously filling multiple bags with different or the same contents are also required.

[0013] At the same time, it is necessary to ensure and maintain the existing efficient production system, namely automated or semi-automated efficient filling stations.

[0014] Purpose of the invention The purpose of this invention is to provide a bag material strip, a bag assembly material strip, and a bag for constituting part of the bag material strip or bag assembly material strip, which have good environmental protection properties and can be produced without contaminating the inside of the bag.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing bag material tape or bag assembly material tape, and a method for filling bags on bag material tape or bag assembly material tape, which is highly efficient, can fill two or more contents at the same time, and prevents the inside of the bag from being contaminated. Summary of the Invention

[0016] The object of this invention is achieved by a bag conveyor belt configured to be guided through a filling station. The bag conveyor belt includes: A continuous guide made of guide material, configured to guide through a filling station, and connected to one or more bags made of bag material, the bags having openings allowing access to the interior of the bag. One or more bags include two opposing bag walls, each bag wall comprising: - First sides, which are substantially opposite each other, thereby defining the interior of the bag; and - A second side opposite to the first side, wherein the continuous guide is connected to each second side.

[0017] This allows for the retention of existing guide configurations and compositions, enabling application in existing filling stations while allowing for the provision of bag materials with less environmental impact. Consequently, bags made from more environmentally friendly materials can be filled in an optimized manner in automated or semi-automated processes, even on an industrial scale, compared to guide materials that are typically made of polymers.

[0018] Another advantage is the provision of durability, meaning the bag remains durable both during the filling process and in its use as a bag itself, with minimal environmental impact from disposal and even recyclability. In other words, the bag can withstand automated or semi-automated industrial processes for filling, enabling the production of large quantities of environmentally friendly bags.

[0019] In some embodiments, the guide material and the bag material can be the same material, thereby providing a more recyclable bag. In other embodiments, the guide material and the bag material can also be different types of materials.

[0020] Another advantage is achieved by attaching the continuous guide to a second side opposite the bag wall (i.e., the outside of the bag). Since only the outside of the bag is affected during bag tape production, contamination of the bag's interior is effectively prevented. This is particularly advantageous for bag tapes used to package food, pharmaceuticals, or other product types that are highly sensitive to contamination and where contamination would damage the product.

[0021] Furthermore, the continuous guide connected to the outside of the bag makes the bag conveyor belt production process more efficient and faster. This is because the bulk bags contained within the conveyor belt can be manufactured on standard equipment, while the continuous guide is connected in a subsequent production stage. Therefore, bag manufacturing is faster and cheaper.

[0022] The continuous guide can be attached to one or more bags near or at the opening of the second side of the bag. The connection can also be positioned substantially along the opening of one or more bags in the bag feed. This minimizes the overlap between the continuous guide and the bags, reducing material waste and providing a more environmentally friendly bag feed, while also reducing cross-contamination between the guide and bag materials caused by mixing different material types.

[0023] The continuous guide can also be connected to the second side by a sealant or other sealing or connecting means.

[0024] In one embodiment, the bag material strip can be connected to the guide via splicing. The bag material may have markings pre-printed on a second side defining the splicing path, and the bag and guide can be connected along at least a portion of this splicing path. Splicing can be a method of connecting the guide and the bag material.

[0025] Joining can be performed by welding (including heat sealing) or by using glue or other adhesive methods. Other methods may include stitching.

[0026] In addition, the guide material has the same advantages as the bag after use.

[0027] In some aspects of bag material, the bag material is fiber material, paper, metal foil, or aluminum.

[0028] In this embodiment, the bag material of the bag strip is pure paper, thus providing a recyclable and environmentally friendly bag. Pure paper can be produced by adding as few additives as possible, for example, less than or equal to 5 wt% (weight percentage), so that the bag is below the pollution limits for recyclable packaging, thereby providing a recyclable bag.

[0029] Paper bag materials with an additive weight percentage of 5 wt% or less are preferred because most parts of the EU have restrictions on the additive content in recyclable paper.

[0030] "Pure paper" refers to the pulp portion. This pulp can be so-called virgin pulp or recycled pulp. Additives can be additives mixed into the paper, or they can be provided as a full or partial coating on one or more sides of the paper, or as printing on the paper.

[0031] In another embodiment, the bag material of the bag strip is paper. The type of paper used can vary depending on the requirements. The paper may be coated with a protective barrier layer to block moisture and grease. This coating may account for less than 5 wt% of the total weight of the bag material, thereby providing a durable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly paper bag. The paper may be partially coated or fully coated.

[0032] The density of paper can range from 30 to 150 g / m², or even from 30 to 250 g / m². Paper can be laminated or layered, for example, composed of 25 g / m² and 50 g / m², but is not limited to these values.

[0033] For example, paper bags can be made from paper with a density of 60-70 g / m² and as few additives as possible (e.g., less than 5 wt%).

[0034] The thickness can be approximately 10-500 μm, for example 50-200 μm, or approximately 100-120 μm. Its tensile stiffness (MD) can be approximately 10 kNm / g.

[0035] The paper or fiber material can be cardboard, cardboard, or paperboard.

[0036] In other embodiments, the bag material of the bag strip can also be aluminum or aluminum foil. These materials are particularly advantageous for use in pharmaceutical packaging in the pharmaceutical industry.

[0037] These types of fiber materials and metal foils are generally less flexible and are easily torn during transport, especially on an industrial scale, but they have significant advantages in terms of environmental friendliness or protective performance.

[0038] In some aspects of the bag material, the first side includes a polymer coating for blocking moisture and / or reducing friction.

[0039] This provides a barrier against moisture and grease, preventing the bag material from deteriorating due to moisture and grease in the contents.

[0040] The polymer coating reduces friction, ensuring a smooth first side surface and thus preventing or reducing abrasion of the product or contents to be packed into the bag. This is particularly advantageous for plastic products or contents, or other contents whose surfaces are easily abraded by friction.

[0041] Another advantage achieved by reducing friction through polymer coating is that it makes the filling process smoother because the contents are easier to get into the bag.

[0042] Another advantage of polymer coatings is that they can be used as a sealant for sealing bags after filling; that is, the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself. Therefore, the bag can be sealed, for example, by heating the polymer coating to seal the two opposing first sides together. This eliminates the need for additional sealants or other sealing / connecting methods when sealing the bag, simplifying the filling process.

[0043] In some aspects of the bag material, the density of the polymer coating is 1-10 g / m², 2-8 g / m², 3-7 g / m², 3-6 g / m², 4-5 g / m², 4 g / m², less than 4 g / m², less than 3 g / m², or less than 2 g / m².

[0044] The coating can account for less than 5 wt% of the total weight of the bag material. This provides a durable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly paper bag. The bag can be partially coated or fully coated.

[0045] In some aspects of bag material, the guide material is a polymer, a fibrous material (such as paper, paper with a polymer coating), or the same material as the bag.

[0046] In some embodiments, the guide material and the bag material can be the same type of material, thereby providing a more recyclable and environmentally friendly bag.

[0047] The guide material also has the same advantages as the bags mentioned above after use.

[0048] The guide material can be a polymer, thus preserving the existing guide configuration and composition, and can be applied to existing filling stations. Therefore, bags made from more environmentally friendly materials than guide materials can be filled in existing filling stations using automated or semi-automated processes.

[0049] In this embodiment, the guide material of the bag tape is plastic, such as thermoplastic or thermoplastic polymer.

[0050] In this embodiment, the guide material is a polymer, and the bag material is paper. This specific combination of polymer and paper enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bags containing contents, which can be discarded or recycled.

[0051] In some aspects of bag strips, the guide material is a polymer selected from polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE).

[0052] Those skilled in the art will understand the differences and be able to select configurations that offer the flexibility and durability suitable for existing filling stations. These polymers possess varying sealability and density, making them suitable for specific packaging or filling applications. The polymer exhibits sealability, temperature resistance, and suitable mechanical properties in terms of puncture resistance and flexibility (balanced with rigidity).

[0053] A specific combination of polypropylene or polyethylene guides and paper bags enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bags with contents that can be discarded or recycled.

[0054] In some aspects of bag strips, adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitched seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof are used to attach continuous guides to each second side.

[0055] In one embodiment, the bag may have a marking pre-printed on its second side, defining the splicing path for attaching the continuous guides to each second side. This marking on the bag may be made of varnish or adhesive. Varnishes, gloss varnishes, and adhesives with bonding properties are optional.

[0056] Those skilled in the art can use aqueous and acid-modified polymer dispersions. Polyolefin dispersions can be used and can be designed or formulated according to the specific application of the guide material and bag material. For combinations of paper and polymers, such polyolefin dispersions can be mixed and used as a starting point and base, modified as needed with rheology modifiers, waxes, etc., to form a strong bond after appropriate treatment (such as thermosetting).

[0057] In some aspects of bag strips, the continuous guide comprises two substantially parallel guide components, each of which is connected to a second side of one of them.

[0058] This provides an open top for the bag conveyor belt. This eliminates the need to cut / split the continuous guide in the filling station to open the bag conveyor belt for filling. The advantage is a simplified filling process.

[0059] In some aspects of the bag material strip, each of the two opposing bag walls includes an outward fold at the bag opening relative to the inside of the bag, thereby forming two outward strips on a first side, with a continuous guide connected to the two outward strips.

[0060] This provides a wider opening for one or more bags because the tension of the outward folds slightly pulls the two opposing bag walls apart. This makes filling the bags much easier at the filling station.

[0061] The outward fold is particularly advantageous in the following embodiment, wherein the continuous guide is made of a polymer (such as polyethylene or polypropylene) or paper with a polymer coating; and the bag material has a polymer coating on the first side (e.g., a paper bag with a polymer coating). The outward-facing strip on the first side has a polymer coating that can be directly welded to another polymer coating or directly to a polymer such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Therefore, the continuous guide can be directly attached to the outward-facing strip without additional sealant or other connecting means. Thus, the polymer coating itself acts as a sealant, and the continuous guide can be attached to the outward-facing strip, for example, simply by heating.

[0062] This enables a simple, efficient, and convenient way to connect continuous guides to one or more bags.

[0063] In some aspects of bag strips, adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitched seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof are used to attach each outward-facing strip to a second side.

[0064] This allows the outward-facing strip to be adhered to the second side and prevents the outward-facing strip from unfolding.

[0065] Varnishes, gloss varnishes, and adhesives with bonding properties can be selected.

[0066] Those skilled in the art can use aqueous and acid-modified polymer dispersions. Polyolefin dispersions can also be used. Such polymer dispersions can be designed or formulated according to the specific application of the guide material and bag material. For combinations of paper and polymers, such polyolefin dispersions can be mixed and used as a starting point and base, modified as needed with rheology modifiers, waxes, etc., to form a strong bond after appropriate treatment (such as thermosetting).

[0067] In some aspects of bag strips, continuous guides comprise two substantially parallel guide components, each of which is connected to one of the outward-facing strips.

[0068] This provides an open top for the bag conveyor belt. This eliminates the need to cut / split the continuous guide in the filling station to open the bag conveyor belt for filling. The advantage is a simplified filling process.

[0069] The above-mentioned object of the present invention is also achieved by a bag pack conveyor configured to be guided through a filling station. The bag pack conveyor includes: A continuous guide made of guide material, configured to guide through a filling station, wherein the continuous guide is connected to two or more bags of different sizes and / or different shapes arranged in a repeating pattern, wherein the two or more bags are made of bag material and include a bag opening for easy access to the interior of the bag. The two or more bags include two opposing bag walls, each bag wall comprising: - First sides, which are substantially opposite each other, thereby defining the interior of the bag; and - The second side opposite to the first side, the continuous guide is connected to each second side.

[0070] As a result, existing guide configurations and compositions can be retained and applied to existing filling stations, while also allowing for the provision of bag materials with less environmental impact. Therefore, bags made from more environmentally friendly materials can be filled in an optimized manner in automated or semi-automated processes, even on an industrial scale, compared to guide materials that are typically polymer-based.

[0071] Another advantage is achieved by providing durability; that is, the bag is durable during filling and during its use as a bag itself, and its disposal has a minimal environmental impact and can even be recycled. In other words, the bag can withstand automated or semi-automated industrial processes for filling, producing a large number of environmentally friendly bags.

[0072] In some embodiments, the guide material and the bag material may be the same material, thereby providing a recyclable bag. In other embodiments, the guide material and the bag material may also be different types of materials.

[0073] Bag packing tapes can fill two or more bags of different sizes and / or shapes arranged in a repeating pattern, facilitating the simultaneous packaging of multiple products, products composed of multiple components, or the packaging of the same product in bags of different shapes and / or sizes. The advantage lies in achieving a more efficient packaging and filling process and enabling the packaging and filling of multi-component products.

[0074] The final packaged product can be two or more bags of different shapes and / or different sizes connected together by continuous guides, thus forming a string of two or more bags.

[0075] For example, cake premixes for baking may contain multiple components that need to be mixed by the consumer. It is advantageous to package these components simultaneously when packaging the cake premix, allowing the entire premix to be packaged in one go. This can be achieved using a bag-packing conveyor, where the number of repeating bags in a set corresponds to the number of components, and these bags can vary in shape and size to match the quantity and characteristics of the components. At the filling station, these components can be filled simultaneously, and then each set of bags can be detached from the bag-packing conveyor. This results in a string of bags that constitute the complete cake premix.

[0076] Another advantage is achieved by connecting the continuous guide to a second side opposite the bag wall (i.e., the outside of the bag): since only the outside of the bag is affected during the production of the bag assembly tape, contamination of the inside of the bag is effectively prevented. This is particularly advantageous for bag assembly tapes used for packaging food, pharmaceuticals, or other product types that are highly sensitive to contamination and where contamination would damage the product.

[0077] Furthermore, because the guides are connected to the outside of the bags, the production process of the bag assembly tape is more efficient and faster. This is because the different shapes and / or sizes of bulk bags contained in the bag assembly tape can be manufactured on standard equipment, while the continuous guides are connected in subsequent production stages. Therefore, bag manufacturing is faster and cheaper.

[0078] The continuous guide can be attached to the second side of two or more bags near or at the bag opening. The connection can also be positioned substantially along the bag opening of two or more bags in the bag assembly tape. This minimizes the overlap between the continuous guide and the bags, reducing material waste and providing a more environmentally friendly bag assembly tape, while also reducing cross-contamination between the guide and bag materials caused by mixing different material types.

[0079] The continuous guide can also be connected to the second side by a sealant or other sealing or connecting means.

[0080] In one embodiment, the bag assembly tape can be connected to the guide via splicing. The bag material may have markings pre-printed on its second side defining a splicing path, along which two or more bags and the guide can be connected at least a portion. Splicing can be a method of connecting the guide and the bag material.

[0081] Joining can be performed by welding (including heat sealing) or by using glue or other adhesive methods. Other joining methods may include stitching.

[0082] Furthermore, the guide material retains the same advantageous properties as the bag after use.

[0083] In some aspects of bag assembly tapes, the bag material is fiber material, paper, metal foil, or aluminum.

[0084] In this embodiment, the bag material of the bag assembly tape is pure paper, thereby providing a recyclable and environmentally friendly bag. Pure paper can be produced by adding as few additives as possible, for example, less than or equal to 5 wt% (weight percentage), so that the bag is below the pollution limits for recyclable packaging, thus providing a recyclable bag.

[0085] Paper bag materials with an additive weight percentage of 5 wt% or less are preferred because most parts of the EU have restrictions on the additive content in recyclable paper.

[0086] "Pure paper" refers to the pulp portion. This pulp can be so-called virgin pulp or recycled pulp. Additives can be additives mixed into the paper, additives provided as a full or partial coating on one or more sides of the paper, or printed materials on the paper.

[0087] In another embodiment, the bag material of the bag assembly tape is paper. The type of paper used can vary depending on the requirements. The paper may be coated with a protective barrier layer to block moisture and grease. This coating may account for less than 5 wt% of the total weight of the bag material. Thus, a durable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly paper bag is provided. The paper may be partially coated or fully coated.

[0088] The density of paper can range from 30 to 150 g / m², or even from 30 to 250 g / m². Paper can be laminated or layered, for example, composed of 25 g / m² and 50 g / m², but is not limited to these values.

[0089] For example, paper bags can be made from paper with a density of 60-70 g / m² and as few additives as possible (e.g., less than 5 wt%).

[0090] The thickness of the paper can be approximately 10-500 μm, for example 50-200 μm, or approximately 100-120 μm. Its tensile stiffness (MD) can be approximately 10 kNm / g.

[0091] The paper or fiber material can be cardboard, cardboard, or paperboard.

[0092] In other embodiments, the bag material of the bag assembly tape can also be aluminum or aluminum foil. These materials are particularly advantageous for use in pharmaceutical packaging in the pharmaceutical industry.

[0093] These types of fibrous materials and metal foils are generally less flexible and prone to tearing during transport, especially on an industrial scale. However, they offer significant advantages in terms of environmental friendliness and protective performance.

[0094] In some aspects of the bag assembly tape, the first side includes a polymer coating for blocking moisture and / or reducing friction.

[0095] Thus, the provided moisture and oil barrier layer prevents the bag material from deteriorating due to moisture and oil in the contents.

[0096] The advantage lies in reducing friction through a polymer coating, which ensures the smoothness of the first side surface, thereby preventing or reducing abrasion of the product or contents to be packed into the bag. This is particularly advantageous for plastic products or contents, or other contents whose surfaces are easily abraded by friction.

[0097] Reducing friction through polymer coating also achieves another advantage: it makes the filling process smoother because the contents are easier to get into the bag.

[0098] Another advantage of polymer coatings is that they can act as a sealant for sealing two or more bags after filling; that is, the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself. Therefore, a bag can be sealed, for example, by heating the polymer coating to seal two opposing first sides together. This eliminates the need for additional sealants or other sealing / connecting methods, simplifying the filling process.

[0099] In some aspects of the bag assembly material belt, the density of the polymer coating is 1-10 g / m², 2-8 g / m², 3-7 g / m², 3-6 g / m², 4-5 g / m², 4 g / m², less than 4 g / m², less than 3 g / m², or less than 2 g / m².

[0100] The coating may comprise less than 5 wt% of the total weight of the bag material. This provides a durable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly paper bag. The bag may be partially or fully coated.

[0101] In some aspects of bag assembly tapes, the guide material is a polymer, a fibrous material (such as paper, paper with a polymer coating), or the same material as the bag.

[0102] In some embodiments, the guide material and the bag material can be the same type of material, thereby providing a recyclable and more environmentally friendly bag.

[0103] The guide material also possesses the same advantageous properties as the bag after use.

[0104] The guide material can be a polymer, thus preserving existing guide configurations and compositions and allowing application in existing filling stations. Therefore, bags made from more environmentally friendly materials than guide materials can be filled in existing filling stations using automated or semi-automated processes.

[0105] In this embodiment, the guide material of the bag assembly tape is plastic, such as thermoplastic or thermoplastic polymer.

[0106] In this embodiment, the guide material is a polymer, and the bag material is paper. This specific combination of polymer and paper enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bags containing contents, which can be discarded or recycled.

[0107] In some aspects of bag-type conveyor belts, the guide material is a polymer selected from polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE).

[0108] Those skilled in the art will understand the differences and be able to select configurations that offer the flexibility and durability suitable for existing filling stations. These polymers possess varying sealability and density, making them suitable for specific packaging or filling applications. They offer sealability, temperature resistance, and suitable mechanical properties in terms of puncture resistance and flexibility (balanced with rigidity).

[0109] A specific combination of polypropylene or polyethylene guides and paper bags enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bags containing contents that can be discarded or recycled. In some aspects of bag assembly tapes, adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitched seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof are used to attach continuous guides to each second side.

[0110] In one embodiment, the bag may have a marking pre-printed on its second side, defining the splicing path for connecting the continuous guides to each second side. This marking on the bag may be made of varnish or adhesive. Varnishes, gloss varnishes, and adhesives with bonding properties are optional.

[0111] Those skilled in the art can use aqueous and acid-modified polymer dispersions. Polyolefin dispersions can also be used. Such polymer dispersions can be designed or formulated according to the specific application of the guide material and bag material. For combinations of paper and polymers, such polyolefin dispersions can be mixed and used as a starting point and base, and can be modified as needed with rheology modifiers, waxes, etc., to form a strong bond after appropriate treatment (such as thermosetting).

[0112] In some aspects of bag assembly conveyors, the continuous guide comprises two substantially parallel guide components, each of which is connected to one of the second sides.

[0113] This provides an open top for the bag pack conveyor belt. This eliminates the need to cut / split the continuous guide in the filling station to open the bag pack conveyor belt for filling. The advantage is a simplified filling process.

[0114] In some aspects of the bag assembly, each of the two opposing bag walls includes an outward fold at the bag opening relative to the inside of the bag, thereby forming two outward strips on a first side, wherein a continuous guide is connected to these two outward strips.

[0115] This provides a wider opening for two or more bags because the tension of the outward folds slightly pulls the two opposing bag walls apart. This makes filling the bags much easier at the filling station.

[0116] The outward fold is particularly advantageous in the following embodiments, wherein the continuous guide is made of a polymer (such as polyethylene or polypropylene) or paper with a polymer coating; and the bag material has a polymer coating on the first side (e.g., a paper bag with a polymer coating). Because the outward-facing strips on the first side have a polymer coating, they can be directly welded to another polymer coating or directly to a polymer such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Therefore, the continuous guide can be directly connected to the outward-facing strip without additional sealant or other connecting means. Thus, the polymer coating itself acts as a sealant, and the continuous guide can be connected to the outward-facing strip, for example, simply by heating.

[0117] This enables a simple, efficient, and convenient way to connect continuous guides to two or more bags.

[0118] In some aspects of bag assembly tapes, adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitched seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof are used to attach each outward-facing strip to a second side.

[0119] This allows the outward-facing strip to be adhered to the second side and prevents the outward-facing strip from unfolding.

[0120] Varnishes, gloss varnishes, and adhesives with bonding properties can be selected.

[0121] Those skilled in the art can use aqueous and acid-modified polymer dispersions. Polyolefin dispersions can also be used. Such polymer dispersions can be designed or formulated according to the specific application of the guide material and bag material. For combinations of paper and polymers, such polyolefin dispersions can be mixed and used as a starting point and base, and can be modified as needed with rheology modifiers, waxes, etc., to form a strong bond after appropriate treatment (such as thermosetting).

[0122] In some aspects of bag-type conveyor belts, the continuous guide comprises two substantially parallel guide components, each of which is connected to one of the outward-facing strips.

[0123] This provides an open top for the bag pack conveyor belt. This eliminates the need to cut / split the continuous guide in the filling station to open the bag pack conveyor belt for filling. The advantage is a simplified filling process.

[0124] The object of the present invention is achieved by a bag constituting part of a bag feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or a bag assembly feeder according to claims 12 to 22, the bag being configured to be guided through a filling station. The bag includes an opening facilitating access to the interior of the bag, and the bag is made of bag material, and The bag comprises two opposing bag walls, each bag wall comprising: - First side, wherein the first side is substantially opposite to each other, thereby defining the interior of the bag; - A second side opposite to the first side, wherein each second side is configured to connect to a guide component for connection to a continuous guide.

[0125] This provides durability; that is, the bag is durable during filling and its use as a bag itself, with minimal environmental impact upon disposal and even the possibility of recycling. In other words, the bag can withstand automated or semi-automated industrial processes for filling, producing large quantities of environmentally friendly bags. Because existing guide configurations and compositions are retained and applied to existing filling stations, it also allows for the use of bag materials with less environmental impact. Therefore, bags made from more environmentally friendly materials can be filled in an optimized manner in automated or semi-automated processes, even on an industrial scale, compared to guide materials that are typically polymers.

[0126] Another advantage is achieved by configuring the second side for connection to the guide component of the continuous guide; that is, the bag is configured to connect to the guide component on the outside of the bag. Since only the exterior of the bag is affected during the production of the bag tape or bag assembly tape, contamination of the bag's interior is effectively prevented. This is particularly advantageous for bags packaging food, pharmaceuticals, or other product types that are highly sensitive to contamination and where contamination would damage the product.

[0127] This is further advantageous because the bags can be manufactured on standard equipment, while continuous guides are attached to the bags in subsequent production stages. As a result, bag manufacturing is faster and cheaper.

[0128] The second side can be configured to connect to the guide component near or at the bag opening. The connection can also be positioned substantially along the bag opening. This minimizes the overlap between the bag and the guide component, reducing material waste and providing a more environmentally friendly bag, while also reducing pollution caused by mixing different material types.

[0129] The bag can also be configured to be connected to a continuous guide via a sealant or other sealing or connecting means.

[0130] In one embodiment, the second side of the bag may be pre-printed with markings defining the splicing path, and the bag may be configured to connect to the guide component along at least a portion of the splicing path. The splicing can be a method of connecting the guide and the bag material.

[0131] Joining can be done by welding (including heat sealing) or by using glue or other adhesive methods. Other joining methods may include stitching.

[0132] In some aspects, the bag material is fiber material, paper, metal foil, or aluminum.

[0133] In this embodiment, the bag material is pure paper, thus providing a recyclable and environmentally friendly bag. Pure paper can be produced by adding as few additives as possible, for example, less than or equal to 5 wt% (weight percentage), so that the bag is below the pollution limits for recyclable packaging, thereby providing a recyclable bag.

[0134] Paper bag materials with an additive weight percentage of 5 wt% or less are preferred because most parts of the EU have restrictions on the additive content in recyclable paper.

[0135] "Pure paper" refers to the pulp portion. This pulp can be so-called virgin pulp or recycled pulp. Additives can be additives mixed into the paper, additives provided as a full or partial coating on one or more sides of the paper, or printed materials on the paper.

[0136] In another embodiment, the bag material is paper. The type of paper used can vary depending on the requirements. The paper may be coated with a protective barrier layer to block moisture and grease. This coating may comprise less than 5 wt% of the total weight of the bag material. This provides a durable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly paper bag. The paper may be partially coated or fully coated.

[0137] The density of paper can range from 30 to 150 g / m², or even from 30 to 250 g / m². Paper can be laminated or layered, for example, composed of 25 g / m² and 50 g / m², but is not limited to these values.

[0138] For example, paper bags can be made from paper with a volume of 60-70 g / m² and as few additives as possible (e.g., less than 5 wt%).

[0139] The thickness of the paper can be approximately 10-500 μm, for example 50-200 μm, or approximately 100-120 μm. Its tensile stiffness (MD) can be approximately 10 kNm / g.

[0140] The paper or fiber material can be cardboard, cardboard, or paperboard.

[0141] In other embodiments, the bag material may also be aluminum or aluminum foil. These materials are particularly advantageous for use in pharmaceutical packaging in the pharmaceutical industry.

[0142] These types of fibrous materials and metal foils are generally less flexible and prone to tearing during transport, especially on an industrial scale. However, they offer significant advantages in terms of environmental friendliness and protective performance.

[0143] In some aspects of the bag, the first side contains a polymer coating for blocking moisture and / or reducing friction.

[0144] This provides a barrier layer against moisture and grease, preventing the bag material from deteriorating due to moisture and grease in the contents.

[0145] The advantage of reducing friction through polymer coating is that it ensures the smoothness of the first side surface, thereby preventing or reducing wear and tear on the product or contents to be packed into the bag. This is particularly advantageous for plastic products or contents, or other contents whose surfaces are easily abraded by friction.

[0146] Another advantage of reducing friction through polymer coating is that it makes the filling process smoother, as the contents are more easily inserted into the bag.

[0147] Another advantage of polymer coatings is that they can act as a sealant for sealing bags after filling; that is, the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself. Therefore, a sealed bag can be achieved, for example, by heating the polymer coating to seal the two opposing first sides together. This eliminates the need for additional sealants or other sealing / connecting methods, simplifying the filling process.

[0148] In some aspects of the bags, the density of the polymer coating is 1-10 g / m², 2-8 g / m², 3-7 g / m², 3-6 g / m², 4-5 g / m², 4 g / m², less than 4 g / m², less than 3 g / m², or less than 2 g / m².

[0149] The coating can account for less than 5 wt% of the total weight of the bag material. This provides a durable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly paper bag. The bag can be partially coated or fully coated.

[0150] In some aspects of the bag, each second side is configured for connection to a polymer guide component.

[0151] In some embodiments, the second side may be configured to connect to the polymer guide component near or at the bag opening. The connection may also be positioned substantially along the bag opening. This minimizes the overlap between the continuous guide and the bag, reducing material waste and providing a more environmentally friendly bag, while also reducing contamination from mixing different material types.

[0152] In one embodiment, the bag may be configured to connect to a polymer guide component, the guide material of which is selected from polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE).

[0153] The combination of paper bags with polymer guides (such as polypropylene or polyethylene guides) enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bags containing contents that can be discarded or recycled.

[0154] In some aspects of the bag, each of the two opposing bag walls includes an outward fold at the bag opening relative to the inside of the bag, thereby forming two outward strips on the first side, wherein each of the two outward strips is configured for connection to a guide component of a continuous guide.

[0155] This provides a wider opening for the bag because the tension of the outward folds slightly pulls the two opposing bag walls apart. This makes filling the bags much easier at the filling station.

[0156] The outward fold is particularly advantageous in embodiments where the continuous guide is made of a polymer (such as polyethylene or polypropylene) or paper with a polymer coating; and the bag material has a polymer coating on the first side (e.g., a paper bag with a polymer coating). The outward-facing strip on the first side has a polymer coating that can be directly welded to another polymer coating or directly to a polymer such as polyethylene or polypropylene, so the continuous guide can be directly connected to the outward-facing strip without additional sealant or other connection means.

[0157] In some aspects of the bag, adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitched seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof are used to attach each outward-facing strip to a second side, thereby adhering the outward-facing strip to the second side and preventing the outward-facing strip from unfolding.

[0158] Varnishes, gloss varnishes, and adhesives with bonding properties can be selected.

[0159] Those skilled in the art can use aqueous and acid-modified polymer dispersions. Polyolefin dispersions can also be used. Such polymer dispersions can be designed or formulated according to the specific application of the bag material.

[0160] The object of this invention is achieved by a method for producing bag tape or bag assembly tape, the bag tape or bag assembly tape being configured to be guided through a filling station. The method includes the following steps: - Place two bag walls opposite each other, wherein each bag wall includes a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the first sides being substantially opposite to each other, thereby defining the interior of the bag; - Connect the side edges of the two bag walls to form the bag opening; - A continuous guide made of guide material is connected to two second sides to produce a bag strip or bag assembly strip.

[0161] A method for producing bag tape or bag assembly tape, wherein existing guide configurations and compositions are retained and applied to existing filling stations, while also allowing for the provision of bag materials with less environmental impact. Therefore, bags made from more environmentally friendly materials can be produced and filled in an optimized manner in automated or semi-automated processes, even on an industrial scale, compared to guide materials that are typically polymeric.

[0162] Another advantage is achieved by providing durability; that is, the bags produced by this method are durable during filling and during their use as bags themselves, and have a minimal environmental impact when discarded, and can even be recycled. In other words, the produced bag tapes or bag assembly tapes can withstand automated or semi-automated industrial processes for filling, thereby producing a large number of environmentally friendly bags.

[0163] In some embodiments, the guide material and the bag material can be the same type of material, thereby providing a bag that is easier to recycle. In other embodiments, the guide material and the bag material can also be different types of materials.

[0164] The bag material can be fiber material, paper, metal foil or aluminum.

[0165] In some embodiments, the first side may include a polymer coating for blocking moisture and / or reducing friction. This provides a moisture and grease barrier layer to prevent the bag material from deteriorating due to moisture and grease in the contents; while reducing friction to prevent or reduce abrasion of the product or contents to be packed into the bag.

[0166] The guide material is a polymer selected from polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), or a fibrous material (such as paper, paper with a polymer coating), or the same material as the bag.

[0167] The process of joining the two side edges of the bag wall can be a welding process (including heat sealing) or by using glue or other adhesive methods. Other joining methods may include sewing.

[0168] In this embodiment, the bag strip or bag assembly strip is formed from a single piece of bag material (e.g., a sheet or roll). Therefore, the step of placing the two bag walls opposite each other can be a step of folding the single piece of bag material, where the fold forms the bottom of the bag. Furthermore, the step of connecting the side edges thereby forms individual bags in a chain, each bag having its own independent interior.

[0169] Another advantage is achieved by connecting continuous guides to two second sides of the opposite bag wall (i.e., the outside of the bag). Since only the outside of the bag is affected during the production of the bag tape or bag assembly tape, contamination of the bag's interior is effectively prevented. This is particularly advantageous for bag tapes or bag assembly tapes used to package food, pharmaceuticals, or other product types that are highly sensitive to contamination and where contamination would impair product yield.

[0170] The step of connecting the continuous guide to the two second sides can be a step of connecting the continuous guide to the second side near or at the bag opening. The connection point can also be positioned substantially along the bag opening in the bag tape or bag assembly tape. This minimizes the overlap between the continuous guide and the bag, thereby reducing material waste and providing a more environmentally friendly bag tape or bag assembly tape, while also reducing cross-contamination between the guide and bag materials due to mixing different material types.

[0171] The continuous guide can also be connected to the two second sides by a sealant or other sealing or connecting means.

[0172] In an embodiment, the bag tape or bag assembly tape can be connected to a continuous guide by splicing. The method may include pre-printing markings defining the splicing path on two second sides of the bag material, and connecting the continuous guide to the two second sides may include connecting along at least a portion of the splicing path. Splicing can be a method of connecting the guide to the bag material.

[0173] Joining can be performed by welding (including heat sealing) or by using glue or other adhesive methods. Other joining methods may include stitching, or the use of adhesives, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitched seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof.

[0174] In addition, the guide material also possesses the same advantageous properties as the bags mentioned above after use.

[0175] In some aspects of the method, the connection step is the step of connecting two substantially parallel guide components of a continuous guide, wherein each guide component is connected to one of its second sides.

[0176] This produces bag-type or bag-type conveyor belts with open tops. This eliminates the need to cut / split continuous guides in the filling station to open the bag-type or bag-type conveyor belts for filling. The advantage is a simplified filling process.

[0177] In some aspects of the method, the method further includes a folding step prior to the connecting step, wherein the folding step is the step of folding a portion of each bag wall outward relative to the inside of the bag, thereby forming two outward-facing strips on the first side; and the connecting step is the step of connecting a continuous guide to the two outward-facing strips.

[0178] This allows for the production of bag slings or bag assembly slings with wider openings, as the tension of the outward folds slightly pulls the two opposing bag walls apart. This makes the bag filling process in filling stations much easier.

[0179] The folding step is particularly advantageous in some embodiments where the continuous guide is made of a polymer (such as polyethylene or polypropylene) or paper with a polymer coating; and the bag material has a polymer coating on the first side (e.g., a paper bag with a polymer coating). Because the two outward-facing strips forming the first side have polymer coatings, they can be directly welded to another polymer coating or directly to a polymer such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Therefore, the continuous guide can be directly attached to the outward-facing strips without additional sealants or other connecting means. Thus, the polymer coating itself acts as a sealant, and the continuous guide can be attached to the outward-facing strips, for example, simply by heating.

[0180] This provides a simple, effective, and convenient way to attach continuous guides to a bag.

[0181] In some embodiments, the method may further include the step of using an adhesive, glue, varnish, hot melt adhesive, seam, seam stitching, polymer dispersion, or a combination thereof to attach each outward-facing strip to each second side.

[0182] This adheres the outward-facing strip to the second side and prevents the outward-facing strip from unfolding.

[0183] In some aspects of the method, the connecting step is the step of connecting two substantially parallel guide components of a continuous guide, wherein each guide component is connected to one of the outward-facing strips.

[0184] This produces bag-type or bag-type conveyor belts with open tops. This eliminates the need to cut / split continuous guides in the filling station to open the bag-type or bag-type conveyor belts for filling. The advantage is a simplified filling process.

[0185] In some aspects of the method, the method is a method for producing bag material strips according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or bag assembly material strips according to any one of claims 12 to 22.

[0186] The object of the present invention is achieved by a method for filling contents into a bag in a bag feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 11. The method comprises the following steps: - Provide a continuous guide for the bag material strip, the continuous guide being configured to guide through the filling station, wherein the continuous guide, made of guide material, connects one or more bags, the one or more bags being made of bag material and including a bag opening; -Guide the bagged material belt through the filling station in a continuous guide; - To fill the contents into one or more bags; - Seal the bag or one bag; - Separate one or more bags from each other to obtain separate filled bags.

[0187] A continuous guide can connect one or more bags made of bag material and having bag openings. The bag material and the guide material can be the same type of material or different types of materials. In the latter case, the bag material can be less flexible than the guide material.

[0188] Therefore, this method also allows for the use of environmentally friendly guide materials.

[0189] This method allows for the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly, wasteable and / or recyclable bags containing contents or items.

[0190] In this embodiment, one or more bags made of a different material than the guide material can be produced efficiently, which is efficient and / or optimized for the filling station. Such bags can be made of environmentally friendly and / or recyclable and / or waste-safe materials compared to the guide material. The guide material can be a polymer, such as polypropylene or polyethylene, while the bag material can be paper, such as plain paper or paper with a polymer coating. The guide material and bag material can be as disclosed above. This specific combination of polymer (such as polypropylene or polyethylene) and paper enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bags containing contents, with minimal environmental impact from bag disposal or the bags being recyclable. Therefore, filled product bags or consumer product bags made of specific environmentally friendly materials (such as paper) can be provided.

[0191] The existing filling stations and similar equipment exemplified and disclosed in the patent documents can be constructed or used with little or no adjustment, thereby reusing existing industrial capacity to efficiently produce environmentally friendly packaging.

[0192] Other existing filling stations that are suitable for flexible guides as disclosed above can also be built or used.

[0193] In another embodiment, the bag material and guide material can be the same type of material, such as plain paper or paper with a polymer coating. The guide material and bag material can be as disclosed above. Therefore, bags and guides using more environmentally friendly materials can be filled in an optimized manner in automated or semi-automated processes, even on an industrial scale. Using the same material for both the bag and the continuous guide enables recyclable bags.

[0194] Another advantage of using the same material for continuous guides and one or more bags is that the material can achieve the same level of wasteability, recyclability and / or environmental friendliness.

[0195] Furthermore, the guide material possesses the same advantageous properties as the bags mentioned above after use. That is, the guide material is recyclable and / or has a minimal environmental impact when discarded. Therefore, the guide can be recycled or disposed of.

[0196] Another advantage is that efficient filling systems and machines can be used and maintained to fill bag packings with contents, thereby leveraging existing efficient production systems, namely automated or semi-automated efficient filling stations.

[0197] The bag can be sealed along the splicing path by splicing, welding or gluing as disclosed above.

[0198] In embodiments where the bag material of one or more bags includes a polymer coating on the inside of the bags, the sealing step can be a step of sealing one or more bags by means of the polymer coating. Since the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself, it can act as a sealant for sealing the bags after filling. Therefore, the bags are sealed, for example, by heating the polymer coating to seal the two opposite sidewalls of the bag containing the polymer coating. Thus, sealing the bags does not require additional sealants or other sealing or connecting means, which simplifies the method of filling bag packing.

[0199] The step of separating one or more bags from each other is the step of separating one or more bags from each other to produce a single consumer goods bag containing contents or articles. The bags may be cut off or otherwise separated. The bags may be cut along the side edges of one or more bags or otherwise separated.

[0200] In some aspects of this method, the sealing step is a step of sealing using adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, suture seams, or combinations thereof.

[0201] This results in one or more tightly sealed bags.

[0202] In some aspects of this method, the separation step is the step of disconnecting one or more bags from the continuous guide.

[0203] The disconnection step refers to the act of separating the bag from the guide to produce a single consumer product bag containing the contents or article. The bag can be cut or otherwise separated, essentially along the splicing path (i.e., the bag closure) and below or at the opening of the continuous guide. This separates them from the continuous guide, leaving little or no guide material on the individual bag.

[0204] Therefore, the residual guide material in the bag is significantly reduced or even completely eliminated. As mentioned earlier, the residual guide material can be accounted for in the additives. The weight percentage of the additives can still be less than 5 wt%, keeping the bag below the pollution limits for recyclable packaging. This provides an environmentally compliant recyclable or waste-use bag.

[0205] Because the continuous guide can be completely removed from the final formed bag, the purity of the final bag is improved, and the bag becomes easier to recycle. This allows for the production of pre-filled bags made from paper with a density of 30-65 g / m², while the additive content is equal to or less than 5 wt%. This makes these bags recyclable, at least within the EU.

[0206] Furthermore, the disconnected guide material retains the same advantageous properties as the aforementioned bags after use. That is, the guide material is recyclable and / or has a minimal environmental impact when discarded.

[0207] The object of the present invention is achieved by a method for filling contents into bags in a bag assembly tape according to any one of claims 12 to 22. The method comprises the following steps: - Provide a continuous guide for the bag assembly tape, the continuous guide being configured to guide through the filling station, wherein the continuous guide, made of guide material, connects two or more bags of different sizes and / or different shapes arranged in a repeating arrangement, the two or more bags being made of bag material and including bag openings; - Guide the bag assembly material belt through the filling station in a continuous guide, wherein the filling station includes two or more filling devices configured to dispense different and / or the same contents; - Simultaneously filling two or more bags with different and / or the same contents; - Seal two or more bags; - Separate two or more bags from each group to obtain separate filled bag groups.

[0208] A continuous guide can be connected to two or more bags of different sizes and / or different shapes arranged in a repeating pattern, wherein the two or more bags are made of bag material and include a bag opening. The bag material and the guide material can be the same type of material or different types of materials. In the latter case, the bag material can be less flexible than the guide material.

[0209] Therefore, this method also allows for the use of environmentally friendly guide materials.

[0210] This method allows for the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly, wasteable and / or recyclable bags containing contents or items.

[0211] A filling station comprises two or more filling devices configured to dispense different and / or identical contents. Thus, the method enables the simultaneous filling of different and / or identical contents into two or more bags of different sizes and / or shapes arranged in a repeating pattern. This facilitates processes for simultaneously packaging multiple products, packaging products composed of multiple components, or packing the same product into bags of different shapes and / or sizes. The advantage lies in achieving a more efficient packaging and filling process, which makes the packaging and filling of multi-component products possible.

[0212] The resulting filled bag set can be two or more bags of different shapes and / or different sizes connected by a continuous guide, thus forming a string of two or more bags.

[0213] For example, cake premixes for baking may contain multiple components that need to be mixed by the consumer. It is advantageous to package these components simultaneously when packaging the cake premix, so that the entire cake premix is ​​packaged in one go. This can be achieved using the aforementioned bag-and-pack filling method: the number of bags arranged in a repeating sequence corresponds to the number of components in the cake premix, and the bags can have different shapes and sizes to match the dosage and characteristics of each component. The filling station may also include several filling devices corresponding to the number of components. In the filling station, each component is dispensed into the corresponding bag by the corresponding filling device, and then each set of bags is separated from the bag-and-pack conveyor belt. This results in a string of bags that together constitute the complete cake premix.

[0214] In this embodiment, two or more bags made of a material different from the guide material can be efficiently produced, which is efficient and / or optimized for the filling station. Such bags can be made of environmentally friendly and / or recyclable and / or waste-safe materials compared to the guide material. The guide material can be a polymer, such as polypropylene or polyethylene, while the bag material can be paper, such as plain paper or paper with a polymer coating. The guide material and bag material can be as disclosed above. This specific combination of polymer (such as polypropylene or polyethylene) and paper enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bag assemblies containing contents, with minimal environmental impact or recyclability upon disposal. Therefore, pre-filled product bag assemblies or consumer product bag assemblies made of specific environmentally friendly materials (such as paper) can be provided.

[0215] The existing filling stations and similar equipment exemplified and disclosed in the patent documents can be constructed or used with little or no adjustment, thereby reusing existing industrial capacity to efficiently produce environmentally friendly packaging.

[0216] Other existing filling stations that are suitable for flexible guides as disclosed above can also be built or used.

[0217] In another embodiment, the bag material and guide material can be the same type of material, such as plain paper or paper with a polymer coating. The guide material and bag material can be as disclosed above. Therefore, bags and guides using more environmentally friendly materials can be filled in an optimized manner in automated or semi-automated processes, even on an industrial scale. Using the same material for both the bag and the continuous guide enables recyclable bags.

[0218] Another advantage of using the same material for continuous guides and two or more bags is that the material can achieve the same level of wasteability, recyclability and / or environmental friendliness.

[0219] Furthermore, the guide material possesses the same advantageous properties as the bags mentioned above after use. That is, the guide material is recyclable and / or has a minimal environmental impact when discarded. Therefore, the guide can be recycled or disposed of.

[0220] The bags can be sealed by splicing, welding or gluing, as disclosed above.

[0221] In embodiments where the bag material of two or more bags includes a polymer coating on the inside of the bags, the sealing step can be a step of sealing the two or more bags by means of the polymer coating. Since the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself, it can act as a sealant for sealing the bags after filling. Therefore, the bags are sealed, for example, by heating the polymer coating to seal the two opposite sidewalls of the bag containing the polymer coating. Thus, no additional sealant or other sealing or connecting means are required when sealing the bags, which simplifies the method of filling bag assembly tapes.

[0222] The step of separating two or more bags from each other is the step of separating two or more bags from other groups of bags to produce individual consumer goods bag sets containing contents or articles. The bag set can be cut off or otherwise separated. The cutting location can be along the side edge of the last bag in the bag set.

[0223] In some aspects of this method, the sealing step is a step of sealing using adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, suture seams, or combinations thereof.

[0224] This results in two or more tightly sealed bags. Attached Figure Description

[0225] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 A known system with a filling station having a material belt for filling bags is shown.

[0226] Figure 2 A known system with a fully automated filling station for filling bags is shown.

[0227] Figure 3 A filling station for filling bag assembly tape is shown.

[0228] Figure 4 A bag material strip is shown.

[0229] Figure 5 A bag assembly material belt is shown.

[0230] Figure 6 Cross-sections of different embodiments of bag strips or bag assembly strips are shown.

[0231] Figure 7 The image shows a bag separated from a bag conveyor belt or bag assembly conveyor belt.

[0232] Figure 8 A method for producing bag strips or bag assembly strips is shown.

[0233] Figure 9A method for filling bags in a bag feeder is shown.

[0234] Figure 10 A method for filling bags in a bag assembly conveyor belt is shown.

[0235] Detailed Implementation

[0236] Figure 1 A known system with a filling station 80 for filling bag conveyor belt 10 is shown. The filling station 80 can be a manual filling station 80, a semi-automatic filling station 80, or an automatic filling station 80.

[0237] The system is designed to fill bags 30 from a roll of bag feeder 10, wherein the bag feeder 10 is made of plastic material. Those skilled in the art know which plastic materials 10 are used. The properties of the plastic materials used are well known, and the system with the filling station 80 is designed to work with these plastic materials.

[0238] However, there is a growing demand for systems and bag feeders 10 for filling bags 30 made of more environmentally friendly bag materials 30 (such as paper or aluminum). The problem is that existing systems are designed for polymer or plastic materials, while the properties of paper differ significantly from those of the plastics or polymers used. Paper and aluminum have lower tear resistance than currently used plastics. Furthermore, paper and aluminum cannot withstand the same elastic or plastic deformation as polymers. Those skilled in the art will recognize that polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) are currently used to produce bag feeders 10.

[0239] If the polymer bag feeder 10 is replaced with a paper bag feeder 10 or an aluminum bag feeder 10, the system will tear or damage too many bags 30, rendering them unusable. Therefore, a new system must be designed that takes into account the properties of materials such as paper or aluminum, i.e., the limitations of these materials relative to currently used plastics.

[0240] Figure 2 A known system is shown with a fully automated filling station 80 for filling bag conveyor belt 10. The bag conveyor belt 10 is fed into the system from a packaging box.

[0241] The system is designed for use with bag feeders 10 made of polymers such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE). However, it would be ideal if the system could be used to fill bags 30 made of more environmentally friendly materials such as paper or aluminum, or any other material with mechanical properties different from plastic polymers.

[0242] Figure 4The bag strip 10 according to the invention is shown, which can be used even if the bag 30 is made of non-plastic materials such as fibrous materials (e.g., paper) or metal foil (e.g., aluminum). Figure 1 and Figure 2 The filling system shown according to the invention. Bag material 32 may include a polymer coating to provide a protective barrier layer against moisture and grease.

[0243] The bag conveyor belt 10 includes a continuous guide 20 made of guide material 22, configured to guide through the filling station 80, for example, but not limited to, [other applications]. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The filling system in the middle. The continuous guide 20 is connected to one or more bags 30 made of bag material 32. The one or more bags 30 have a bag opening 34 through which the bag interior 36 can be accessed to remove the contents.

[0244] The guide material 22 can be a polymer or fiber material, such as paper or paper with a polymer coating.

[0245] In some embodiments, guide material 22 and bag material 32 may be the same type of material, thereby providing a more recyclable bag 30 and a more environmentally friendly bag 30.

[0246] In other embodiments, the guide material 22 can advantageously be a polymeric material currently used for the bag feeder 10, such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), as the system is designed based on these plastic materials. The specific combination of the continuous polypropylene or polyethylene guide 20 with the paper bag 30 enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bags 30 containing contents, which can be discarded or recycled.

[0247] In this embodiment, the bag material 32 of the bag strip 10 is pure paper, thereby providing a recyclable and environmentally friendly bag. Pure paper can be produced by adding as few additives as possible, for example, less than or equal to 5 wt% (weight percentage), so that the bag is below the pollution limits for recyclable packaging.

[0248] "Pure paper" refers to the pulp portion. This pulp can be so-called virgin pulp or recycled pulp. Additives can be additives mixed into the paper, additives provided as a full or partial coating on one or more sides of the paper, or printed materials on the paper.

[0249] In another embodiment, the bag material 32 of the bag strip 10 is a polymer-coated paper used to block moisture and grease and / or reduce friction. The type of paper used can vary depending on the requirements. The coating may account for less than 5 wt% of the total weight of the bag material. The paper may be partially coated or fully coated.

[0250] The density of the polymer coating can be 1-10 g / m², 2-8 g / m², 3-7 g / m², 3-6 g / m², 4-5 g / m², 4 g / m², less than 4 g / m², less than 3 g / m², or less than 2 g / m².

[0251] The density of paper can range from 30 to 150 g / m², or even from 30 to 250 g / m². Paper can be laminated or layered, for example, composed of 25 g / m² and 50 g / m², but is not limited to these values.

[0252] The thickness of the paper can be approximately 10-500 μm, for example 50-200 μm, or approximately 100-120 μm. Its tensile stiffness (MD) can be approximately 10 kNm / g.

[0253] The paper or fiber material can be cardboard, cardboard, or paperboard.

[0254] One or more bags 30 can be formed separately as individual bulk bags 30 and then connected to the continuous guide 20. In other embodiments, one or more bags 30 can be formed from a single piece of bag material (e.g., sheet or roll). In this case, the individual bags 30 can be separated by a separation line (not shown), allowing one or more bags 30 to move independently. This separation line may be T-shaped at the continuous guide 20 to allow further movement.

[0255] Figure 6 A further shows a cross-section of the bag strip, wherein one or more bags 30 include two opposing bag walls 40a, 40b, each bag wall 40a, 40b including first sides 42a, 42b, the first sides 42a, 42b being substantially opposite to each other, thereby defining the bag interior 36. One or more bags 30 also include second sides 44a, 44b opposite to the first sides 42a, 42b, and a continuous guide 20 is connected to each second side 44a, 44b. Thus, the continuous guide 20 is connected to the outside of one or more bags 30.

[0256] The continuous guide 20 can be connected to one or more bags 30 near or at the opening 34 of the second side 44a, 44b. The connection 60 can also be positioned substantially along the opening 34 of one or more bags 30 in the bag feeder 10, thereby minimizing the overlap between the continuous guide 20 and the bags 30. This reduces material waste and provides a more environmentally friendly bag feeder by reducing cross-contamination between the guide and bag materials caused by mixing different material types.

[0257] The continuous guide 20 can also be connected to the second sides 44a, 44b by a sealant or other sealing or connecting means. Adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitch seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof can be used to connect the continuous guide 20 to each of the second sides 44a, 44b.

[0258] In this embodiment, the bag material strip 10 can be connected to the continuous guide 20 by splicing. The bag material 32 may have markings defining the splicing path 60 pre-printed on its second sides 44a, 44b, and the bag 30 and the continuous guide 20 can be connected along at least a portion of this splicing path 60. The splicing can be performed by welding (including heat sealing), adhesive bonding, or other bonding methods. Other connection methods may include sewing. The markings may be varnish or glue.

[0259] In an embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown in B, the continuous guide 20 may include two substantially parallel guide components 24a, 24b, wherein each guide component 24a, 24b is connected to one of the second sides 44a, 44b.

[0260] In another embodiment of the bag material strip 10, each of the two opposing bag walls 40a and 40b includes outward folds 50a and 50b at the bag opening 34 relative to the bag interior 36, thereby forming two outward strips 52a and 52b on the first side surfaces 42a and 42b, wherein the continuous guide 20 is connected to the two outward strips 52a and 52b.

[0261] Each outward-facing strip 52a, 52b can be attached to the second sides 44a, 44b using adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitch seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof. Varnishes, gloss varnishes, and glues with bonding properties can be selected to adhere the outward-facing strips 52a, 52b to the second sides 44a, 44b.

[0262] like Figure 6 As shown in C, the continuous guide 20 may include two substantially parallel guide components 24a, 24b, wherein each guide component 24a, 24b is connected to one of the outward-facing strips 52a, 52b.

[0263] In embodiments where the bag material 32 includes a polymer coating on the first sides 42a, 42b, the polymer coating can serve as a sealant for sealing the bag 30 after filling; that is, the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself. Therefore, the bag 30 is sealed, for example, by heating the polymer coating to seal the two opposing first sides 42a, 42b.

[0264] Figure 5 A bag assembly tape 100 according to the present invention is shown, which can be used as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 2 The filling system shown is suitable even if the bag 30 is made of non-plastic materials such as fibrous materials (e.g., paper) or metal foil (e.g., aluminum). The bag material 32 may contain a polymer coating to provide a protective barrier layer against moisture and grease.

[0265] The bag assembly conveyor belt 100 includes a continuous guide 20 made of guide material 22, configured to guide through the filling station 80, for example, but not limited to, [other applications]. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The filling system in the middle. The continuous guide 20 is connected to two or more bags 30 of different shapes and / or different sizes that are repeatedly arranged and made of bag material 32. The two or more bags 30 have a bag opening 34 through which the bag interior 36 can be accessed to remove the contents.

[0266] The guide material 22 can be a polymer or fiber material, such as paper or paper with a polymer coating.

[0267] like Figure 3 As shown, the bag assembly conveyor belt may also include a continuous guide 20 made of guide material 22, configured to guide through the filling station 80. The filling station 80 includes two or more filling devices 82 configured to dispense different and / or identical contents into two or more bags 30 along the conveying path. Thus, two or more bags 30 can be filled with different and / or identical contents simultaneously.

[0268] Therefore, the bag assembly tape 100 facilitates processes for simultaneously packaging multiple products, packaging products composed of multiple components, or packing the same product into bags 30 of different shapes and / or sizes. The final packaged product can be two or more bags 30 of different shapes and / or sizes connected together by continuous guides 20, thus forming a string of two or more bags 30.

[0269] Back Figure 5 In some embodiments of the bag assembly tape 100, the guide material 22 and the bag material 32 can be the same type of material, thereby providing a more recyclable bag 30 and a more environmentally friendly bag 30.

[0270] In other embodiments, the guide material 22 can advantageously be a polymeric material currently used for the bag feeder 10, such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), as the system is designed based on these plastic materials. The specific combination of the continuous polypropylene or polyethylene guide 20 with the paper bag 30 enables the efficient industrial-scale production of environmentally friendly bags 30 containing contents, which can be discarded or recycled.

[0271] In this embodiment, the bag material 32 of the bag assembly tape 100 is pure paper, thereby providing a recyclable and environmentally friendly bag. Pure paper can be produced by adding as few additives as possible, for example, less than or equal to 5 wt% (weight percentage), so that the bag 30 is below the pollution limits for recyclable packaging.

[0272] "Pure paper" refers to the pulp portion. This pulp can be so-called virgin pulp or recycled pulp. Additives can be additives mixed into the paper, additives provided as a full or partial coating on one or more sides of the paper, or printed materials on the paper.

[0273] In another embodiment, the bag material 32 of the bag assembly tape 100 is a polymer-coated paper used to block moisture and grease and / or reduce friction. The type of paper used can vary depending on requirements. The coating may comprise less than 5 wt% of the total weight of the bag material. The paper may be partially coated or fully coated.

[0274] The density of the polymer coating can be 1-10 g / m², 2-8 g / m², 3-7 g / m², 3-6 g / m², 4-5 g / m², 4 g / m², less than 4 g / m², less than 3 g / m², or less than 2 g / m².

[0275] The density of paper can range from 30 to 150 g / m², or even from 30 to 250 g / m². Paper can be laminated or layered, for example, composed of 25 g / m² and 50 g / m², but is not limited to these values.

[0276] The thickness of the paper can be approximately 10-500 μm, for example 50-200 μm, or approximately 100-120 μm. Its tensile stiffness (MD) can be approximately 10 kNm / g.

[0277] The paper or fiber material can be cardboard, cardboard, or paperboard.

[0278] Two or more bags 30 can be formed separately as independent bulk bags 30 and then connected to the continuous guide 20. In other embodiments, two or more bags 30 can be formed from a single piece of bag material (e.g., sheet or roll). In this case, the individual bags 30 can be separated by a separation line (not shown), allowing the two or more bags 30 to move independently. This separation line may be T-shaped at the continuous guide 20 to allow further movement.

[0279] Figure 6 A further shows a cross-section of the bag assembly tape 100, wherein two or more bags 30 include two opposing bag walls 40a, 40b, each bag wall 40a, 40b including first sides 42a, 42b, the first sides 42a, 42b being substantially opposite to each other, thereby defining the bag interior 36. The two or more bags 30 also include second sides 44a, 44b opposite to the first sides 42a, 42b, and a continuous guide 20 is connected to each second side 44a, 44b. Thus, the continuous guide 20 is connected to the outside of the two or more bags 30.

[0280] The continuous guide 20 can be connected to the second sides 44a, 44b of two or more bags 30 near or at the bag opening 34. The connection 60 can also be positioned substantially along the bag opening 34 of two or more bags 30 in the bag pack 10, thereby minimizing the overlap between the continuous guide 20 and the bags 30. This reduces material waste and provides a more environmentally friendly bag pack 100 by reducing cross-contamination between the guide material 22 and the bag material 32 caused by mixing different material types.

[0281] The continuous guide 20 can also be connected to the second sides 44a, 44b by a sealant or other sealing or connecting means. Adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitch seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof can be used to connect the continuous guide 20 to each of the second sides 44a, 44b.

[0282] In this embodiment, the bag assembly tape 10 can be connected to the continuous guide 20 by splicing. The bag material 32 may have markings defining the splicing path 60 pre-printed on its second sides 44a, 44b, and the bag 30 and the continuous guide 20 can be connected along at least a portion of this splicing path 60. The splicing can be performed by welding (including heat sealing), adhesive bonding, or other bonding methods. Other connection methods may include sewing. The markings may be varnish or glue.

[0283] In an embodiment, such as Figure 6As shown in B, the continuous guide 20 may include two substantially parallel guide components 24a, 24b, wherein each guide component 24a, 24b is connected to one of the second sides 44a, 44b.

[0284] In another embodiment of the bag assembly tape 100, each of the two opposing bag walls 40a and 40b includes outward folds 50a and 50b at the bag opening 34 relative to the bag interior 36, thereby forming two outward strips 52a and 52b on the first side surfaces 42a and 42b, wherein a continuous guide 20 is connected to these two outward strips 52a and 52b.

[0285] Each outward-facing strip 52a, 52b can be attached to the second sides 44a, 44b using adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitch seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof. Varnishes, gloss varnishes, and glues with bonding properties can be selected to adhere the outward-facing strips 52a, 52b to the second sides 44a, 44b.

[0286] like Figure 6 As shown in C, the continuous guide 20 may include two substantially parallel guide components 24a, 24b, wherein each guide component 24a, 24b is connected to one of the outward-facing strips 52a, 52b.

[0287] In embodiments where the bag material 32 includes a polymer coating on the first sides 42a, 42b, the polymer coating can serve as a sealant for sealing the bag 30 after filling; that is, the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself. Therefore, the bag 30 is sealed, for example, by heating the polymer coating to seal the two opposing first sides 42a, 42b.

[0288] Figure 7 A bag 30 is shown separated from the bag conveyor belt 10 or the bag assembly conveyor belt 100. This bag 30 corresponds to... Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 Bag 30 as described in the text.

[0289] Figure 7 The steps performed on the bag 30 after filling are further illustrated. Those skilled in the art will understand that the sealing operation of the bag 30 after filling can be performed before separating the bag 30 from the bag conveyor belt 10 or the bag assembly conveyor belt 100. For the bag assembly conveyor belt, what is separated from the belt is a string of bags containing two or more bags 30, rather than a single bag; therefore... Figure 7 For illustrative purposes only.

[0290] The bag 30 can be closed along the closure 62, which can be a splicing path, as disclosed above, by splicing, welding or adhesive.

[0291] In embodiments where the bag material 32 of the bag 30 includes a polymer coating on the inside of the bag 30, the closure 62 can be a seal made by the polymer coating on the bag 30. Since the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself, it can serve as a sealant for sealing the bag 30 after filling. Therefore, the bag 30 is sealed by, for example, heating the polymer coating to seal the two opposing first sides 42a, 42b of the bag 30 containing the polymer coating. Thus, no additional sealant or other sealing or connecting means are required when sealing the bag 30.

[0292] The bag 30 can be separated from the conveyor belt to produce a single consumer goods bag 30 containing contents or items. The bag 30 can be separated by cutting along the side edges 46a, 46b or otherwise.

[0293] Furthermore, bag 30 can be disconnected from continuous guide 20 by cutting or otherwise along disconnection path 64. Disconnection path 64 can be substantially above the closure 62 of closed bag 30 and below or at the opening of the continuous guide, thereby separating bag 30 from continuous guide 20 so that no or only a very small amount of guide material 22 remains on bag 30. Since continuous guide 20 can be completely removed from the final formed bag 30, the purity of the final bag 30 is improved, and bag 30 becomes easier to recycle.

[0294] Figure 8 A method 1000 for producing bag feed strip 10 or bag assembly feed strip 100 is shown, configured to be guided through a filling station 80. The method 100 includes the step of placing two bag walls 40a, 40b opposite each other 1100, wherein each bag wall 40a, 40b includes first sides 42a, 42b and second sides 44a, 44b opposite to the first sides 42a, 42b, the first sides 42a, 42b being substantially opposite each other, thereby defining as follows: Figure 6 The inside of the bag shown is 36.

[0295] Method 1000 also includes connecting the side edges 46a, 46b of the two bag walls 40a, 40b of 1200a to form a bag opening 34. The step of connecting 1200a can be a welding step (including heat sealing) or bonding by using glue or other adhesive methods. Other connection methods may also include sewing.

[0296] In this embodiment, the bag strip 10 or bag assembly strip 100 is formed from a single piece of bag material 22 (e.g., a sheet or roll). Therefore, the step of placing the two bag walls 40a, 40b opposite each other 1100 can be a step of folding the single piece of bag material 22, wherein the fold forms the bottom of the bag 30. Furthermore, the step of connecting the side edges 46a, 46b 1200a thereby forms a single bag 30, the single bag 30 having an independent bag interior 36.

[0297] Following step 1200a is the second step 1200b, in which a continuous guide 20 made of guide material 22 is connected to two second sides 44a, 44b, thereby producing bag material strip 10 or bag assembly material strip 100. This connects the continuous guide 20 to the outside of the bag 30 via 1200b.

[0298] Step 1200b, which connects the continuous guide 20 to the two second sides 44a, 44b, may be a step of connecting the continuous guide 20 1200b to the second sides 44a, 44b of the bag 30 near or at the bag opening 34. The connection 60 may also be positioned substantially along the bag opening 34 of the bag 30, thereby minimizing the overlap between the continuous guide 20 and the bag 30.

[0299] The continuous guide 20 can also be further connected to the two second sides 44a, 44b by a sealant or other sealing or connecting means.

[0300] In an embodiment, the bag material strip 10 or the bag assembly material strip 100 can be connected to the continuous guide 20 by splicing. The method 100 may include the step of pre-printing markings on the two second sides 44a, 44b of the bag material 32, which define the splicing path 60; and the connection step 1200b may be a step of connecting 1200b along at least a portion of the splicing path 60. Splicing can be a method of connecting the guide material 22 to the bag material 32.

[0301] Joints can be made by welding (including heat sealing) or by using glue or other adhesive methods. Other methods may include stitching, or using adhesives, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitching seams, polymer dispersions, or combinations thereof.

[0302] The connection 1200b step can also be a step of connecting two generally parallel guide components 24a, 24b of the continuous guide 20, wherein each guide component 24a, 24b is connected to one of the second sides 44a, 44b respectively.

[0303] Method 1000 may further include a folding step 1300 prior to the connecting steps 1200a and 1200b. The folding step 1300 is the step of folding a portion of each bag wall 40a and 40b outward relative to the bag interior 36, thereby forming two outward-facing strips 52a and 52b of the first sides 42a and 42b; and the connecting step 1200b is the step of connecting the continuous guide 20 to 1200b to the two outward-facing strips 52a and 52b.

[0304] The folding step 1300 is particularly advantageous, wherein the continuous guide 20 is made of a polymer (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene) or paper with a polymer coating, and the bag material 32 includes a polymer coating on the first side (e.g., a paper bag with a polymer coating). Because the two outward-facing strips 52a, 52b formed by the first sides 42a, 42b contain polymer coatings, these polymer coatings can be directly fused to the other polymer coating, or directly fused to a polymer such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Therefore, the continuous guide 20 can be directly connected to the outward-facing strips 52a, 52b without additional sealant or other connecting means. Thus, the polymer coating itself acts as a sealant, and the continuous guide 20 can be connected to the outward-facing strips 52a, 52b simply by, for example, heating.

[0305] In some embodiments, the method may further include the step of using an adhesive, glue, varnish, hot melt adhesive, seam, seam seam, polymer dispersion, or a combination thereof to attach each outwardly facing strip 52a, 52b to the two second sides 44a, 44b, thereby adhering the outwardly facing strip 52a, 52b to the second sides 44a, 44b and preventing the outwardly facing strip 52a, 52b from unfolding.

[0306] In some embodiments, the connection 1200b step is the step of connecting two generally parallel guide components 24a, 24b of the continuous guide 20 1200b, wherein each guide component 24a, 24b is respectively connected to one of the outward-facing strips 52a, 52b.

[0307] Method 100 may be a method for producing the bag material strip 10 according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or the bag assembly material strip 100 according to any one of claims 12 to 22.

[0308] Figure 9A method 2000 for filling contents into bags 30 in a bag feeder 10 is shown. Method 2000 can be a filling method 2000 for bags 30 in a bag feeder 10 according to any one of claims 1 to 11. Method 2000 includes the step of providing a continuous guide 20 to the bag feeder 10, the continuous guide 20 being configured to guide through a filling station 80. The continuous guide 20, made of guide material 22, connects one or more bags 30, which are made of bag material 32 and include a bag opening 34. The bag feeder 10 corresponds to... Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 The bag material belt 10 described in the text.

[0309] Method 2000 also includes the step of guiding 2200 bag material belts 10 through filling station 80 in continuous guide 20, followed by the step of filling contents 2300 into one or more bags 30.

[0310] Existing filling stations 80 (such as the aforementioned patent documents and) Figure 1 and Figure 2 Examples and publicly available filling stations (80) and similar equipment can be constructed or used with little or no modification, thereby reusing existing industrial capacity to produce environmentally friendly packaging.

[0311] Method 2000 also includes the step of sealing 2400 or more bags 30. The step may be sealing the 2400 bags 30 along a sealing point 62, which may be a splicing path, sealed by splicing, welding or adhesive methods as described above.

[0312] In some embodiments, the step is to seal 2400 using an adhesive, glue, varnish, hot melt adhesive, seam, suture seam, or a combination thereof.

[0313] In embodiments where the bag material 32 of one or more bags 30 includes a polymer coating on the inside of the bags 30, the closing step 2400 may be a step of sealing one or more bags 30 by means of the polymer coating. The polymer coating can serve as a sealant for sealing the bags 30 after filling 2300 because the polymer coating can be directly fused to itself. Thus, the bags 30 are sealed, for example, by heating the polymer coating to seal the two opposing first sides 42a, 42b of the bags 30 containing the polymer coating. Therefore, no additional sealant or other sealing or connecting means are required when closing the bags 30 2400, which simplifies the method 2000 of filling the bag tape 10.

[0314] Following the closure step 2400 is the separation step 2500, in which one or more bags 30 are separated from each other to obtain separated filled bags 30.

[0315] The step of separating one or more bags 30 from the bag feeder 10 2500 is the step of separating one or more bags 30 from each other to produce an individual consumer goods bag 30 containing contents or articles. The bags 30 may be cut off or otherwise separated along the side edges 46a, 46b of one or more bags 30.

[0316] In some embodiments of method 2000, the separation 2500 step may be or may include the step of disconnecting one or more bags 30 from the continuous guide 20. The disconnection step may be the act of disconnecting the bags 30 from the continuous guide 20 to produce individual consumer bags 30 with contents or articles, wherein the bags 30 may be cut or otherwise separated along the opening 34 generally along the disconnection path 64. The disconnection path 64 may be positioned above the closure 62 where the bags 30 are closed, and below or at the continuous guide 20. Thus, one or more bags 30 are separated from the continuous guide 20 such that little or no guide material 22 remains on the separated bags 30.

[0317] Figure 10 A method 3000 for filling contents into bags 30 in a bag assembly conveyor belt 100 is shown. Method 3000 can be a filling method for bags 30 in a bag assembly conveyor belt 100 according to any one of claims 12 to 22. Method 3000 includes the step of providing a continuous guide 20 3100 to the bag assembly conveyor belt 100, the continuous guide 20 being configured to guide through a filling station 80, wherein the continuous guide 20, made of guide material 22, connects two or more bags 30 of different sizes and / or different shapes arranged in a repeating pattern. The two or more bags 30 are made of bag material 32 and include a bag opening 34. The bag assembly conveyor belt 100 corresponds to... Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 The bag assembly material belt 100 described herein.

[0318] Method 3000 further includes the step of guiding 3200 bag assembly belts 100 through a filling station 80 in a continuous guide 20, wherein the filling station 80 includes two or more filling devices 82 configured to dispense different and / or identical contents, followed by the step of simultaneously filling 3300 different and / or identical contents into two or more bags. Figure 3 The filling station shown is similar.

[0319] Therefore, method 3000 facilitates packaging processes to simultaneously package multiple products or contents, or to package products consisting of multiple components, or to package the same product in bags 30 of different shapes and / or sizes.

[0320] The resulting filled bag set can be two or more bags 30 of different shapes and / or different sizes connected to each other by a continuous guide 20 to form a string of two or more bags 30.

[0321] For example, cake premixes for baking may contain multiple components that need to be mixed by the consumer. It is advantageous to package these components simultaneously when packaging the cake premix, so that the entire cake premix is ​​packaged in one go. This can be achieved by a method 3000 of filling bag assembly belt 100: wherein the number of repeating sets of bags 30 corresponds to the number of components in the cake premix; wherein the bags 30 may have different shapes and / or sizes to match the different quantities and properties of the components. A filling station 80 may include multiple filling devices 82 corresponding to the number of components. In the filling station 80, each component is dispensed into its corresponding bag 30 by the corresponding filling device 82; thereafter, each set of bags 30 can be separated from the bag assembly belt 100 to obtain a string of bags 100, which constitute a complete cake premix.

[0322] Existing filling stations 80 (such as the aforementioned patent documents and) Figure 1 and Figure 2 Examples and publicly available filling stations and similar equipment can be built or used with minimal modifications, thereby reusing existing industrial capacity to efficiently produce environmentally friendly packaging.

[0323] Method 3000 also includes the step of closing 3400 two or more bags 30. The closing step 3400 may be the step of closing 3400 bags 30 along a closure 62, which may be a splicing path, by using splicing, welding or adhesive as described above.

[0324] In some embodiments, the sealing 3400 step is a step of sealing 3400 using an adhesive, glue, varnish, hot melt adhesive, seam, seam stitching, or a combination thereof.

[0325] Following the closing step 3400 is the separation step 3500, in which two or more bags 30 in each group on the bag assembly belt 100 are separated to obtain individual filled bag assemblies.

[0326] The step of separating two or more bags 30 from the bag conveyor belt 3500 is the step of separating two or more bags 30 from other bag groups to produce individual consumer product bag groups containing contents or articles. The bag group may be cut off along the side edges 46a, 46b of the last bag 30 in the bag group or otherwise separated.

Claims

1. A bag conveyor belt (10) configured to be guided through a filling station (80), the bag conveyor belt (10) comprising: - A continuous guide (20) made of guide material (22) configured to guide through a filling station (80), wherein the continuous guide (20) is connected to one or more bags (30) made of bag material (32) and including a bag opening (34) that allows access to the interior (36) of the bag. The one or more bags (30) include two opposing bag walls (40a, 40b), each bag wall (40a, 40b) comprising: - First sides (42a, 42b), wherein the first sides (42a, 42b) are substantially opposite each other, thereby defining the interior of the bag (36); and - Second sides (44a, 44b) opposite to the first sides (42a, 42b), wherein the continuous guide (20) is connected to each second side (44a, 44b).

2. The bag material strip (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bag material (32) is fiber material, paper, metal foil or aluminum.

3. The bag material strip (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first side (42a, 42b) includes a polymer coating for moisture protection and / or reduced friction.

4. The bag material strip (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The density of the polymer coating is 1-10 g / m², 2-8 g / m², 3-7 g / m², 3-6 g / m², 4-5 g / m², 4 g / m², less than 4 g / m², less than 3 g / m², or less than 2 g / m².

5. The bag material strip (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The guide material (22) is a polymer, a fibrous material (e.g., paper, paper with a polymer coating), or the same material as the bag material.

6. The bag material strip (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The guide material (22) is a polymer selected from polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE).

7. The bag material strip (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The continuous guide (20) is attached to each of the second sides (44a, 44b) using adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, stitched seams, or combinations thereof.

8. The bag material strip (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The continuous guide (20) includes two generally parallel guide components (24a, 24b), wherein each guide component (24a, 24b) is connected to a second side (44a, 44b).

9. The bag material strip (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Each of the two opposing bag walls (40a, 40b) includes an outward fold (50a, 50b) at the bag opening (34) relative to the bag interior (36), thereby forming two outward strips (52a, 52b) on the first side (42a, 42b), wherein the continuous guide (20) is connected to the two outward strips (52a, 52b).

10. The bag material strip (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that, Each outward-facing strip (52a, 52b) is attached to the second side (44a, 44b) using an adhesive, glue, varnish, hot melt adhesive, seam, seam stitching, polymer dispersion, or a combination thereof.

11. The bag material strip (10) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The continuous guide (20) includes two generally parallel guide components (24a, 24b), wherein each guide component (24a, 24b) is connected to an outward-facing strip (52a, 52b).

12. A bag pack conveyor belt (100) configured to be guided through a filling station (80), the bag pack conveyor belt (100) comprising: - A continuous guide (20) made of guide material (22) configured to guide through a filling station (80), wherein the continuous guide (20) is connected to two or more bags (30) of different sizes and / or different shapes arranged in a repeating pattern, the two or more bags (30) being made of bag material (32) and including a bag opening (34) that allows access to the interior (36) of the bag. The two or more bags (30) include two opposing bag walls (40a, 40b), each bag wall (40a, 40b) comprising: - First sides (42a, 42b), wherein the first sides (42a, 42b) are substantially opposite each other, thereby defining the interior of the bag (36); and - Second sides (44a, 44b) opposite to the first sides (42a, 42b), wherein the continuous guide (20) is connected to each second side (44a, 44b).

13. The bag assembly material belt (100) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The bag material (32) is fiber material, paper, metal foil or aluminum.

14. The bag assembly material belt (100) according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The first side (42a, 42b) includes a polymer coating for moisture protection and / or reduced friction.

15. The bag assembly material strip (100) according to claim 14, characterized in that, The density of the polymer coating is 1-10 g / m², 2-8 g / m², 3-7 g / m², 3-6 g / m², 4-5 g / m², 4 g / m², less than 4 g / m², less than 3 g / m², or less than 2 g / m².

16. The bag assembly material strip (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that, The guide material (22) is a polymer, a fiber material (such as paper, paper with a polymer coating), or the same material as the bag material.

17. The bag assembly material strip (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that, The guide material (22) is a polymer selected from polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE).

18. The bag assembly material strip (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that, The continuous guide (20) is attached to each of the second sides (44a, 44b) using an adhesive, glue, varnish, hot melt adhesive, seam, stitch seam, polymer dispersion or a combination thereof.

19. The bag assembly material strip (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 18, characterized in that, The continuous guide (20) includes two generally parallel guide components (24a, 24b), wherein each guide component (24a, 24b) is connected to a second side (44a, 44b).

20. The bag assembly material strip (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that, Each of the two opposing bag walls (40a, 40b) includes an outward fold (50a, 50b) at the bag opening (34) relative to the bag interior (36), thereby forming two outward strips (52a, 52b) on the first side (42a, 42b), wherein a continuous guide (20) is connected to the two outward strips (52a, 52b).

21. The bag assembly material belt (100) according to claim 20, characterized in that, Each of the outward-facing strips (52a, 52b) is attached to the second side (44a, 44b) using an adhesive, glue, varnish, hot melt adhesive, seam, stitching seam, polymer dispersion, or a combination thereof.

22. The bag assembly material strip (100) according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that, The continuous guide (20) includes two generally parallel guide components (24a, 24b), wherein each guide component (24a, 24b) is connected to an outward-facing strip (52a, 52b).

23. A bag (30) constituting part of a bag feeder (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or a bag assembly feeder (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 22, said bag (30) being configured to be guided through a filling station (80), said bag (30) including a bag opening (34) providing access to the bag interior (36), and said bag (30) being made of bag material (32), and in, The bag (30) includes two opposing bag walls (40a, 40b), each bag wall (40a, 40b) comprising: - First sides (42a, 42b), wherein the first sides (42a, 42b) are substantially opposite each other to define the interior of the bag (36); and - Second sides (44a, 44b) opposite to the first sides (42a, 42b), wherein each second side (44a, 44b) is configured to be connected to a guide component (24a, 24b) of the continuous guide (20).

24. The bag (30) according to claim 23, characterized in that, The bag material (32) is fiber material, paper, metal foil or aluminum.

25. The bag (30) according to claim 23 or 24, characterized in that, The first side (42a, 42b) includes a polymer coating for moisture protection and / or reduced friction.

26. The bag (30) according to claim 25, characterized in that, The density of the polymer coating is 1-10 g / m², 2-8 g / m², 3-7 g / m², 3-6 g / m², 4-5 g / m², 4 g / m², less than 4 g / m², less than 3 g / m², or less than 2 g / m².

27. The bag (30) according to any one of claims 23 to 26, characterized in that, Each second side (44a, 44b) is configured to connect to the polymer guide component (24a, 24b).

28. The bag (30) according to any one of claims 23 to 26, characterized in that, Each of the two opposing bag walls (40a, 40b) includes an outward fold (50a, 50b) at the bag opening (34) relative to the bag interior (36), thereby forming two outward strips (52a, 52b) on the first side (42a, 42b), wherein each outward strip (52a, 52b) is configured to connect to a guide component (24a, 24b) of a continuous guide (20).

29. The bag (30) according to claim 28, characterized in that, Each outward-facing strip (52a, 52b) is attached to the second side (44a, 44b) using an adhesive, glue, varnish, hot melt adhesive, seam, seam stitching, polymer dispersion, or a combination thereof.

30. A method (1000) for producing a bag feed belt (10) or a bag assembly feed belt (100) configured to be guided through a filling station (80), wherein, The method (1000) includes the following steps: - Place (1100) two bag walls (40a, 40b) opposite each other, wherein each bag wall (40a, 40b) includes a first side (42a, 42b) and a second side (44a, 44b) opposite the first side (42a, 42b), wherein the first side (42a, 42b) is substantially opposite each other, thereby defining the interior of the bag (36). - Connect the side edges (46a, 46b) of the two bag walls (40a, 40b) to form the bag opening (34); and - Connect (1200b) a continuous guide (20) made of guide material (22) to two second sides (44a, 44b) to produce bag strip (10) or bag group strip (100).

31. The method (1000) according to claim 30, characterized in that, The connection (1200b) step is the step of connecting two generally parallel guide parts (24a, 24b) of the continuous guide (20), wherein each guide part (24a, 24b) is connected to a second side (44a, 44b).

32. The method (1000) according to claim 30, characterized in that, The method (1000) further includes a folding (1300) step before the connecting (1200a, 1200b) step, wherein the folding (1300) step is the step of folding (1300) a portion of each bag wall (40a, 40b) outward relative to the inside of the bag (36) to form two outward-facing strips (52a, 52b) of the first side (42a, 42b), and the connecting (1200b) step is the step of connecting the continuous guide (20) to the two outward-facing strips (52a, 52b).

33. The method (1000) according to claim 32, characterized in that, The connection (1200b) step is the step of connecting two generally parallel guide parts (24a, 24b) of the continuous guide (20), wherein each guide part (24a, 24b) is connected to an outward-facing strip (52a, 52b).

34. The method (1000) according to any one of claims 30 to 33, characterized in that, The method (1000) is a method for producing bag material strip (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or bag assembly material strip (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 22.

35. A method (2000) for filling contents into a bag (30) in a bag feeder (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the method (2000) comprising the following steps: - Provide (2100) a continuous guide (20) for the bag material belt (10), the continuous guide (20) being configured to guide through the filling station (80), wherein the continuous guide (20) made of guide material (22) connects one or more bags (30), the one or more bags (30) being made of bag material (32) and including a bag opening (34); - Guide (2200) bag material belt (10) through filling station (80) in continuous guide (20); - Fill (2300) the contents into one or more bags (30); - Seal (2400) one or more bags (30); and - Separate one or more bags (30) from each other (2500) to obtain separate filled bags.

36. The method according to claim 35 (2000), characterized in that, The sealing (2400) step is a step of sealing (2400) using adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, sewn seams, or combinations thereof.

37. The method according to claim 35 or 36 (2000), characterized in that, The separation (2500) step is the step of disconnecting one or more bags (30) from the continuous guide (20).

38. A method (3000) for filling contents into bags (30) in a bag assembly tape (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 22, the method (3000) comprising the following steps: - Provide (3100) a continuous guide (20) for the bag assembly conveyor (100), the continuous guide (20) being configured to guide through the filling station (80), wherein the continuous guide (20) made of guide material (22) connects two or more bags (30) of different sizes and / or different shapes arranged in a repeating pattern, the two or more bags (30) being made of bag material (32) and including a bag opening (34); - Guide (3200) bag assembly belt (100) through filling station (80) in continuous guide (20), wherein filling station (80) includes two or more filling devices (82) configured to dispense different and / or the same contents; - Fill (3300) different and / or identical contents into two or more bags (30) at the same time; - Seal (3400) two or more bags (30); and - Separate each group of two or more bags (30) from each other (3500) to obtain separate filled bag groups.

39. The method (3000) according to claim 38, characterized in that, The sealing (3400) step is a sealing (3400) step using adhesives, glues, varnishes, hot melt adhesives, seams, sewn seams, or combinations thereof.

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