Packaging machine and method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising: a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages, wherein respectively two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction, displace a packaging bag; and a feeding device for feeding a packaging bag to the conveying device, in particular to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; wherein the packaging bag, when being fed to the conveying device, and the carriages, when receiving the packaging bag, are displaced in the conveying direction.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a packaging machine with a feeding device for packaging bags, a packaging machine with a weighing device, and a method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine.

[0002] Packaging machines for producing, filling, and closing packaging bags are often designed for a specific packaging bag and for a specific filling material and are not individually controllable, or only to a limited extent. In particular when the packaging material, the packaging bag, and / or the filling material is changed, retooling the packaging machine is necessary, with considerable effort, expense, and time. For example, the form / shape and / or material of produced packaging bags can vary between different products, batches, and / or production cycles, so that one or more devices of the packaging machine and / or process steps of the packaging method must be adapted accordingly to ensure proper functioning.

[0003] New concepts for packaging machines allow for a flexible adaptation of many process sequences, including an individual control of each packaging bag transported by the packaging machine. Some processes can be adapted relatively easily, for example, using software, such as the quantity and / or type of filling material to be filled into the packaging bag. The devices for picking up and / or holding and transporting the packaging bag to different stations, such as filling station and closing station, can also be flexibly adapted to changing formats of the packaging bag. In contrast, adjusting a device for transferring a packaging bag made of packaging material to the transport device, for example, requires a comparatively significant additional effort. Depending on the design and dimensions of the packaging machine, this retooling process can be associated with a considerable amount of time, resulting in a long downtime of the packaging machine during which the packaging machine cannot be operated.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine and a method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine, which allows produced packaging bags with different formats to be transferred to a conveying device of a packaging machine in an advantageous manner. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine with an advantageous device for measuring a fill weight of packaging bags of different formats.

[0005] These objects are achieved by the subject matters of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the subclaims.

[0006] A first aspect of the invention relates to a packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising: a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, wherein respectively two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction and / or production direction, displace a packaging bag; and a feeding device for feeding a packaging bag to the conveying device, in particular to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; wherein the packaging bag, when being fed to the conveying device, and the carriages, when receiving the packaging bag, are displaced in the conveying direction.

[0007] Two types of packaging machines are particularly common in the packaging industry: horizontal form, fill, and seal machines (HFFS) and vertical form, fill, and seal machines (VFFS). These packaging machines and packaging methods differ in particular with regard to the substantial conveying direction of the packaging material or the packaging bags. In an HFFS method, the packaging material and / or the produced packaging bags are conveyed substantially in a horizontal direction. The present application is directed in particular to such a system and / or method, but is not limited to it.

[0008] A conveying direction and / or production direction (hereinafter referred to as the conveying direction) refers in particular to a direction in which the packaging material and / or a produced and / or closed packaging bag is displaced, in particular from one station to the next. The conveying direction can change within a packaging machine or remain substantially the same, in particular, it can be linear and / or curved at least in some areas. The conveying direction is in particular a direction along a conveying track or rail of the conveying device, at which the carriages and / or the packaging bags held by the carriages are conveyed. Preferably, the conveying direction is substantially flat and / or in a substantially horizontal plane. Preferably, the conveying direction is substantially rectilinear in the area of the feeding device and / or across a area of the conveying device in which the feeding and / or transfer of the packaging bag takes place.

[0009] The conveying device is preferably designed to convey and / or displace a plurality of carriages in a conveying direction along the conveying track. The conveying track can in particular have features of an electromagnetic linear motor, in particular a plurality of electromagnets arranged side by side, and / or form one or more electromagnetic stators to displace the plurality of carriages, which are preferably designed as rotors. Parameters of the carriages, such as in particular speed, displacement direction, acceleration, and position along the conveying track, are preferably controllable and / or detectable.

[0010] The plurality of carriages can in particular be designed as shuttles for a magnetic shuttle system, which are preferably conveyable along a track. Such shuttles are advantageous because in particular the time and / or speed and / or acceleration of the displacement of the shuttles can be individually controlled. This allows the carriages to be displaced differently and individually at different stations and / or in different areas of the packaging machine, thereby achieving an optimal process speed. In particular, the distance between adjacent carriages in the conveying direction can be adjusted or changed, as described below.

[0011] Preferably, two carriages adjacent in the conveying direction are configured to jointly accept and / or receive and / or hold and / or pick up a produced and / or filled and / or closed packaging bag.

[0012] The adjacent carriages are preferably displaceable relative to one another, so that the conveying device is configured to advantageously hold and displace packaging bags of different dimensions, in particular different widths, and in particular without any retooling effort. In this way, an advantageous “format freedom” of the packaging machine, in particular the conveying device, can be achieved.

[0013] A produced packaging bag refers in particular to a packaging bag formed from one or more layers of packaging material, which has an opening for filling with filling material. A closed packaging bag refers in particular to a packaging bag that has a closed opening and is preferably filled with filling material and / or is substantially hermetically closed or sealed.

[0014] Filling material refers in particular to bulk material, which, for example, substantially comprises powdery, granular, and / or lumpy mixtures, preferably in pourable form. Filling material also substantially comprises fluid, particularly liquid, materials, as well as mixed forms and / or mixtures of the aforementioned. Filling material within the meaning of this application also includes so-called loose goods, i.e. substantially pourable, definable, or quantifiable units, such as hardware or assembly accessories (e.g. screws, nuts, nails, washers, felt pads, and the like), craft and sewing materials (e.g. beads, snap fasteners, sequins, and the like), stationery (e.g. paper clips, and the like), toys (e.g. building blocks, game pieces, dice, and the like), and food (e.g. biscuits, cereals / muesli, coffee, rice, pasta, sugar, salt, and the like). Alternatively and / or additionally, packaging bags may be suitable for containing a single item, such as a connecting cable, a hand tool or the like.

[0015] The conveying device is particularly designed to displace two adjacent carriages together holding a packaging bag substantially synchronously and / or uniformly. This is particularly advantageous because, when the held packaging bag is conveyed by the carriages, substantially no, or at least only little, force acts on the packaging bag from the carriages and / or substantially no, or at least only little, deformation of the packaging bag occurs. This ensures gentle conveyance of the packaging bags by means of the carriages.

[0016] The feeding device is particularly designed to feed a finished packaging bag to the conveying device and / or to transfer a finished packaging bag to the conveying device, in particular to two adjacent carriages. Preferably, the packaging bag is held at least temporarily simultaneously by both the feeding device and the conveying device, in particular by two carriages.

[0017] Preferably, the feeding device and the conveying device form a transfer area in which the transfer of the packaging bag from the feeding device to the conveying device or to the carriages takes place. The transfer area is preferably formed in an overlapping area between at least part of the feeding device and at least part of the conveying track and / or extends in the conveying direction along part of the conveying track. In particular, the transfer area comprises an area in which the packaging bag to be transferred is held by the feeding device and arranged substantially parallel to the conveying track and such that one of the two carriages assigned to the packaging bag is positioned in front of the packaging bag in the conveying direction and the other carriage is positioned behind the packaging bag in the conveying direction, with both carriages being positioned in an area between the feeding device and the conveying track.

[0018] In particular, the feeding device is designed to displace the packaging bag substantially in the conveying direction when feeding and / or transfer. This allows for a higher process speed to be achieved, since the packaging bags do not need to be accelerated from a standstill after being fed and / or transferred to the conveying device, but rather already have a speed in the conveying direction. The speed of the packaging bags in the conveying direction can be reduced or increased. In particular, the speed of the packaging bags in the conveying device can be reduced for the transfer, for example, by between approximately 50% and approximately 90%. Alternatively or additionally, the speed of the packaging bags can be increased after the transfer, for example, to between approximately 200% and approximately 1000% compared to the speed during the transfer.

[0019] Alternatively or additionally, the feeding device and the conveying device can be designed to carry out the feeding and / or transfer of the packaging bags to the conveying device intermittently and / or to feed the packaging bags in the conveying direction of the conveying device when the packaging bags are temporarily at a near standstill. Particularly preferably, the packaging bags do not change direction and / or are preferably conveyed further “inline”.

[0020] The feeding device is preferably designed to hold and / or convey packaging bags of different dimensions, in particular of different widths. This is particularly advantageous in conjunction with an also “format-free” conveying device, such as a magnetic shuttle system.

[0021] The feeding device is preferably designed to transfer and / or feed one or more, in particular one, two, three, or four, packaging bags to the conveying device substantially simultaneously and / or in the same way. Likewise, the conveying device can be designed to convey one or more, in particular one, two, three, or four, packaging bags substantially simultaneously and / or in the same way.

[0022] Preferably, the packaging bag is displaced when feeding substantially without acceleration, in particular at a substantially constant speed, and / or substantially only in the conveying direction. In particular, the packaging bag is not or only slightly displaced perpendicular to the conveying direction when feeding and / or transfer. In particular, this has the advantage that no deformation and / or bending of the packaging bag occurs during transfer due to the inertia of the packaging bag. In particular, the lower end of the packaging bag in the vertical direction is always arranged substantially below the upper, held area of the packaging bag during transfer. In particular, deformation of the packaging bag caused by the inertia of the lower end of the packaging bag during transfer can be reduced, preferably substantially prevented. This can in particular increase the process speed.

[0023] Preferably, the carriages are displaced in the conveying direction during transfer and / or gripping of the packaging bag in order to receive the displaced packaging bag.

[0024] Preferably, a packaging bag and two carriages associated with it approach each other immediately before and / or during transfer, wherein neither the packaging bag nor the carriages are displaced exclusively orthogonally to the conveying direction immediately before and / or during transfer.

[0025] Preferably, two adjacent carriages respectively have a holding device for engagement with respectively opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0026] The carriages preferably respectively have a holding device and / or gripping device for gripping and / or holding a portion of the packaging bag, in particular a lateral, upper edge area of the packaging bag. Preferably, the adjacent carriages are respectively designed to grip opposite portions of the packaging bag, preferably arranged substantially horizontally, from the side of the packaging bag.

[0027] The holding device and / or gripping device can in particular have two holder elements that are displaceable with respect to one another. For example, a first holder element is arranged substantially stationary with respect to the carriage, and a second holder element is designed to move away from the first holder element at least temporarily, so that a portion of a packaging bag can be positioned between the holder elements. The second holder element is then brought back toward the first holder element or engaged with it and the packaging bag. Alternatively, both holder elements of a holding device can be displaceable.

[0028] Preferably, the holding devices of the adjacent carriages are designed substantially mirror-symmetrically, so that one of the carriages can grip the packaging bag from one side and the other carriage can grip the packaging bag from the other, opposite side.

[0029] Preferably, the conveying device comprises a conveying track, wherein the carriages are arranged substantially in a vertical alignment along the conveying track. This offers the advantage that the conveying track can form complex profiles, in particular with horizontal curves, and / or can displace the packaging bags to stations that are not arranged in a straight line. Therefore, the packaging machine can have a flexible and / or needs-adapted and / or complex structure. Such an alignment offers, in particular, advantageous accessibility to the conveying track and / or the carriages arranged thereon, for example for installation and / or maintenance. Maintenance and / or cleaning effort for the conveying track and the carriages can also be reduced, since less dirt and / or dust can settle at the conveying track. In particular, with the described alignment, the carriages are aligned over the entire length of the conveying track to hold a packaging bag, so that stations for interacting with the packaging bags can be arranged along the entire conveying track. This makes it possible to provide more compact packaging machines. Furthermore, such an alignment achieves advantageous ground clearance.

[0030] Alternatively, the carriages can be arranged in a substantially horizontal alignment at the conveying track. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of displacement devices of the carriage, in particular a plurality of rollers that are in direct contact with the conveying track and arrange the carriage body in a rollable manner at the conveying track, can have substantially horizontal axes of rotation. This makes it possible to provide in particular a conveying device with a small footprint, since partial areas of the conveying track are arranged vertically one above the other. With such an alignment, however, the carriages are turned upside down and / or inverted in a partial area of the conveying track, in particular an area that returns the carriages to a packaging bag receiving position, so that packaging bags can only be conveyed over a partial area of the conveying track.

[0031] The carriages are preferably arranged at the conveying track of the conveying device such that a longitudinal extension of a carriage body of a carriage is oriented substantially vertically. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of displacement devices of the carriage, in particular a plurality of rollers that are in direct contact with the conveying track and arrange the carriage body in a rollable manner at the conveying track, can have substantially vertical axes of rotation. In other words, a carriage can have a plurality of displacement devices, in particular rollers with substantially vertical axes of rotation. The displacement devices can be in direct contact with the conveying track (4) and arrange a carriage body (8) of the carriages (6) for displacement, in particular for rolling movement, along the conveying track (4).

[0032] One or more of the displacement devices and / or one or more guide projections can engage in one or more guide devices, in particular one or more rails and / or grooves, of the conveying track.

[0033] A carriage can in particular have two pairs of rollers, wherein one pair of rollers can be arranged at an upper, first portion of the carriage, in particular near the holding device and / or gripping device of the carriage, and wherein one pair of rollers can be arranged at a lower, second portion of the carriage vertically below the other pair of rollers. This ensures reliable and stable guidance and / or positioning of the carriage at the conveying track.

[0034] A plane spanned by two adjacent carriages is preferably oriented substantially parallel to the packaging bag held by them.

[0035] The holding device is preferably arranged at an upper portion, in the vertical direction in the operating position, of the carriage and extends upward and / or in a direction away from the conveying track.

[0036] The conveying track is preferably designed and arranged such that a surface at which the carriages can be arranged and influenced by a magnetic field of the conveying track is aligned substantially vertically preferably over the entire extent of the conveying track. Preferably, a substantially vertical side surface of the conveying track, preferably over the entire extent of the conveying track, forms a running surface along which the carriages can be conveyed, particularly under the influence of magnetic fields generated by the conveying device.

[0037] The conveying track preferably comprises one or more guide devices, in particular guide grooves and / or guide notches, wherein the guide devices are particularly designed to receive and / or support one or more displacement devices. The guide devices preferably extend over the entire conveying track. Preferably, a guide device has a horizontal portion that protrudes distally and / or laterally outwardly from the conveying track and is designed to support a roller of a carriage from vertically below. Alternatively or additionally, the conveying track can have at least one guide device with a vertically upwardly directed guide surface, wherein the guide surface is designed to support a side surface of a roller of a carriage from vertically below. This allows for advantageous guidance of the carriages during conveyance along the conveying track.

[0038] Preferably, the conveying device is designed to individually control adjacent carriages when receiving a packaging bag, in particular the displacement in the conveying direction. This allows for advantageous, particularly rapid, feeding and / or transfer from the feeding device to the conveying device, thus increasing the process speed.

[0039] In particular, the adjacent carriages can be displaced non-synchronously at least temporarily. For example, a carriage at the front in the conveying direction, in particular immediately before gripping the packaging bag, can be displaced more slowly than the packaging bag in order to reduce a distance to the packaging bag in the conveying direction and / or to come into contact with the packaging bag. The carriage at the rear in the conveying direction, in particular immediately before gripping the packaging bag, can be displaced faster than the packaging bag in order to reduce a distance to the packaging bag in the conveying direction and / or to come into contact with the packaging bag. In other words, the adjacent carriages can respectively approach opposite sides and / or edges of the packaging bag while the packaging bag is displaced by the feeding device in the conveying direction. In particular, the conveying device is designed to reduce a distance in the conveying direction between the adjacent carriages when feeding and / or transfer of the packaging bag in order to bring the carriages closer to opposite sides and / or edges of the packaging bag.

[0040] The feeding device preferably has one or more suction belts and / or one or more clamping belts for holding and / or conveying one or more packaging bags. Such a feeding device is particularly advantageous because it can hold and / or convey packaging bags of different sizes, especially widths, thus providing “format freedom”. This eliminates the need for complex retooling of the feeding device when changing the packaging bag format. Furthermore, components that could hinder or complicate transfer to the conveying device are not arranged above the packaging bag.

[0041] The one or more suction belts and / or clamping belts can in particular be aligned at least in some areas substantially parallel to the side surfaces of the packaging bag, so that the one or more suction belts can suck a side surface of the packaging bag, or the one or more clamping belts can hold the packaging bag laterally.

[0042] The feeding device is preferably designed to convey sucked packaging bags by displacing the suction belts and / or clamping belts.

[0043] In particular, the suction belts and / or clamping belts can be displaceable by means of a drive unit, in particular in an endless loop along their extension direction, similar to a belt drive and / or a drive belt of a belt transmission.

[0044] The suction belts can be coupled to a vacuum device such that a vacuum is generated at a suction surface of the suction belts in order to suck the packaging bags. For this purpose, the suction belts can have a plurality of holes to which a vacuum is applied and air is sucked.

[0045] The suction belts and / or clamping belts are preferably arranged such that they feed and / or transfer a sucked and / or held packaging bag to the conveying device, displaced substantially in the conveying direction.

[0046] The packaging machine preferably further comprises at least one filling device for filling a packaging bag with filling material, wherein the conveying device is configured to displace a packaging bag held by two adjacent carriages to the filling device.

[0047] Preferably, the conveying device is configured to open and / or close an opening of the packaging bag, in particular immediately before or after the filling process and / or introduction of filling material into the packaging bag, by relatively displacing one adjacent carriage with respect to the other adjacent carriage, in particular in a direction toward each other. By bringing the carriages closer together, the opposite sides and / or edges of the packaging bag are brought closer together, such that an opening in the packaging bag is opened and / or widened. This enables advantageous filling, since no additional devices are required for opening the opening. In particular, the opening of the packaging bag can be individually influenced by changing the distance between the carriages.

[0048] The packaging machine preferably comprises a weighing device for weighing a packaging bag and / or the filling material, particularly while the packaging bag is positioned in the area of the filling device. This advantageously allows the filling weight and / or the filling quantity of the packaging bag to be measured during and / or immediately after filling. If a deviation from a target weight is detected, the packaging bag can be sorted out or refilled, for example.

[0049] Preferably, two adjacent carriages respectively have a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag held jointly by the carriages. The weighing cell can, for example, measure a deformation of a portion of the holding device using one or more strain gauges. Alternatively or additionally, the weighing cell can measure a downward vertical force exerted by the packaging bag using one or more piezo elements.

[0050] A power supply for the weighing device can be provided via a battery and / or rechargeable battery. Alternatively or additionally, sliding contacts and / or spring contacts can be provided, which provide a power supply in at least one measuring section of the conveying track. Alternatively or additionally, a power supply can be provided by electromagnetic induction.

[0051] Transmission of one or more measurement signals from the weighing cell can occur, for example, using radio technology, in particular NFC. Alternatively or additionally, one or more measurement signals can be transmitted optically, for example, via an LED at the carriage and a phototransistor at the conveying track or a receiving device that receives a signal from the LED. Alternatively or additionally, a display and / or a mechanical measuring scale at the carriage can be captured by a camera.

[0052] Preferably and alternatively, the conveying device can have a substantially decoupled portion with a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag and the carriage holding it. This has the advantage that no power supply to the carriages and / or data transmission from the carriages must be provided.

[0053] The weighing device in the conveying track can comprise a substantially decoupled segment of the conveying track, which can measure the weight of the carriages and the packaging bag held by them. For example, a substantially static torque of the segment relative to a support can be measured while the carriages with the packaging bag are positioned thereon.

[0054] Preferably, the packaging machine further comprises: a connecting device for connecting at least two layers of packaging material and producing a packaging bag; and / or a separating device for separating a part of the packaging material and / or at least one packaging bag; and / or a closing device for closing a filled packaging bag. Alternatively or additionally, the packaging machine can comprise a device for providing produced and separated packaging bags from a magazine and / or stack and / or from a conveyor belt, in particular to the feeding device and / or to the carriages.

[0055] Two or more layers of packaging material can be joined in areas by one or more connecting devices, for example by gluing and / or welding and / or embossing, to form a packaging bag. Preferably, one or more separating devices can be provided to produce mutually separate packaging bags, for example by severing the packaging material using a cutting edge and / or blade. The packaging bags produced in this or a similar manner are transferred from the feeding device to the conveying device and / or fed to it in order to be conveyed from there to further stations, in particular at least one filling station and / or a closing device.

[0056] The conveying device is particularly designed to convey a packaging bag to a closing device for closing a filled packaging bag. A closing device can in particular substantially, preferably fluid-tightly, close an opening in the packaging bag through which filling material has been introduced into the packaging bag.

[0057] The feeding device is preferably designed to convey the packaging material and / or the formed packaging bags to the connecting device and / or the separating device and / or away from it or them and feed it or them to the conveying device. Alternatively, the feeding device is designed to receive a produced, in particular a separated, packaging bag and feed it to the conveying device.

[0058] The packaging machine preferably has one or more guide and / or guiding elements for guiding packaging bags conveyed along the conveying device. One or more guide and / or guiding elements are preferably provided at curves and / or non-rectilinear areas of the conveying track in order to limit and / or reduce, preferably substantially prevent, pivoting and / or oscillation of at least some of the packaging bags due to inertia and / or centrifugal forces. This can in particular reduce a load on the packaging bag and / or the carriages holding the packaging bag. A guide and / or guiding element can in particular comprise a guard rail and / or crash barrier and / or a protective sheet, which is arranged substantially parallel to an area of the conveying track and spaced apart from it. Preferably, a position and / or an alignment of a guide and / or guiding element is manually or automatically adjustable, in particular to accommodate different packaging bags, speeds, filling materials, and / or filling quantities.

[0059] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine, the conveying device being configured to convey a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, comprising: feeding a packaging bag by a feeding device to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; receiving and holding the fed packaging bag by the adjacent carriages during displacement of the carriages and the packaging bag in a conveying direction. This method is particularly advantageous because a transfer of the packaging bags to the conveying device takes place in which a load on the packaging bag is reduced and the process speed can be increased.

[0060] Preferably, the packaging bag is displaced when feeding substantially without acceleration and / or substantially only in the conveying direction. In particular, the carriages are displaced substantially in the conveying direction during transfer. Preferably, the packaging bag is not displaced substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction when feeding and / or transfer.

[0061] Preferably, the method comprises engaging respectively one holding device of two adjacent carriages with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0062] Preferably, the method comprises weighing a packaging bag by means of a weighing device, in particular during and / or after a filling process.

[0063] A further aspect of the invention relates to a packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising: a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, wherein respectively two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction and / or production direction, displace a packaging bag; and a weighing device for weighing a packaging bag, wherein two adjacent carriages respectively have a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag held by the carriages, or wherein the conveying device has a substantially decoupled portion with a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag and the carriage holding it. The packaging machine and the weighing device can in particular have one or more of the features and / or devices and / or properties described with respect to other aspects.

[0064] A further aspect of the invention relates to a packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising: a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, wherein respectively two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction, displace a packaging bag; wherein the conveying device has a conveying track, and: the carriages are arranged substantially in a vertical alignment at the conveying track; and / or wherein at least one roller of a carriage, which is in direct contact with the conveying track, has a substantially vertical axis of rotation. This aspect is particularly compatible with one or more of the other aspects of the invention and / or may have one or more features and / or properties of the other aspects. Likewise, the other aspects may have one or more features and / or properties of this aspect.

[0065] Preferably, the conveying track has at least one guide device with a vertically upwardly directed guide surface, wherein the guide surface is configured to support a side surface of a roller of a carriage from vertically below.

[0066] The packaging machine preferably further comprises: a feeding device for feeding a packaging bag to the conveying device, in particular to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; wherein the packaging bag, when being fed to the conveying device, and the carriages, when receiving the packaging bag, are displaced in the conveying direction. The packaging bag can be displaced when feeding substantially without acceleration and / or substantially only in the conveying direction.

[0067] Preferably, two adjacent carriages respectively have a holding device for engagement with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0068] Preferably, the conveying device is configured to individually control adjacent carriages when receiving a packaging bag, in particular the displacement in the conveying direction.

[0069] Preferably, the feeding device has one or more suction belts and / or clamping belts for holding and / or conveying of a packaging bag.

[0070] Preferably, the packaging machine further comprises at least one filling device for filling a packaging bag with filling material, and the conveying device is configured to displace a packaging bag held by two adjacent carriages toward the filling device.

[0071] Preferably, the conveying device is configured to open and / or close an opening of a packaging bag held by the carriages by relatively displacing one adjacent carriage with respect to the other adjacent carriage.

[0072] In the following, individual embodiments for solving the object are described by way of example with reference to the figures. The individual embodiments described partly have features that are not absolutely necessary to implement the claimed subject matter, but which provide desired properties in certain applications. Thus, embodiments that do not have all the features of the embodiments described below are also to be considered as falling within the scope of the described technical teaching. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessary repetition, certain features are mentioned only in relation to individual embodiments described below. It is pointed out that the individual embodiments should therefore be considered not only in isolation, but also in conjunction with one another. Based on this overview, the person skilled in the art will recognize that individual embodiments may also be modified by incorporating one or more features of other embodiments. It is noted that a systematic combination of the individual embodiments with one or more features described with reference to other embodiments may be desirable and useful and should therefore be considered and deemed to be encompassed by the description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0073] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary packaging machine;

[0074] FIG. 2 shows a vertical view of the exemplary packaging machine of FIG. 1;

[0075] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary feeding device, an exemplary separating device, and an exemplary connecting device of a packaging machine;

[0076] FIG. 4 shows two exemplary adjacent carriages with a packaging bag.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0077] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary packaging machine 1 with a conveying device 2 and a feeding device 20 for feeding packaging bags 16 to the conveying device 2.

[0078] The conveying device 2 has, in particular, a conveying track 4, which in this example has a shape substantially like a rectangle with rounded corners. However, the conveying track 4 can also have a different shape, in particular, one or more substantially horizontal curves. The conveying track 4 is preferably aligned to be substantially level. However, the conveying track 4 can also have inclines and / or declines in certain areas, for example, to access stations at different heights.

[0079] The conveying device 2 is preferably designed to transport and / or displace a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, 6 in a transport direction B along the conveying track 4. The conveying track 4 can have features of an electromagnetic linear motor, in particular a plurality of electromagnets arranged side by side, and / or one or more electromagnetic stators to displace the plurality of carriages 6, which are preferably designed as rotors. Parameters of the carriages, such as in particular speed, displacement direction, acceleration, and position along the conveying track, are preferably controllable and / or detectable.

[0080] In particular, the conveying device 2 is designed to displace each of the carriages 6 individually and / or separately. Likewise, the conveying device 2 is designed to displace two or more carriages 6 substantially synchronously and / or in the same manner. The carriages 6 are preferably repeatedly moved along the closed conveying track 4 and / or repeatedly complete circuits along the conveying track 4.

[0081] The conveying track 4 preferably has a vertical and / or outwardly facing side surface at which the carriages 6 are arranged and with which the carriages 6 are in direct contact and / or along which the carriages 6 are displaced and / or conveyed.

[0082] Each of the carriages 6 preferably has a holding device 12 for engagement with a portion of a packaging bag 16. The holding device 12 can, for example, have two holder elements 14, wherein one of the holder elements 14 can be designed to be at least temporarily displaceable with respect to the other holder element 14 in order to arrange and / or position a portion of a packaging bag 16 between the holder elements 14. When the two holder elements 14 subsequently approach each other, the portion of the packaging bag 16 is clamped between the holder elements 14 and / or held by the holding device 12 by force and / or friction.

[0083] A detailed view of two adjacent carriages 6 holding a packaging bag 16 is shown in FIG. 4. The packaging machine 1 can further comprise one or more connecting devices for connecting two or more layers of packaging material and forming a packaging bag 16. Furthermore, the packaging machine 1 can comprise one or more separating devices 30, which separate and / or sever interconnected packaging bags 16.

[0084] Preferably, the packaging machine 1 comprises a feeding device 20 for feeding a produced and / or separated packaging bag 16 to the conveying device 2. The feeding device 20 is designed to displace a packaging bag 16 substantially in a conveying direction B, wherein the conveying direction B is oriented in particular parallel to the alignment of the portion of the conveying device 2 at which the packaging bags 16 are received.

[0085] The feeding device 20 and the conveying device 2 are in particular designed and / or aligned to each other such that the packaging bag 16 is displaced when feeding and / or transfer to the conveying device 2 substantially continuously, preferably without acceleration, and / or exclusively in the conveying direction B, optionally decelerated. In other words, the packaging bag 16 is preferably transferred from the feeding device 20 to the conveying device 2, while being displaced substantially exclusively in rectilinearly and substantially parallel to the conveying track 4. In particular, the packaging bag 16 experiences no acceleration in a direction transverse to the conveying direction B. Alternatively, the feeding device 20 and the conveying device 2 can be designed to transfer or receive one or more packaging bags 16 substantially intermittently, wherein the packaging bags 16 can temporarily remain virtually stationary in the conveying direction B.

[0086] A preferred arrangement of the feeding device 20 and the conveying device 2 is shown in detail in FIG. 2. An exemplary feeding device 20 is shown in detail in FIG. 3.

[0087] The packaging machine 1 can further comprise a filling device 36, which is arranged at a portion of the conveying track 4 and is designed to fill a packaging bag 16 conveyed by the conveying device 2 with filling material. For this purpose, the packaging bag 16, held by two adjacent carriages 6, is displaced to the filling device 36 and positioned below an inlet device.

[0088] Preferably, the adjacent carriages 6 are displaced relative to one another and approximately, and / or the distance in the conveying direction B between the carriages 6 is reduced by displacing the carriages 6, so that the packaging bag 16 is deformed such that an opening of the packaging bag opens and / or enlarges, so that advantageous filling can take place.

[0089] Alternatively or additionally, the opening of the packaging bag 16 is opened, for example, by means of blown air and / or one or more suction devices and / or a former, which is displaced through the opening into the interior of the packaging bag 16 and brings the opening into a substantially open state. Optionally, a sensing device and / or one or more sensors can be provided to control or monitor the open state of the packaging bag 16.

[0090] FIG. 2 shows a vertical view of the exemplary packaging machine 1 of FIG. 1 from above.

[0091] The conveying track 4 of the conveying device 2 is preferably formed to be substantially linear and / or rectilinear in the area of the feeding device 20, at least in some areas, so that the conveying direction B of the packaging bag 16 is also substantially linear and / or rectilinear in the area of feeding and / or transfer to the conveying device 2.

[0092] In the example, the feeding device 20 has a suction belt 22, which runs and / or is oriented substantially parallel to the conveying track 4, at least in some areas. The suction belt 22 is designed to generate a negative pressure at least in some areas at an outwardly directed surface, so that a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 can be at least temporarily sucked and / or held by the suction belt 22.

[0093] The suction belt22 is preferably designed to be displaceable, in particular by means of a drive unit 24, wherein the suction belt 22 is preferably designed as an endless piece forming a loop. The suction belt 22 can be deflected and / or tensioned by one or more deflection rollers 29.

[0094] The feeding device 20 can have one or more suction belts 22, wherein two or more suction belts 22 can be arranged substantially side by side in the conveying direction B, in particular substantially seamlessly adjacent, and / or one above the other.

[0095] Alternatively or additionally, the feeding device 20 can have one or more clamping belts, which can in particular have one or more of the above-mentioned properties of the suction belts 22.

[0096] The feeding device 20 is particularly designed to hold and / or convey packaging bags 16 of different sizes and / or dimensions, in particular different widths, without the need for retooling work. Therefore, the feeding device 20 is particularly advantageous in combination with the exemplary conveying device 2 shown, since both the feeding device 20 and the conveying device 2 are formed to be substantially “format-free”, i.e. no or only minimal retooling work is required when changing the format of the packaging bag 16 to be conveyed.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 2, the packaging bags 16 are transferred to the conveying device 2 such that the displacement direction of the packaging bag 16 remains substantially constant and / or rectilinear throughout the transfer process.

[0098] Preferably, the conveying device 2 is designed to displace the two adjacent carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16 such that the packaging bag 2 is transferred to the conveying device 2 or to the two carriages 6 with substantially no acceleration.

[0099] For example, a packaging bag 16 to be transferred is held by the feeding device 20, in particular the suction belt 22, and is displaced by it at a substantially constant speed in the conveying direction B.

[0100] Alternatively, the transfer and / or feeding can take place intermittently and / or with the packaging bag 16 temporarily at a near standstill in the conveying direction B.

[0101] Preferably, a carriage 6a at the front in the conveying direction B is positioned at the conveying track 4 in front of the packaging bag 16. Here, the carriage 6a can be temporarily substantially stationary or can be displaced in the conveying direction B such that a speed of the carriage 6a is lower than the speed of the packaging bag 16, so that the distance between the carriage 6a and the packaging bag 16 is reduced. As soon as and / or shortly before the carriage 6a, in particular its holding device 12, is positioned relative to the packaging bag 16 such that the holding device 12 can be brought into engagement with a portion of the packaging bag 16, the carriage 6a is accelerated such that the carriage 6a has substantially the same speed as the packaging bag 16 and / or such that the position of the carriage 6a relative to the packaging bag 16 remains substantially constant.

[0102] Alternatively or additionally, the carriage 6b at the rear in the conveying direction and arranged at the conveying track 4 can be positioned behind the packaging bag 16 and displaced at a speed greater than the speed of the packaging bag 16, so that the distance between the carriage 6b and the packaging bag 16 is reduced. As soon as and / or shortly before the carriage 6b, in particular its holding device 12, is positioned relative to the packaging bag 16 such that the holding device 12 can be brought into engagement with a portion of the packaging bag 16, the carriage 6b is negatively accelerated and / or decelerated such that the carriage 6b has substantially the same speed as the packaging bag 16 and / or such that the position of the carriage 6b relative to the packaging bag 16 remains substantially constant.

[0103] The packaging machine 1 is preferably designed to control and / or initiate an approach of the holder elements 14 of a holding device 12 to one another. In particular, the packaging machine 1 can be designed to displace the holder elements 14 of the two adjacent carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16 substantially simultaneously and / or synchronously, in particular to bring them closer together, so that the portions of a packaging bag 16 arranged between the holder elements 14 of the holding device 12 of both carriages are clamped and / or held in place substantially simultaneously.

[0104] Preferably, the two carriages 6a and 6b are controlled such that they are respectively positioned substantially simultaneously relative to the packaging bag 16 such that their holding device 12 can respectively be brought into engagement with a portion of the packaging bag 16. Preferably, the holding devices 12 of the two carriages 6a and 6b are then caused, substantially simultaneously, to grip and / or clamp and / or hold the respective portion of the packaging bag 16, in particular by substantially simultaneously displacing at least one of the holder elements 14.

[0105] Preferably, the packaging machine 1 comprises a holder element displacement device 38 for displacing one or more holder elements 14 of one or more carriages 6.

[0106] For example, the holder element displacement device 38 can be designed to be displaceable, in particular transversely to the conveying direction, and arranged such that, by displacement, it comes into contact with or abuts one or more, preferably two, adjacent carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16, so that at least one holder element 14 of the carriage(s) 6 is displaced or actuated and holds a portion of the packaging bag 16 in place. This is particularly advantageous because the holder elements 14 of both adjacent carriages 6 can be displaced substantially simultaneously and / or by a single displacement of the holder element displacement device 38. In particular, the timing and / or speed of the displacement can be flexibly controlled and easily adapted to different formats of the packaging bags 16 and displacement speeds.

[0107] Alternatively, the holder element displacement device 38 can be arranged to be substantially stationary with respect to the conveying track 4 and can be oriented and / or shaped such that a portion of a holding device 12 abuts the holder element displacement device 38 when conveyance of the associated carriage 6, is thereby displaced or actuated, and holds the packaging bag 16 in place. However, the packaging bag 16 is not gripped simultaneously by both holding devices 12, but rather at different times when the respective holding device 12 is displaced or actuated by the holder element displacement device 38.

[0108] When the packaging bag 16 is transferred from the feeding device 20 to the carriages 6 of the conveying device 2, the packaging bag 16 is temporarily held simultaneously by the suction belt 22 of the feeding device 20 and by the holding devices 12 of the carriages 6.

[0109] The feeding device 20 can be designed such that a generation of a negative pressure for sucking and / or holding the packaging bag 16 by the suction belt 22 can be reduced and / or stopped, so that the packaging bag 16, which has already been held and / or received by the carriages 6a and 6b, can be decoupled from the suction belt 22, in particular accelerated by the carriages 6 and / or displaced at a speed different from the speed of the suction belt 22. Alternatively or additionally, the suction belt 22 can be deflected, preferably by 90° or more, and be displaced away from the packaging bag 16 and / or the conveying track 4, so that the packaging bag 16 is no longer sucked and / or held by the suction belt 22 and / or the packaging bag 16 is decoupled from the suction belt 22.

[0110] The described procedure represents merely one of many alternative procedures for advantageously feeding and / or transferring a packaging bag 16 to a conveying device 2 according to one aspect of the invention.

[0111] Alternatively, feeding and / or transfer of one or more packaging bags 16 to the conveying device 2 can occur intermittently and / or during a temporary near standstill of the one or more packaging bags 16. Here, the holder element displacement device 38 is preferably designed to displace the holding devices 12 assigned to a packaging bag 16 substantially simultaneously and / or synchronously.

[0112] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary feeding device 20 and two exemplary separating devices 30 of a packaging machine 1.

[0113] The feeding device 20 can have a drive unit 24, which drives a suction belt 22 and / or displaces the suction belt 22 in a continuous loop along a track.

[0114] The suction belt 22 preferably forms a suction surface 23 for sucking and / or holding a packaging bag 16. The suction surface 23 is preferably aligned substantially vertically and parallel to the conveying direction B. The suction surface 23 is in particular a portion of the suction belt 22 designed to receive, displace, and feed a packaging bag 16 to the conveying device 2. The suction surface 23 is preferably arranged substantially parallel to an outer surface of the conveying track 4 and directed toward it.

[0115] The suction belt 22 is preferably configured to generate negative pressure at the suction surface 23, in particular to suck and / or hold a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16. For this purpose, the feeding device 20 can comprise a negative pressure generating device and / or a compressor connected to the suction belt 22. The suction belt 22 can have a plurality of holes to which the negative pressure is applied and through which air and / or a packaging bag is sucked.

[0116] The feeding device 20 can have one or more, for example, two, three, four, or five, suction belts 22, which can be arranged one behind the other and / or one above the other, at least in some areas. For example, two suction belts 22 arranged one above the other can form one or more suction surfaces 23. This is particularly advantageous because, for packaging bags 16 with a low height, which can only be held by the upper suction belt 22, a generation of a negative pressure by the lower suction belt 22 can be stopped to save energy. Several suction belts 22 can be arranged one behind the other, preferably substantially seamlessly, in a displacement direction of the packaging bag 16. The one or more suction belts 22 can have a common or different drive units 24 and / or negative pressure generation devices.

[0117] The suction surface 23 is preferably not a predetermined portion along the suction belt 22, but rather, the suction surface 23 is always formed by the portion of the suction belt 22 that precisely forms the part of the track configured for holding and / or displacing a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16. In the example of FIG. 3, the suction surface 23 is formed substantially between the deflection rollers 26, which deflect the suction belt 22 in the conveying direction B or away from the conveying direction B. At the front end in the conveying direction B, the suction surface 23 is designed to suck and / or pick up a provided packaging bag 16. At the rear end in the conveying direction B, the suction surface 23 is designed to release and / or repel a held and displaced packaging bag 16, wherein the packaging bag 16 has preferably already been fed to and / or transferred to the conveying device 2.

[0118] The feeding device 20 with suction belt 22 is particularly advantageous because it can transport packaging bags 16 in different formats. This avoids retooling work and the associated downtime. Preferably, the upper edges of packaging bags 16 of different dimensions and / or sizes are arranged at substantially the same height, so that feeding to the conveying device 2 can take place without changing the position of the holding devices 12 of the carriages 6. Preferably, a vertically upper end of the packaging bag 16 protrudes beyond the suction belt 22, so that the portions of the packaging bag 16 that are gripped by the holding devices 12 of the carriages 6 are substantially exposed.

[0119] The speed at which the packaging bags are displaced in the conveying direction B can also advantageously be controllable and / or adjustable and / or synchronizable with the conveying device 2.

[0120] Preferably, one or more connecting devices are provided, which can connect two or more layers of packaging material and thus form packaging bags 16. Also shown are two separating devices 30, which can separate and / or sever formed packaging bags 16. The connecting device and the separating device 30 are arranged upstream of the feeding device 20 in the packaging machine 1. A conveying device for conveying the packaging material and / or the packaging bags 16 to the feeding device 20 can be provided. The conveying device can, for example, have one or more suction belts, wherein the suction belt 22 of the feeding device 20 is preferably arranged substantially directly adjacent thereto. Optionally, the suction surface of the conveying device can be oriented opposite the suction surface 23 of the feeding device 20, so that when a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 is transferred from the conveying device to the feeding device 20, both side surfaces of the packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 are sucked by the corresponding suction belts at a time.

[0121] Alternatively or additionally, the feeding device 20 can have one or more clamping belts, which can in particular have one or more of the above-mentioned properties of the suction belts 22.

[0122] FIG. 4 shows exemplary adjacent carriages 6 with a packaging bag 16 held by them, wherein the carriages are arranged at the conveying track 4. The carriages 6 can in particular be comprised by a packaging machine 1 according to one aspect of the invention.

[0123] A carriage 6 preferably comprises a carriage body 8, which may have an elongated shape. One or more, preferably four, displacement devices 10 can be arranged at the carriage body 6 for displacing the carriage 6 along the conveying track 4. The displacement devices 10 can in particular be rollers, the axes of rotation of which are preferably aligned substantially in the longitudinal extension of the carriage body 8.

[0124] The carriage body 8, in the state arranged at the conveying track 4, is preferably aligned substantially vertically, with the side surface 5 of the conveying track 4 facing vertically and / or laterally and outwardly. The rollers 10 are designed to run along a side surface 5 of the conveying track 4, with their axes of rotation preferably oriented substantially vertically.

[0125] The conveying track 4 preferably has one or more guide devices 40 which can accommodate at least some of the rollers 10 of the carriage 6. The guide device 40 is designed, in particular, to guide and / or support the carriages 6, in particular one or more guide projections, and / or their displacement devices 10, and / or extends along at least part of the conveying track 4. For example, a guide device 40 can be designed as a groove in the side surface 5 and / or as a projection projecting substantially orthogonally from the side surface 5. In particular, the guide device 40 can have a substantially horizontal guide surface arranged to support a side wall of a roller 10 of a carriage 6 substantially vertically from below.

[0126] The carriage 6 is preferably configured to be electromagnetically displaced along the conveying track 4. In particular, the carriage body 8 can be configured to be attracted and / or repelled by an electric and / or magnetic field and thereby displaced. The carriage body 8 preferably comprises ferromagnetic material, at least in some areas.

[0127] The carriage 6 preferably has a holding device 12 for holding and / or gripping at least a portion of a packaging bag 16. In the example shown, the holding device 12 is designed to laterally grip an upper edge area of the packaging bag 16. In particular, the holding device 12 can comprise two holder elements 14, which respectively rest against opposite sides of the packaging bag 16 and / or form a positive and / or frictional connection to hold the packaging bag 16.

[0128] Preferably, at least one of the holder elements 14 is designed to be displaceable relative to the other holder element 14, so that the holder elements 14 can be moved away from each other to position the portion of the packaging bag 16 to be gripped between them. By bringing the holder elements 14 together, the intermediate portion of the packaging bag 16 is clamped and / or held in place.

[0129] The two carriages 6a and 6b, which are designed to jointly hold the packaging bag 16, preferably have holder elements 14 directed toward each other. In other words, the holding devices 12 of the adjacent carriages 6a and 6b are preferably designed to be substantially mirror-symmetrical, so that the holding devices 12 can respectively grip and / or hold an opposite edge of the packaging bag 16.

[0130] The holding device 12 is preferably arranged at a vertically upper area of the carriage. The holding device 12 preferably protrudes at least partially upward and outward, i.e. away from the conveying track 4, from the carriage body 8. This is particularly advantageous because it allows a sufficient distance to be achieved between the packaging bag 16 and the conveying track 4.

[0131] The carriage 6 can comprise and / or form a weighing device 32 for weighing the packaging bag 12 and / or the content thereof. The carriage 6 preferably has a weighing cell 34, which can in particular be formed integrally with the carriage body 8 or the holding device 12 and / or can be arranged between the carriage body 8 and the holding device 12.

[0132] The weighing cell 34 can, for example, comprise a load cell and / or measure a deformation of a portion of the holding device 12 and / or the carriage body 8 using one or more strain gauges and / or optical sensors. Alternatively or additionally, the weighing cell 34 can measure a downward vertical force acting on the holding device 12 and / or the holder elements 14 using one or more piezo elements.

[0133] The weighing device 32 can be supplied with current and / or voltage in particular via a battery and / or rechargeable battery cell. Alternatively or additionally, sliding contacts and / or spring contacts can be provided, via which a power supply is provided at least in one measuring portion of the conveying track 4. Alternatively or additionally, a power supply can be provided by electromagnetic induction and a pickup coil of the carriage 6.

[0134] To transmit one or more measurement signals from the weighing device 32 to a receiving unit, radio technology, in particular NFC, can be used, for example. For this purpose, each carriage 6 can comprise a transmitter for transmitting a radio signal that can be received in the vicinity of the carriage. Alternatively or additionally, one or more measurement signals can be transmitted optically, for example, by one or more light-emitting diodes at the carriage 6 and one or more phototransistors at the conveying track 4 or a receiving unit for receiving the signal from the light-emitting diode(s). Alternatively or additionally, a display and / or a mechanical measuring scale at the carriage 6 can be captured by a camera and fed to a control and / or regulating device. Preferably, measurement signals from two adjacent carriages 6, which together hold a packaging bag 16, are offset against each other by a calculation device to determine the weight of the packaging bag 16 and / or the filling material accommodated by it.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS1 packaging machine

[0136] 2 conveying device

[0137] 4 conveying track

[0138] 5 side surface

[0139] 6 carriage

[0140] 8 carriage body

[0141] 10 displacement device

[0142] 12 holding device

[0143] 14 holder element

[0144] 16 packaging bag

[0145] 20 feeding device

[0146] 22 suction belt

[0147] 23 suction surface

[0148] 24 drive unit

[0149] 26 deflection roller

[0150] 30 separating device

[0151] 32 weighing device

[0152] 34 weighing cell

[0153] 36 filling device

[0154] 38 holder element displacement device

[0155] 40 guide device

[0156] B conveying direction

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0077]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary packaging machine 1 with a conveying device 2 and a feeding device 20 for feeding packaging bags 16 to the conveying device 2.

[0078]The conveying device 2 has, in particular, a conveying track 4, which in this example has a shape substantially like a rectangle with rounded corners. However, the conveying track 4 can also have a different shape, in particular, one or more substantially horizontal curves. The conveying track 4 is preferably aligned to be substantially level. However, the conveying track 4 can also have inclines and / or declines in certain areas, for example, to access stations at different heights.

[0079]The conveying device 2 is preferably designed to transport and / or displace a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, 6 in a transport direction B along the conveying track 4. The conveying track 4 can have features of an electromagnetic linear motor, in particular a plurality of electromagnets arranged side by side, and / o...

[0001] The invention relates to a packaging machine with a feeding device for packaging bags, a packaging machine with a weighing device, and a method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine.

[0002] Packaging machines for producing, filling, and closing packaging bags are often designed for a specific packaging bag and for a specific filling material and are not individually controllable, or only to a limited extent. In particular when the packaging material, the packaging bag, and / or the filling material is changed, retooling the packaging machine is necessary, with considerable effort, expense, and time. For example, the form / shape and / or material of produced packaging bags can vary between different products, batches, and / or production cycles, so that one or more devices of the packaging machine and / or process steps of the packaging method must be adapted accordingly to ensure proper functioning.

[0003] New concepts for packaging machines allow for a flexible adaptation of many process sequences, including an individual control of each packaging bag transported by the packaging machine. Some processes can be adapted relatively easily, for example, using software, such as the quantity and / or type of filling material to be filled into the packaging bag. The devices for picking up and / or holding and transporting the packaging bag to different stations, such as filling station and closing station, can also be flexibly adapted to changing formats of the packaging bag. In contrast, adjusting a device for transferring a packaging bag made of packaging material to the transport device, for example, requires a comparatively significant additional effort. Depending on the design and dimensions of the packaging machine, this retooling process can be associated with a considerable amount of time, resulting in a long downtime of the packaging machine during which the packaging machine cannot be operated.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine and a method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine, which allows produced packaging bags with different formats to be transferred to a conveying device of a packaging machine in an advantageous manner. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine with an advantageous device for measuring a fill weight of packaging bags of different formats.

[0005] These objects are achieved by the subject matters of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the subclaims.

[0006] A first aspect of the invention relates to a packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising: a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, wherein respectively two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction and / or production direction, displace a packaging bag; and a feeding device for feeding a packaging bag to the conveying device, in particular to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; wherein the packaging bag, when being fed to the conveying device, and the carriages, when receiving the packaging bag, are displaced in the conveying direction.

[0007] Two types of packaging machines are particularly common in the packaging industry: horizontal form, fill, and seal machines (HFFS) and vertical form, fill, and seal machines (VFFS). These packaging machines and packaging methods differ in particular with regard to the substantial conveying direction of the packaging material or the packaging bags. In an HFFS method, the packaging material and / or the produced packaging bags are conveyed substantially in a horizontal direction. The present application is directed in particular to such a system and / or method, but is not limited to it.

[0008] A conveying direction and / or production direction (hereinafter referred to as the conveying direction) refers in particular to a direction in which the packaging material and / or a produced and / or closed packaging bag is displaced, in particular from one station to the next. The conveying direction can change within a packaging machine or remain substantially the same, in particular, it can be linear and / or curved at least in some areas. The conveying direction is in particular a direction along a conveying track or rail of the conveying device, at which the carriages and / or the packaging bags held by the carriages are conveyed. Preferably, the conveying direction is substantially flat and / or in a substantially horizontal plane. Preferably, the conveying direction is substantially rectilinear in the area of the feeding device and / or across a area of the conveying device in which the feeding and / or transfer of the packaging bag takes place.

[0009] The conveying device is preferably designed to convey and / or displace a plurality of carriages in a conveying direction along the conveying track. The conveying track can in particular have features of an electromagnetic linear motor, in particular a plurality of electromagnets arranged side by side, and / or form one or more electromagnetic stators to displace the plurality of carriages, which are preferably designed as rotors. Parameters of the carriages, such as in particular speed, displacement direction, acceleration, and position along the conveying track, are preferably controllable and / or detectable.

[0010] The plurality of carriages can in particular be designed as shuttles for a magnetic shuttle system, which are preferably conveyable along a track. Such shuttles are advantageous because in particular the time and / or speed and / or acceleration of the displacement of the shuttles can be individually controlled. This allows the carriages to be displaced differently and individually at different stations and / or in different areas of the packaging machine, thereby achieving an optimal process speed. In particular, the distance between adjacent carriages in the conveying direction can be adjusted or changed, as described below.

[0011] Preferably, two carriages adjacent in the conveying direction are configured to jointly accept and / or receive and / or hold and / or pick up a produced and / or filled and / or closed packaging bag.

[0012] The adjacent carriages are preferably displaceable relative to one another, so that the conveying device is configured to advantageously hold and displace packaging bags of different dimensions, in particular different widths, and in particular without any retooling effort. In this way, an advantageous “format freedom” of the packaging machine, in particular the conveying device, can be achieved.

[0013] A produced packaging bag refers in particular to a packaging bag formed from one or more layers of packaging material, which has an opening for filling with filling material. A closed packaging bag refers in particular to a packaging bag that has a closed opening and is preferably filled with filling material and / or is substantially hermetically closed or sealed.

[0014] Filling material refers in particular to bulk material, which, for example, substantially comprises powdery, granular, and / or lumpy mixtures, preferably in pourable form. Filling material also substantially comprises fluid, particularly liquid, materials, as well as mixed forms and / or mixtures of the aforementioned. Filling material within the meaning of this application also includes so-called loose goods, i.e. substantially pourable, definable, or quantifiable units, such as hardware or assembly accessories (e.g. screws, nuts, nails, washers, felt pads, and the like), craft and sewing materials (e.g. beads, snap fasteners, sequins, and the like), stationery (e.g. paper clips, and the like), toys (e.g. building blocks, game pieces, dice, and the like), and food (e.g. biscuits, cereals / muesli, coffee, rice, pasta, sugar, salt, and the like). Alternatively and / or additionally, packaging bags may be suitable for containing a single item, such as a connecting cable, a hand tool or the like.

[0015] The conveying device is particularly designed to displace two adjacent carriages together holding a packaging bag substantially synchronously and / or uniformly. This is particularly advantageous because, when the held packaging bag is conveyed by the carriages, substantially no, or at least only little, force acts on the packaging bag from the carriages and / or substantially no, or at least only little, deformation of the packaging bag occurs. This ensures gentle conveyance of the packaging bags by means of the carriages.

[0016] The feeding device is particularly designed to feed a finished packaging bag to the conveying device and / or to transfer a finished packaging bag to the conveying device, in particular to two adjacent carriages. Preferably, the packaging bag is held at least temporarily simultaneously by both the feeding device and the conveying device, in particular by two carriages.

[0017] Preferably, the feeding device and the conveying device form a transfer area in which the transfer of the packaging bag from the feeding device to the conveying device or to the carriages takes place. The transfer area is preferably formed in an overlapping area between at least part of the feeding device and at least part of the conveying track and / or extends in the conveying direction along part of the conveying track. In particular, the transfer area comprises an area in which the packaging bag to be transferred is held by the feeding device and arranged substantially parallel to the conveying track and such that one of the two carriages assigned to the packaging bag is positioned in front of the packaging bag in the conveying direction and the other carriage is positioned behind the packaging bag in the conveying direction, with both carriages being positioned in an area between the feeding device and the conveying track.

[0018] In particular, the feeding device is designed to displace the packaging bag substantially in the conveying direction when feeding and / or transfer. This allows for a higher process speed to be achieved, since the packaging bags do not need to be accelerated from a standstill after being fed and / or transferred to the conveying device, but rather already have a speed in the conveying direction. The speed of the packaging bags in the conveying direction can be reduced or increased. In particular, the speed of the packaging bags in the conveying device can be reduced for the transfer, for example, by between approximately 50% and approximately 90%. Alternatively or additionally, the speed of the packaging bags can be increased after the transfer, for example, to between approximately 200% and approximately 1000% compared to the speed during the transfer.

[0019] Alternatively or additionally, the feeding device and the conveying device can be designed to carry out the feeding and / or transfer of the packaging bags to the conveying device intermittently and / or to feed the packaging bags in the conveying direction of the conveying device when the packaging bags are temporarily at a near standstill. Particularly preferably, the packaging bags do not change direction and / or are preferably conveyed further “inline”.

[0020] The feeding device is preferably designed to hold and / or convey packaging bags of different dimensions, in particular of different widths. This is particularly advantageous in conjunction with an also “format-free” conveying device, such as a magnetic shuttle system.

[0021] The feeding device is preferably designed to transfer and / or feed one or more, in particular one, two, three, or four, packaging bags to the conveying device substantially simultaneously and / or in the same way. Likewise, the conveying device can be designed to convey one or more, in particular one, two, three, or four, packaging bags substantially simultaneously and / or in the same way.

[0022] Preferably, the packaging bag is displaced when feeding substantially without acceleration, in particular at a substantially constant speed, and / or substantially only in the conveying direction. In particular, the packaging bag is not or only slightly displaced perpendicular to the conveying direction when feeding and / or transfer. In particular, this has the advantage that no deformation and / or bending of the packaging bag occurs during transfer due to the inertia of the packaging bag. In particular, the lower end of the packaging bag in the vertical direction is always arranged substantially below the upper, held area of the packaging bag during transfer. In particular, deformation of the packaging bag caused by the inertia of the lower end of the packaging bag during transfer can be reduced, preferably substantially prevented. This can in particular increase the process speed.

[0023] Preferably, the carriages are displaced in the conveying direction during transfer and / or gripping of the packaging bag in order to receive the displaced packaging bag.

[0024] Preferably, a packaging bag and two carriages associated with it approach each other immediately before and / or during transfer, wherein neither the packaging bag nor the carriages are displaced exclusively orthogonally to the conveying direction immediately before and / or during transfer.

[0025] Preferably, two adjacent carriages respectively have a holding device for engagement with respectively opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0026] The carriages preferably respectively have a holding device and / or gripping device for gripping and / or holding a portion of the packaging bag, in particular a lateral, upper edge area of the packaging bag. Preferably, the adjacent carriages are respectively designed to grip opposite portions of the packaging bag, preferably arranged substantially horizontally, from the side of the packaging bag.

[0027] The holding device and / or gripping device can in particular have two holder elements that are displaceable with respect to one another. For example, a first holder element is arranged substantially stationary with respect to the carriage, and a second holder element is designed to move away from the first holder element at least temporarily, so that a portion of a packaging bag can be positioned between the holder elements. The second holder element is then brought back toward the first holder element or engaged with it and the packaging bag. Alternatively, both holder elements of a holding device can be displaceable.

[0028] Preferably, the holding devices of the adjacent carriages are designed substantially mirror-symmetrically, so that one of the carriages can grip the packaging bag from one side and the other carriage can grip the packaging bag from the other, opposite side.

[0029] Preferably, the conveying device comprises a conveying track, wherein the carriages are arranged substantially in a vertical alignment along the conveying track. This offers the advantage that the conveying track can form complex profiles, in particular with horizontal curves, and / or can displace the packaging bags to stations that are not arranged in a straight line. Therefore, the packaging machine can have a flexible and / or needs-adapted and / or complex structure. Such an alignment offers, in particular, advantageous accessibility to the conveying track and / or the carriages arranged thereon, for example for installation and / or maintenance. Maintenance and / or cleaning effort for the conveying track and the carriages can also be reduced, since less dirt and / or dust can settle at the conveying track. In particular, with the described alignment, the carriages are aligned over the entire length of the conveying track to hold a packaging bag, so that stations for interacting with the packaging bags can be arranged along the entire conveying track. This makes it possible to provide more compact packaging machines. Furthermore, such an alignment achieves advantageous ground clearance.

[0030] Alternatively, the carriages can be arranged in a substantially horizontal alignment at the conveying track. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of displacement devices of the carriage, in particular a plurality of rollers that are in direct contact with the conveying track and arrange the carriage body in a rollable manner at the conveying track, can have substantially horizontal axes of rotation. This makes it possible to provide in particular a conveying device with a small footprint, since partial areas of the conveying track are arranged vertically one above the other. With such an alignment, however, the carriages are turned upside down and / or inverted in a partial area of the conveying track, in particular an area that returns the carriages to a packaging bag receiving position, so that packaging bags can only be conveyed over a partial area of the conveying track.

[0031] The carriages are preferably arranged at the conveying track of the conveying device such that a longitudinal extension of a carriage body of a carriage is oriented substantially vertically. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of displacement devices of the carriage, in particular a plurality of rollers that are in direct contact with the conveying track and arrange the carriage body in a rollable manner at the conveying track, can have substantially vertical axes of rotation. In other words, a carriage can have a plurality of displacement devices, in particular rollers with substantially vertical axes of rotation. The displacement devices can be in direct contact with the conveying track (4) and arrange a carriage body (8) of the carriages (6) for displacement, in particular for rolling movement, along the conveying track (4).

[0032] One or more of the displacement devices and / or one or more guide projections can engage in one or more guide devices, in particular one or more rails and / or grooves, of the conveying track.

[0033] A carriage can in particular have two pairs of rollers, wherein one pair of rollers can be arranged at an upper, first portion of the carriage, in particular near the holding device and / or gripping device of the carriage, and wherein one pair of rollers can be arranged at a lower, second portion of the carriage vertically below the other pair of rollers. This ensures reliable and stable guidance and / or positioning of the carriage at the conveying track.

[0034] A plane spanned by two adjacent carriages is preferably oriented substantially parallel to the packaging bag held by them.

[0035] The holding device is preferably arranged at an upper portion, in the vertical direction in the operating position, of the carriage and extends upward and / or in a direction away from the conveying track.

[0036] The conveying track is preferably designed and arranged such that a surface at which the carriages can be arranged and influenced by a magnetic field of the conveying track is aligned substantially vertically preferably over the entire extent of the conveying track. Preferably, a substantially vertical side surface of the conveying track, preferably over the entire extent of the conveying track, forms a running surface along which the carriages can be conveyed, particularly under the influence of magnetic fields generated by the conveying device.

[0037] The conveying track preferably comprises one or more guide devices, in particular guide grooves and / or guide notches, wherein the guide devices are particularly designed to receive and / or support one or more displacement devices. The guide devices preferably extend over the entire conveying track. Preferably, a guide device has a horizontal portion that protrudes distally and / or laterally outwardly from the conveying track and is designed to support a roller of a carriage from vertically below. Alternatively or additionally, the conveying track can have at least one guide device with a vertically upwardly directed guide surface, wherein the guide surface is designed to support a side surface of a roller of a carriage from vertically below. This allows for advantageous guidance of the carriages during conveyance along the conveying track.

[0038] Preferably, the conveying device is designed to individually control adjacent carriages when receiving a packaging bag, in particular the displacement in the conveying direction. This allows for advantageous, particularly rapid, feeding and / or transfer from the feeding device to the conveying device, thus increasing the process speed.

[0039] In particular, the adjacent carriages can be displaced non-synchronously at least temporarily. For example, a carriage at the front in the conveying direction, in particular immediately before gripping the packaging bag, can be displaced more slowly than the packaging bag in order to reduce a distance to the packaging bag in the conveying direction and / or to come into contact with the packaging bag. The carriage at the rear in the conveying direction, in particular immediately before gripping the packaging bag, can be displaced faster than the packaging bag in order to reduce a distance to the packaging bag in the conveying direction and / or to come into contact with the packaging bag. In other words, the adjacent carriages can respectively approach opposite sides and / or edges of the packaging bag while the packaging bag is displaced by the feeding device in the conveying direction. In particular, the conveying device is designed to reduce a distance in the conveying direction between the adjacent carriages when feeding and / or transfer of the packaging bag in order to bring the carriages closer to opposite sides and / or edges of the packaging bag.

[0040] The feeding device preferably has one or more suction belts and / or one or more clamping belts for holding and / or conveying one or more packaging bags. Such a feeding device is particularly advantageous because it can hold and / or convey packaging bags of different sizes, especially widths, thus providing “format freedom”. This eliminates the need for complex retooling of the feeding device when changing the packaging bag format. Furthermore, components that could hinder or complicate transfer to the conveying device are not arranged above the packaging bag.

[0041] The one or more suction belts and / or clamping belts can in particular be aligned at least in some areas substantially parallel to the side surfaces of the packaging bag, so that the one or more suction belts can suck a side surface of the packaging bag, or the one or more clamping belts can hold the packaging bag laterally.

[0042] The feeding device is preferably designed to convey sucked packaging bags by displacing the suction belts and / or clamping belts.

[0043] In particular, the suction belts and / or clamping belts can be displaceable by means of a drive unit, in particular in an endless loop along their extension direction, similar to a belt drive and / or a drive belt of a belt transmission.

[0044] The suction belts can be coupled to a vacuum device such that a vacuum is generated at a suction surface of the suction belts in order to suck the packaging bags. For this purpose, the suction belts can have a plurality of holes to which a vacuum is applied and air is sucked.

[0045] The suction belts and / or clamping belts are preferably arranged such that they feed and / or transfer a sucked and / or held packaging bag to the conveying device, displaced substantially in the conveying direction.

[0046] The packaging machine preferably further comprises at least one filling device for filling a packaging bag with filling material, wherein the conveying device is configured to displace a packaging bag held by two adjacent carriages to the filling device.

[0047] Preferably, the conveying device is configured to open and / or close an opening of the packaging bag, in particular immediately before or after the filling process and / or introduction of filling material into the packaging bag, by relatively displacing one adjacent carriage with respect to the other adjacent carriage, in particular in a direction toward each other. By bringing the carriages closer together, the opposite sides and / or edges of the packaging bag are brought closer together, such that an opening in the packaging bag is opened and / or widened. This enables advantageous filling, since no additional devices are required for opening the opening. In particular, the opening of the packaging bag can be individually influenced by changing the distance between the carriages.

[0048] The packaging machine preferably comprises a weighing device for weighing a packaging bag and / or the filling material, particularly while the packaging bag is positioned in the area of the filling device. This advantageously allows the filling weight and / or the filling quantity of the packaging bag to be measured during and / or immediately after filling. If a deviation from a target weight is detected, the packaging bag can be sorted out or refilled, for example.

[0049] Preferably, two adjacent carriages respectively have a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag held jointly by the carriages. The weighing cell can, for example, measure a deformation of a portion of the holding device using one or more strain gauges. Alternatively or additionally, the weighing cell can measure a downward vertical force exerted by the packaging bag using one or more piezo elements.

[0050] A power supply for the weighing device can be provided via a battery and / or rechargeable battery. Alternatively or additionally, sliding contacts and / or spring contacts can be provided, which provide a power supply in at least one measuring section of the conveying track. Alternatively or additionally, a power supply can be provided by electromagnetic induction.

[0051] Transmission of one or more measurement signals from the weighing cell can occur, for example, using radio technology, in particular NFC. Alternatively or additionally, one or more measurement signals can be transmitted optically, for example, via an LED at the carriage and a phototransistor at the conveying track or a receiving device that receives a signal from the LED. Alternatively or additionally, a display and / or a mechanical measuring scale at the carriage can be captured by a camera.

[0052] Preferably and alternatively, the conveying device can have a substantially decoupled portion with a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag and the carriage holding it. This has the advantage that no power supply to the carriages and / or data transmission from the carriages must be provided.

[0053] The weighing device in the conveying track can comprise a substantially decoupled segment of the conveying track, which can measure the weight of the carriages and the packaging bag held by them. For example, a substantially static torque of the segment relative to a support can be measured while the carriages with the packaging bag are positioned thereon.

[0054] Preferably, the packaging machine further comprises: a connecting device for connecting at least two layers of packaging material and producing a packaging bag; and / or a separating device for separating a part of the packaging material and / or at least one packaging bag; and / or a closing device for closing a filled packaging bag. Alternatively or additionally, the packaging machine can comprise a device for providing produced and separated packaging bags from a magazine and / or stack and / or from a conveyor belt, in particular to the feeding device and / or to the carriages.

[0055] Two or more layers of packaging material can be joined in areas by one or more connecting devices, for example by gluing and / or welding and / or embossing, to form a packaging bag. Preferably, one or more separating devices can be provided to produce mutually separate packaging bags, for example by severing the packaging material using a cutting edge and / or blade. The packaging bags produced in this or a similar manner are transferred from the feeding device to the conveying device and / or fed to it in order to be conveyed from there to further stations, in particular at least one filling station and / or a closing device.

[0056] The conveying device is particularly designed to convey a packaging bag to a closing device for closing a filled packaging bag. A closing device can in particular substantially, preferably fluid-tightly, close an opening in the packaging bag through which filling material has been introduced into the packaging bag.

[0057] The feeding device is preferably designed to convey the packaging material and / or the formed packaging bags to the connecting device and / or the separating device and / or away from it or them and feed it or them to the conveying device. Alternatively, the feeding device is designed to receive a produced, in particular a separated, packaging bag and feed it to the conveying device.

[0058] The packaging machine preferably has one or more guide and / or guiding elements for guiding packaging bags conveyed along the conveying device. One or more guide and / or guiding elements are preferably provided at curves and / or non-rectilinear areas of the conveying track in order to limit and / or reduce, preferably substantially prevent, pivoting and / or oscillation of at least some of the packaging bags due to inertia and / or centrifugal forces. This can in particular reduce a load on the packaging bag and / or the carriages holding the packaging bag. A guide and / or guiding element can in particular comprise a guard rail and / or crash barrier and / or a protective sheet, which is arranged substantially parallel to an area of the conveying track and spaced apart from it. Preferably, a position and / or an alignment of a guide and / or guiding element is manually or automatically adjustable, in particular to accommodate different packaging bags, speeds, filling materials, and / or filling quantities.

[0059] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine, the conveying device being configured to convey a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, comprising: feeding a packaging bag by a feeding device to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; receiving and holding the fed packaging bag by the adjacent carriages during displacement of the carriages and the packaging bag in a conveying direction. This method is particularly advantageous because a transfer of the packaging bags to the conveying device takes place in which a load on the packaging bag is reduced and the process speed can be increased.

[0060] Preferably, the packaging bag is displaced when feeding substantially without acceleration and / or substantially only in the conveying direction. In particular, the carriages are displaced substantially in the conveying direction during transfer. Preferably, the packaging bag is not displaced substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction when feeding and / or transfer.

[0061] Preferably, the method comprises engaging respectively one holding device of two adjacent carriages with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0062] Preferably, the method comprises weighing a packaging bag by means of a weighing device, in particular during and / or after a filling process.

[0063] A further aspect of the invention relates to a packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising: a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, wherein respectively two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction and / or production direction, displace a packaging bag; and a weighing device for weighing a packaging bag, wherein two adjacent carriages respectively have a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag held by the carriages, or wherein the conveying device has a substantially decoupled portion with a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag and the carriage holding it. The packaging machine and the weighing device can in particular have one or more of the features and / or devices and / or properties described with respect to other aspects.

[0064] A further aspect of the invention relates to a packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising: a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, wherein respectively two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction, displace a packaging bag; wherein the conveying device has a conveying track, and: the carriages are arranged substantially in a vertical alignment at the conveying track; and / or wherein at least one roller of a carriage, which is in direct contact with the conveying track, has a substantially vertical axis of rotation. This aspect is particularly compatible with one or more of the other aspects of the invention and / or may have one or more features and / or properties of the other aspects. Likewise, the other aspects may have one or more features and / or properties of this aspect.

[0065] Preferably, the conveying track has at least one guide device with a vertically upwardly directed guide surface, wherein the guide surface is configured to support a side surface of a roller of a carriage from vertically below.

[0066] The packaging machine preferably further comprises: a feeding device for feeding a packaging bag to the conveying device, in particular to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; wherein the packaging bag, when being fed to the conveying device, and the carriages, when receiving the packaging bag, are displaced in the conveying direction. The packaging bag can be displaced when feeding substantially without acceleration and / or substantially only in the conveying direction.

[0067] Preferably, two adjacent carriages respectively have a holding device for engagement with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0068] Preferably, the conveying device is configured to individually control adjacent carriages when receiving a packaging bag, in particular the displacement in the conveying direction.

[0069] Preferably, the feeding device has one or more suction belts and / or clamping belts for holding and / or conveying of a packaging bag.

[0070] Preferably, the packaging machine further comprises at least one filling device for filling a packaging bag with filling material, and the conveying device is configured to displace a packaging bag held by two adjacent carriages toward the filling device.

[0071] Preferably, the conveying device is configured to open and / or close an opening of a packaging bag held by the carriages by relatively displacing one adjacent carriage with respect to the other adjacent carriage.

[0072] In the following, individual embodiments for solving the object are described by way of example with reference to the figures. The individual embodiments described partly have features that are not absolutely necessary to implement the claimed subject matter, but which provide desired properties in certain applications. Thus, embodiments that do not have all the features of the embodiments described below are also to be considered as falling within the scope of the described technical teaching. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessary repetition, certain features are mentioned only in relation to individual embodiments described below. It is pointed out that the individual embodiments should therefore be considered not only in isolation, but also in conjunction with one another. Based on this overview, the person skilled in the art will recognize that individual embodiments may also be modified by incorporating one or more features of other embodiments. It is noted that a systematic combination of the individual embodiments with one or more features described with reference to other embodiments may be desirable and useful and should therefore be considered and deemed to be encompassed by the description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0073] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary packaging machine;

[0074] FIG. 2 shows a vertical view of the exemplary packaging machine of FIG. 1;

[0075] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary feeding device, an exemplary separating device, and an exemplary connecting device of a packaging machine;

[0076] FIG. 4 shows two exemplary adjacent carriages with a packaging bag.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0077] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary packaging machine 1 with a conveying device 2 and a feeding device 20 for feeding packaging bags 16 to the conveying device 2.

[0078] The conveying device 2 has, in particular, a conveying track 4, which in this example has a shape substantially like a rectangle with rounded corners. However, the conveying track 4 can also have a different shape, in particular, one or more substantially horizontal curves. The conveying track 4 is preferably aligned to be substantially level. However, the conveying track 4 can also have inclines and / or declines in certain areas, for example, to access stations at different heights.

[0079] The conveying device 2 is preferably designed to transport and / or displace a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, 6 in a transport direction B along the conveying track 4. The conveying track 4 can have features of an electromagnetic linear motor, in particular a plurality of electromagnets arranged side by side, and / or one or more electromagnetic stators to displace the plurality of carriages 6, which are preferably designed as rotors. Parameters of the carriages, such as in particular speed, displacement direction, acceleration, and position along the conveying track, are preferably controllable and / or detectable.

[0080] In particular, the conveying device 2 is designed to displace each of the carriages 6 individually and / or separately. Likewise, the conveying device 2 is designed to displace two or more carriages 6 substantially synchronously and / or in the same manner. The carriages 6 are preferably repeatedly moved along the closed conveying track 4 and / or repeatedly complete circuits along the conveying track 4.

[0081] The conveying track 4 preferably has a vertical and / or outwardly facing side surface at which the carriages 6 are arranged and with which the carriages 6 are in direct contact and / or along which the carriages 6 are displaced and / or conveyed.

[0082] Each of the carriages 6 preferably has a holding device 12 for engagement with a portion of a packaging bag 16. The holding device 12 can, for example, have two holder elements 14, wherein one of the holder elements 14 can be designed to be at least temporarily displaceable with respect to the other holder element 14 in order to arrange and / or position a portion of a packaging bag 16 between the holder elements 14. When the two holder elements 14 subsequently approach each other, the portion of the packaging bag 16 is clamped between the holder elements 14 and / or held by the holding device 12 by force and / or friction.

[0083] A detailed view of two adjacent carriages 6 holding a packaging bag 16 is shown in FIG. 4. The packaging machine 1 can further comprise one or more connecting devices for connecting two or more layers of packaging material and forming a packaging bag 16. Furthermore, the packaging machine 1 can comprise one or more separating devices 30, which separate and / or sever interconnected packaging bags 16.

[0084] Preferably, the packaging machine 1 comprises a feeding device 20 for feeding a produced and / or separated packaging bag 16 to the conveying device 2. The feeding device 20 is designed to displace a packaging bag 16 substantially in a conveying direction B, wherein the conveying direction B is oriented in particular parallel to the alignment of the portion of the conveying device 2 at which the packaging bags 16 are received.

[0085] The feeding device 20 and the conveying device 2 are in particular designed and / or aligned to each other such that the packaging bag 16 is displaced when feeding and / or transfer to the conveying device 2 substantially continuously, preferably without acceleration, and / or exclusively in the conveying direction B, optionally decelerated. In other words, the packaging bag 16 is preferably transferred from the feeding device 20 to the conveying device 2, while being displaced substantially exclusively in rectilinearly and substantially parallel to the conveying track 4. In particular, the packaging bag 16 experiences no acceleration in a direction transverse to the conveying direction B. Alternatively, the feeding device 20 and the conveying device 2 can be designed to transfer or receive one or more packaging bags 16 substantially intermittently, wherein the packaging bags 16 can temporarily remain virtually stationary in the conveying direction B.

[0086] A preferred arrangement of the feeding device 20 and the conveying device 2 is shown in detail in FIG. 2. An exemplary feeding device 20 is shown in detail in FIG. 3.

[0087] The packaging machine 1 can further comprise a filling device 36, which is arranged at a portion of the conveying track 4 and is designed to fill a packaging bag 16 conveyed by the conveying device 2 with filling material. For this purpose, the packaging bag 16, held by two adjacent carriages 6, is displaced to the filling device 36 and positioned below an inlet device.

[0088] Preferably, the adjacent carriages 6 are displaced relative to one another and approximately, and / or the distance in the conveying direction B between the carriages 6 is reduced by displacing the carriages 6, so that the packaging bag 16 is deformed such that an opening of the packaging bag opens and / or enlarges, so that advantageous filling can take place.

[0089] Alternatively or additionally, the opening of the packaging bag 16 is opened, for example, by means of blown air and / or one or more suction devices and / or a former, which is displaced through the opening into the interior of the packaging bag 16 and brings the opening into a substantially open state. Optionally, a sensing device and / or one or more sensors can be provided to control or monitor the open state of the packaging bag 16.

[0090] FIG. 2 shows a vertical view of the exemplary packaging machine 1 of FIG. 1 from above.

[0091] The conveying track 4 of the conveying device 2 is preferably formed to be substantially linear and / or rectilinear in the area of the feeding device 20, at least in some areas, so that the conveying direction B of the packaging bag 16 is also substantially linear and / or rectilinear in the area of feeding and / or transfer to the conveying device 2.

[0092] In the example, the feeding device 20 has a suction belt 22, which runs and / or is oriented substantially parallel to the conveying track 4, at least in some areas. The suction belt 22 is designed to generate a negative pressure at least in some areas at an outwardly directed surface, so that a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 can be at least temporarily sucked and / or held by the suction belt 22.

[0093] The suction belt22 is preferably designed to be displaceable, in particular by means of a drive unit 24, wherein the suction belt 22 is preferably designed as an endless piece forming a loop. The suction belt 22 can be deflected and / or tensioned by one or more deflection rollers 29.

[0094] The feeding device 20 can have one or more suction belts 22, wherein two or more suction belts 22 can be arranged substantially side by side in the conveying direction B, in particular substantially seamlessly adjacent, and / or one above the other.

[0095] Alternatively or additionally, the feeding device 20 can have one or more clamping belts, which can in particular have one or more of the above-mentioned properties of the suction belts 22.

[0096] The feeding device 20 is particularly designed to hold and / or convey packaging bags 16 of different sizes and / or dimensions, in particular different widths, without the need for retooling work. Therefore, the feeding device 20 is particularly advantageous in combination with the exemplary conveying device 2 shown, since both the feeding device 20 and the conveying device 2 are formed to be substantially “format-free”, i.e. no or only minimal retooling work is required when changing the format of the packaging bag 16 to be conveyed.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 2, the packaging bags 16 are transferred to the conveying device 2 such that the displacement direction of the packaging bag 16 remains substantially constant and / or rectilinear throughout the transfer process.

[0098] Preferably, the conveying device 2 is designed to displace the two adjacent carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16 such that the packaging bag 2 is transferred to the conveying device 2 or to the two carriages 6 with substantially no acceleration.

[0099] For example, a packaging bag 16 to be transferred is held by the feeding device 20, in particular the suction belt 22, and is displaced by it at a substantially constant speed in the conveying direction B.

[0100] Alternatively, the transfer and / or feeding can take place intermittently and / or with the packaging bag 16 temporarily at a near standstill in the conveying direction B.

[0101] Preferably, a carriage 6a at the front in the conveying direction B is positioned at the conveying track 4 in front of the packaging bag 16. Here, the carriage 6a can be temporarily substantially stationary or can be displaced in the conveying direction B such that a speed of the carriage 6a is lower than the speed of the packaging bag 16, so that the distance between the carriage 6a and the packaging bag 16 is reduced. As soon as and / or shortly before the carriage 6a, in particular its holding device 12, is positioned relative to the packaging bag 16 such that the holding device 12 can be brought into engagement with a portion of the packaging bag 16, the carriage 6a is accelerated such that the carriage 6a has substantially the same speed as the packaging bag 16 and / or such that the position of the carriage 6a relative to the packaging bag 16 remains substantially constant.

[0102] Alternatively or additionally, the carriage 6b at the rear in the conveying direction and arranged at the conveying track 4 can be positioned behind the packaging bag 16 and displaced at a speed greater than the speed of the packaging bag 16, so that the distance between the carriage 6b and the packaging bag 16 is reduced. As soon as and / or shortly before the carriage 6b, in particular its holding device 12, is positioned relative to the packaging bag 16 such that the holding device 12 can be brought into engagement with a portion of the packaging bag 16, the carriage 6b is negatively accelerated and / or decelerated such that the carriage 6b has substantially the same speed as the packaging bag 16 and / or such that the position of the carriage 6b relative to the packaging bag 16 remains substantially constant.

[0103] The packaging machine 1 is preferably designed to control and / or initiate an approach of the holder elements 14 of a holding device 12 to one another. In particular, the packaging machine 1 can be designed to displace the holder elements 14 of the two adjacent carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16 substantially simultaneously and / or synchronously, in particular to bring them closer together, so that the portions of a packaging bag 16 arranged between the holder elements 14 of the holding device 12 of both carriages are clamped and / or held in place substantially simultaneously.

[0104] Preferably, the two carriages 6a and 6b are controlled such that they are respectively positioned substantially simultaneously relative to the packaging bag 16 such that their holding device 12 can respectively be brought into engagement with a portion of the packaging bag 16. Preferably, the holding devices 12 of the two carriages 6a and 6b are then caused, substantially simultaneously, to grip and / or clamp and / or hold the respective portion of the packaging bag 16, in particular by substantially simultaneously displacing at least one of the holder elements 14.

[0105] Preferably, the packaging machine 1 comprises a holder element displacement device 38 for displacing one or more holder elements 14 of one or more carriages 6.

[0106] For example, the holder element displacement device 38 can be designed to be displaceable, in particular transversely to the conveying direction, and arranged such that, by displacement, it comes into contact with or abuts one or more, preferably two, adjacent carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16, so that at least one holder element 14 of the carriage(s) 6 is displaced or actuated and holds a portion of the packaging bag 16 in place. This is particularly advantageous because the holder elements 14 of both adjacent carriages 6 can be displaced substantially simultaneously and / or by a single displacement of the holder element displacement device 38. In particular, the timing and / or speed of the displacement can be flexibly controlled and easily adapted to different formats of the packaging bags 16 and displacement speeds.

[0107] Alternatively, the holder element displacement device 38 can be arranged to be substantially stationary with respect to the conveying track 4 and can be oriented and / or shaped such that a portion of a holding device 12 abuts the holder element displacement device 38 when conveyance of the associated carriage 6, is thereby displaced or actuated, and holds the packaging bag 16 in place. However, the packaging bag 16 is not gripped simultaneously by both holding devices 12, but rather at different times when the respective holding device 12 is displaced or actuated by the holder element displacement device 38.

[0108] When the packaging bag 16 is transferred from the feeding device 20 to the carriages 6 of the conveying device 2, the packaging bag 16 is temporarily held simultaneously by the suction belt 22 of the feeding device 20 and by the holding devices 12 of the carriages 6.

[0109] The feeding device 20 can be designed such that a generation of a negative pressure for sucking and / or holding the packaging bag 16 by the suction belt 22 can be reduced and / or stopped, so that the packaging bag 16, which has already been held and / or received by the carriages 6a and 6b, can be decoupled from the suction belt 22, in particular accelerated by the carriages 6 and / or displaced at a speed different from the speed of the suction belt 22. Alternatively or additionally, the suction belt 22 can be deflected, preferably by 90° or more, and be displaced away from the packaging bag 16 and / or the conveying track 4, so that the packaging bag 16 is no longer sucked and / or held by the suction belt 22 and / or the packaging bag 16 is decoupled from the suction belt 22.

[0110] The described procedure represents merely one of many alternative procedures for advantageously feeding and / or transferring a packaging bag 16 to a conveying device 2 according to one aspect of the invention.

[0111] Alternatively, feeding and / or transfer of one or more packaging bags 16 to the conveying device 2 can occur intermittently and / or during a temporary near standstill of the one or more packaging bags 16. Here, the holder element displacement device 38 is preferably designed to displace the holding devices 12 assigned to a packaging bag 16 substantially simultaneously and / or synchronously.

[0112] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary feeding device 20 and two exemplary separating devices 30 of a packaging machine 1.

[0113] The feeding device 20 can have a drive unit 24, which drives a suction belt 22 and / or displaces the suction belt 22 in a continuous loop along a track.

[0114] The suction belt 22 preferably forms a suction surface 23 for sucking and / or holding a packaging bag 16. The suction surface 23 is preferably aligned substantially vertically and parallel to the conveying direction B. The suction surface 23 is in particular a portion of the suction belt 22 designed to receive, displace, and feed a packaging bag 16 to the conveying device 2. The suction surface 23 is preferably arranged substantially parallel to an outer surface of the conveying track 4 and directed toward it.

[0115] The suction belt 22 is preferably configured to generate negative pressure at the suction surface 23, in particular to suck and / or hold a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16. For this purpose, the feeding device 20 can comprise a negative pressure generating device and / or a compressor connected to the suction belt 22. The suction belt 22 can have a plurality of holes to which the negative pressure is applied and through which air and / or a packaging bag is sucked.

[0116] The feeding device 20 can have one or more, for example, two, three, four, or five, suction belts 22, which can be arranged one behind the other and / or one above the other, at least in some areas. For example, two suction belts 22 arranged one above the other can form one or more suction surfaces 23. This is particularly advantageous because, for packaging bags 16 with a low height, which can only be held by the upper suction belt 22, a generation of a negative pressure by the lower suction belt 22 can be stopped to save energy. Several suction belts 22 can be arranged one behind the other, preferably substantially seamlessly, in a displacement direction of the packaging bag 16. The one or more suction belts 22 can have a common or different drive units 24 and / or negative pressure generation devices.

[0117] The suction surface 23 is preferably not a predetermined portion along the suction belt 22, but rather, the suction surface 23 is always formed by the portion of the suction belt 22 that precisely forms the part of the track configured for holding and / or displacing a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16. In the example of FIG. 3, the suction surface 23 is formed substantially between the deflection rollers 26, which deflect the suction belt 22 in the conveying direction B or away from the conveying direction B. At the front end in the conveying direction B, the suction surface 23 is designed to suck and / or pick up a provided packaging bag 16. At the rear end in the conveying direction B, the suction surface 23 is designed to release and / or repel a held and displaced packaging bag 16, wherein the packaging bag 16 has preferably already been fed to and / or transferred to the conveying device 2.

[0118] The feeding device 20 with suction belt 22 is particularly advantageous because it can transport packaging bags 16 in different formats. This avoids retooling work and the associated downtime. Preferably, the upper edges of packaging bags 16 of different dimensions and / or sizes are arranged at substantially the same height, so that feeding to the conveying device 2 can take place without changing the position of the holding devices 12 of the carriages 6. Preferably, a vertically upper end of the packaging bag 16 protrudes beyond the suction belt 22, so that the portions of the packaging bag 16 that are gripped by the holding devices 12 of the carriages 6 are substantially exposed.

[0119] The speed at which the packaging bags are displaced in the conveying direction B can also advantageously be controllable and / or adjustable and / or synchronizable with the conveying device 2.

[0120] Preferably, one or more connecting devices are provided, which can connect two or more layers of packaging material and thus form packaging bags 16. Also shown are two separating devices 30, which can separate and / or sever formed packaging bags 16. The connecting device and the separating device 30 are arranged upstream of the feeding device 20 in the packaging machine 1. A conveying device for conveying the packaging material and / or the packaging bags 16 to the feeding device 20 can be provided. The conveying device can, for example, have one or more suction belts, wherein the suction belt 22 of the feeding device 20 is preferably arranged substantially directly adjacent thereto. Optionally, the suction surface of the conveying device can be oriented opposite the suction surface 23 of the feeding device 20, so that when a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 is transferred from the conveying device to the feeding device 20, both side surfaces of the packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 are sucked by the corresponding suction belts at a time.

[0121] Alternatively or additionally, the feeding device 20 can have one or more clamping belts, which can in particular have one or more of the above-mentioned properties of the suction belts 22.

[0122] FIG. 4 shows exemplary adjacent carriages 6 with a packaging bag 16 held by them, wherein the carriages are arranged at the conveying track 4. The carriages 6 can in particular be comprised by a packaging machine 1 according to one aspect of the invention.

[0123] A carriage 6 preferably comprises a carriage body 8, which may have an elongated shape. One or more, preferably four, displacement devices 10 can be arranged at the carriage body 6 for displacing the carriage 6 along the conveying track 4. The displacement devices 10 can in particular be rollers, the axes of rotation of which are preferably aligned substantially in the longitudinal extension of the carriage body 8.

[0124] The carriage body 8, in the state arranged at the conveying track 4, is preferably aligned substantially vertically, with the side surface 5 of the conveying track 4 facing vertically and / or laterally and outwardly. The rollers 10 are designed to run along a side surface 5 of the conveying track 4, with their axes of rotation preferably oriented substantially vertically.

[0125] The conveying track 4 preferably has one or more guide devices 40 which can accommodate at least some of the rollers 10 of the carriage 6. The guide device 40 is designed, in particular, to guide and / or support the carriages 6, in particular one or more guide projections, and / or their displacement devices 10, and / or extends along at least part of the conveying track 4. For example, a guide device 40 can be designed as a groove in the side surface 5 and / or as a projection projecting substantially orthogonally from the side surface 5. In particular, the guide device 40 can have a substantially horizontal guide surface arranged to support a side wall of a roller 10 of a carriage 6 substantially vertically from below.

[0126] The carriage 6 is preferably configured to be electromagnetically displaced along the conveying track 4. In particular, the carriage body 8 can be configured to be attracted and / or repelled by an electric and / or magnetic field and thereby displaced. The carriage body 8 preferably comprises ferromagnetic material, at least in some areas.

[0127] The carriage 6 preferably has a holding device 12 for holding and / or gripping at least a portion of a packaging bag 16. In the example shown, the holding device 12 is designed to laterally grip an upper edge area of the packaging bag 16. In particular, the holding device 12 can comprise two holder elements 14, which respectively rest against opposite sides of the packaging bag 16 and / or form a positive and / or frictional connection to hold the packaging bag 16.

[0128] Preferably, at least one of the holder elements 14 is designed to be displaceable relative to the other holder element 14, so that the holder elements 14 can be moved away from each other to position the portion of the packaging bag 16 to be gripped between them. By bringing the holder elements 14 together, the intermediate portion of the packaging bag 16 is clamped and / or held in place.

[0129] The two carriages 6a and 6b, which are designed to jointly hold the packaging bag 16, preferably have holder elements 14 directed toward each other. In other words, the holding devices 12 of the adjacent carriages 6a and 6b are preferably designed to be substantially mirror-symmetrical, so that the holding devices 12 can respectively grip and / or hold an opposite edge of the packaging bag 16.

[0130] The holding device 12 is preferably arranged at a vertically upper area of the carriage. The holding device 12 preferably protrudes at least partially upward and outward, i.e. away from the conveying track 4, from the carriage body 8. This is particularly advantageous because it allows a sufficient distance to be achieved between the packaging bag 16 and the conveying track 4.

[0131] The carriage 6 can comprise and / or form a weighing device 32 for weighing the packaging bag 12 and / or the content thereof. The carriage 6 preferably has a weighing cell 34, which can in particular be formed integrally with the carriage body 8 or the holding device 12 and / or can be arranged between the carriage body 8 and the holding device 12.

[0132] The weighing cell 34 can, for example, comprise a load cell and / or measure a deformation of a portion of the holding device 12 and / or the carriage body 8 using one or more strain gauges and / or optical sensors. Alternatively or additionally, the weighing cell 34 can measure a downward vertical force acting on the holding device 12 and / or the holder elements 14 using one or more piezo elements.

[0133] The weighing device 32 can be supplied with current and / or voltage in particular via a battery and / or rechargeable battery cell. Alternatively or additionally, sliding contacts and / or spring contacts can be provided, via which a power supply is provided at least in one measuring portion of the conveying track 4. Alternatively or additionally, a power supply can be provided by electromagnetic induction and a pickup coil of the carriage 6.

[0134] To transmit one or more measurement signals from the weighing device 32 to a receiving unit, radio technology, in particular NFC, can be used, for example. For this purpose, each carriage 6 can comprise a transmitter for transmitting a radio signal that can be received in the vicinity of the carriage. Alternatively or additionally, one or more measurement signals can be transmitted optically, for example, by one or more light-emitting diodes at the carriage 6 and one or more phototransistors at the conveying track 4 or a receiving unit for receiving the signal from the light-emitting diode(s). Alternatively or additionally, a display and / or a mechanical measuring scale at the carriage 6 can be captured by a camera and fed to a control and / or regulating device. Preferably, measurement signals from two adjacent carriages 6, which together hold a packaging bag 16, are offset against each other by a calculation device to determine the weight of the packaging bag 16 and / or the filling material accommodated by it.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS1 packaging machine

[0136] 2 conveying device

[0137] 4 conveying track

[0138] 5 side surface

[0139] 6 carriage

[0140] 8 carriage body

[0141] 10 displacement device

[0142] 12 holding device

[0143] 14 holder element

[0144] 16 packaging bag

[0145] 20 feeding device

[0146] 22 suction belt

[0147] 23 suction surface

[0148] 24 drive unit

[0149] 26 deflection roller

[0150] 30 separating device

[0151] 32 weighing device

[0152] 34 weighing cell

[0153] 36 filling device

[0154] 38 holder element displacement device

[0155] 40 guide device

[0156] B conveying direction

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0077]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary packaging machine 1 with a conveying device 2 and a feeding device 20 for feeding packaging bags 16 to the conveying device 2.

[0078]The conveying device 2 has, in particular, a conveying track 4, which in this example has a shape substantially like a rectangle with rounded corners. However, the conveying track 4 can also have a different shape, in particular, one or more substantially horizontal curves. The conveying track 4 is preferably aligned to be substantially level. However, the conveying track 4 can also have inclines and / or declines in certain areas, for example, to access stations at different heights.

[0079]The conveying device 2 is preferably designed to transport and / or displace a plurality of carriages, in particular sliding carriages, 6 in a transport direction B along the conveying track 4. The conveying track 4 can have features of an electromagnetic linear motor, in particular a plurality of electromagnets arranged side by side, and / o...

Claims

1. A packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising:a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages wherein two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction, displace a packaging bag; anda feeding device for feeding a packaging bag to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device,wherein the packaging bag, when being fed to the conveying device, and the two adjacent carriages, when receiving the packaging bag, are displaced in the conveying direction.

2. A packaging machine according to claim 1,wherein the packaging bag is displaced when feeding at least one of substantially without acceleration and substantially only in the conveying direction.

3. A packaging machine according to claim 1,wherein two adjacent carriages respectively have a holding device for engagement with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

4. A packaging machine according to claim 1,wherein the conveying device has a conveying track and the carriage has a plurality of rollers, with substantially vertical axes of rotation,wherein the rollers are in direct contact with the conveying track and arrange a carriage body of the carriages in a rollable manner at the conveying track.

5. A packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is designed to individually control adjacent carriages when receiving a packaging bag, in particular the displacement in the conveying direction.

6. A packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein feeding device has one or more suction belts and / or one or more clamping belts for holding and / or conveying of a packaging bag.

7. A packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the packaging machine further comprises at least one filling device for filling a packaging bag with filling material, and the conveying device is configured to displace a packaging bag held by two adjacent carriages to the filling device.

8. A packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is configured to open and / or close an opening of a packaging bag held by the carriages by relatively displacing one adjacent carriage with respect to the other adjacent carriage.

9. A packaging machine according claim 1, further comprising:a weighing device for weighing a packaging bag.

10. A packaging machine according to claim 9,wherein the packaging machine is configured to include at least one of(1) two adjacent carriages having a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag held by the carriages and(2) the conveying device having a substantially decoupled portion with a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag and the carriage holding the packaging bag.

11. A packaging machine according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:a connecting device for connecting at least two layers of packaging material and producing a packaging bag;a separating device for separating at least one of a part of the packaging material and at least one packaging bag; anda closing device for closing a filled packaging bag.

12. A method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine, the conveying device being configured to convey a plurality of carriages, the method comprising:feeding a packaging bag by a feeding device to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; andreceiving and holding the fed packaging bag by the two adjacent carriages during displacement of the carriages and the packaging bag in a conveying direction.

13. A method according to claim 12,wherein the packaging bag is displaced when feeding at least one of substantially without acceleration and substantially only in the conveying direction.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:engaging respectively one holding device of two adjacent carriages with at least one of opposite sides of the packaging bag and opposite edges of the packaging bag; and / or weighing the packaging bag by means of a weighing device.

15. A packaging machine for providing and filling a packaging bag, comprising:a conveying device for conveying a plurality of carriages, wherein two adjacent carriages are configured to jointly receive, hold, and, in a conveying direction, displace a packaging bag; anda weighing device for weighing a packaging bag,wherein the packaging machine is configured to include at least one of(1) two adjacent carriages having a weighing cell for weighing a packaging bag held by the carriages, and(2) the conveying device having a substantially decoupled portion with a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag and the carriage holding the packaging bag.

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