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 in each case two adjacent carriages are configured to together receive a packaging bag, hold same and move same in a conveying direction; and a feed device for feeding a packaging bag to the conveying device, in particular to two adjacent carriages of the conveying device; wherein the packaging bag, during feeding to the conveying device, and the carriages, during receiving of the packaging bag, are moved in the conveying direction.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] 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.

[0003] Packaging machines for producing, filling, and sealing packaging bags are often designed for a specific packaging bag and a specific filling material and are not individually controllable, or only to a limited extent. In particular, when changing the packaging material, the packaging bag, and / or the filling material, the packaging machine must be retooled, which involves considerable effort, expense, and time. For example, the shape and / or material of produced packaging bags can vary between different products, batches, and / or production cycles, requiring one or more devices of the packaging machine and / or process steps of the packaging process to be adjusted accordingly to ensure proper functioning.

[0004] New concepts for packaging machines allow for the flexible adaptation of many process sequences, including the 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 the filling station and closing station, can also be flexibly adapted to changing packaging bag formats. In contrast, setting up a device for transferring a packaging bag made from packaging material to the transport device, for example, requires comparatively significant additional effort.Depending on the design and dimensions of the packaging machine, this conversion process can be very time-consuming, resulting in a long downtime of the packaging machine during which it cannot be operated.

[0005] 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 manufactured packaging bags with different formats to be transferred to a conveying device of a packaging machine in an advantageous manner. It is further an object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine with an advantageous device for measuring the fill weight of packaging bags of different formats.

[0006] These objects are achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the subclaims.

[0007] 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, wherein two adjacent carriages are each configured to jointly receive, hold, and displace a packaging bag in a conveying direction and / or production direction; 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 is displaced in the conveying direction upon being fed to the conveying device, and the carriages are displaced upon receiving the packaging bag.

[0008] 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 processes differ particularly with regard to the essential conveying direction of the packaging material or the packaging bags. In an HFFS process, the packaging material and / or the produced packaging bags are conveyed essentially in a horizontal direction. The present application is directed in particular to such a system and / or process, but is not limited to it.

[0009] A conveying direction and / or production direction (hereinafter referred to as conveying direction) refers in particular to a direction in which the packaging material and / or a manufactured and / or sealed packaging bag is moved, in particular from one station to the next. The conveying direction can change in a packaging machine or remain essentially the same, in particular 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 on which the carriages and / or the packaging bags held by the carriages are conveyed. Preferably, the conveying direction is essentially flat and / or in an essentially horizontal plane.Preferably, the conveying direction is substantially rectilinear in the region of the feeding device and / or across a region of the conveying device in which the feeding and / or transfer of the packaging bag takes place.

[0010] The conveying device is preferably designed to convey and / or displace a plurality of carriages in a conveying direction along the conveying path. The conveying path 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, direction of displacement, acceleration, and position along the conveying path, are preferably controllable and / or detectable.

[0011] The plurality of carriages can be designed, in particular, as shuttles for a magnetic shuttle system, which are preferably transportable along a track. Such shuttles are advantageous because, in particular, the time and / or speed and / or acceleration of the shuttle movement can be individually controlled. This allows the carriages to be moved 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 transport direction can be adjusted or changed, as described below.

[0012] Preferably, two carriages adjacent in the conveying direction are designed to jointly take over and / or receive and / or hold and / or pick up a produced and / or filled and / or sealed packaging bag.

[0013] The adjacent carriages are preferably movable relative to one another, so that the conveying device is designed to advantageously hold and move packaging bags of different dimensions, in particular of different widths, and in particular without any retooling effort. This allows for advantageous "format freedom" of the packaging machine, in particular of the conveying device.

[0014] A manufactured packaging bag refers, in particular, to a packaging bag formed from one or more layers of packaging material, which has an opening for filling the contents. A sealed packaging bag refers, in particular, to a packaging bag which has a sealed opening and is preferably filled with contents and / or is essentially hermetically sealed.

[0015] The term “filling material” refers in particular to bulk material, which for example essentially comprises powdery, granular, and / or lumpy mixtures, which are preferably in pourable form. Likewise, filling material essentially comprises fluid, in particular liquid, material, as well as mixed forms and / or mixtures of the aforementioned. Likewise, filling material within the meaning of this application includes so-called loose goods, i.e. essentially pourable, definable or quantifiable units, such as ironmongery or assembly accessories (e.g. screws, nuts, nails, washers, felt pads and the like), craft and sewing materials (e.g. beads, (press) 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 foodstuffs (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.

[0016] The conveying device is particularly designed to displace two adjacent carriages, each of which holds a packaging bag, essentially synchronously and / or uniformly. This is particularly advantageous because, when the held packaging bag is conveyed by the carriages, essentially no, or at least only a slight, force acts on the packaging bag from the carriages and / or essentially no, or at least only a slight, deformation of the packaging bag occurs. This ensures gentle conveyance of the packaging bags by means of the carriages.

[0017] The feed device is particularly designed to feed a produced packaging bag to the conveying device and / or to transfer a produced 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 feed device and the conveying device, in particular by two carriages. Preferably, the feed device and the conveying device form a transfer area in which the transfer of the packaging bag from the feed device to the conveying device or to the carriages takes place. Preferably, the transfer area is formed in an overlapping area between at least part of the feed 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 feed device and arranged substantially parallel and relative to the conveying path in such a way 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, both carriages being positioned in an area between the feed device and the conveying path.

[0018] In particular, the feeding device is designed to displace the packaging bag substantially in the conveying direction during feeding and / or transfer. This makes it possible to achieve a higher process speed because, after feeding and / or transfer to the conveying device, the packaging bags do not have to be accelerated from a standstill but 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 feed device and the conveying device can be configured to intermittently feed and / or transfer the packaging bags to the conveying device 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 the packaging bags are preferably conveyed further "inline."

[0020] The feed device is preferably designed to hold and / or convey packaging bags of different sizes, in particular of different widths. This is particularly advantageous in conjunction with a similarly "format-free" conveying device, such as a magnetic shuttle system.

[0021] Preferably, the feed device is designed to transfer and / or feed one or more, in particular one, two, three, or four, packaging bags to the conveying device essentially simultaneously and / or in a similar manner. Likewise, the conveying device can be designed to convey one or more, in particular one, two, three, or four, packaging bags essentially simultaneously and / or in a similar manner.

[0022] Preferably, the packaging bag is displaced during feeding essentially without acceleration, in particular at an essentially constant speed, and / or essentially only in the conveying direction. In particular, the packaging bag is not displaced or is displaced only slightly perpendicular to the conveying direction during feeding and / or transfer. This has the particular 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 essentially below the upper, held region 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 thus be reduced, preferably essentially prevented.This can, in particular, increase the process speed. Preferably, the carriages are displaced in the conveying direction during the transfer and / or gripping of the packaging bag in order to receive the displaced packaging bag.

[0023] 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.

[0024] Preferably, two adjacent carriages each have a holding device for engaging with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0025] The carriages preferably each 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 region of the packaging bag. The adjacent carriages are preferably designed to grip opposite portions of the packaging bag, preferably arranged substantially horizontally, from the side of the packaging bag.

[0026] The holding device and / or gripping device can in particular have two holding elements which are displaceable relative to one another. For example, a first holding element is arranged essentially stationary relative to the carriage, and a second holding element is designed to move away from the first holding element at least temporarily, such that a section of a packaging bag can be positioned between the holding elements. The second holding element is then brought back towards the first holding element or engaged with it and the packaging bag. Alternatively, both holding elements of a holding device can be displaceable. Preferably, the holding devices of the adjacent carriages are designed essentially mirror-symmetrically, such 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.

[0027] The conveying device preferably comprises a conveying track, wherein the carriages are arranged substantially vertically along the conveying track. This offers the advantage that the conveying track can form complex profiles, in particular with horizontal curves, and / or can shift the packaging bags to stations that are not arranged in a straight line. Therefore, the packaging machine can have a flexible and / or demand-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 of the conveying track and the carriages can also be reduced, since less dirt and / or dust can settle on the conveying track.In particular, with the described alignment, the carriages are aligned along the entire length of the conveyor track to hold a packaging bag, so that stations for interacting with the packaging bags can be arranged along the entire conveyor track. This allows for more compact packaging machines to be provided. Furthermore, this alignment achieves advantageous ground clearance.

[0028] Alternatively, the carriages can be arranged essentially horizontally on the conveyor track. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of displacement devices of the carriage, in particular a plurality of rollers which are in direct contact with the conveyor track and arrange the carriage body so that it can roll along the conveyor track, can have essentially horizontal axes of rotation. This makes it possible, in particular, to provide a conveyor device with a small footprint, since partial areas of the conveyor track are arranged vertically one above the other. With such an orientation, however, the carriages are rotated and / or inverted in a partial area of ​​the conveyor track, in particular an area returning the carriages to a packaging bag receiving position, so that packaging bags can only be conveyed over a partial area of ​​the conveyor track.

[0029] The carriages are preferably arranged on the conveying track of the conveying device in such a way that a longitudinal extent 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, which are in direct contact with the conveying track and arrange the carriage body on the conveying track so that it can roll, 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) so that it can be displaced, in particular rolled, on the conveying track (4).

[0030] 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 conveyor track.

[0031] A carriage can, in particular, have two pairs of rollers, wherein one pair of rollers can be arranged on an upper, first section 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 on a lower, second section of the carriage vertically below the other pair of rollers. This ensures reliable and stable guidance and / or arrangement of the carriage on the conveyor track. Preferably, a plane spanned by two adjacent carriages is oriented substantially parallel to the packaging bag held by them.

[0032] Preferably, the holding device is arranged on a vertically upper portion of the carriage in the operating position and extends upwards and / or in a direction away from the conveying path.

[0033] The conveyor track is preferably designed and arranged such that a surface on which the carriages can be arranged and influenced by a magnetic field of the conveyor track is oriented substantially vertically, preferably over the entire extent of the conveyor track. Preferably, a substantially vertical side surface of the conveyor track, preferably over the entire extent of the conveyor track, forms a running surface along which the carriages can be conveyed, particularly under the influence of magnetic fields generated by the conveyor device.

[0034] The conveyor track preferably comprises one or more guide devices, in particular guide grooves and / or guide slots, wherein the guide devices are designed in particular to receive and / or support one or more displacement devices. The guide devices preferably extend over the entire conveyor track. Preferably, a guide device has a horizontal section which projects distally and / or laterally outwards from the conveyor track and is designed to support a roller of a carriage from vertically below. Alternatively or additionally, the conveyor track can have at least one guide device with a vertically upward-facing guide surface, wherein the guide surface is designed to support a side surface of a roller of a carriage from vertically below. This allows advantageous guidance of the carriages during transport along the conveyor track.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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 more quickly 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 each approach opposite sides and / or edges of the packaging bag while the packaging bag is displaced by the feed device in the conveying direction.In particular, the conveying device is designed to reduce a distance in the conveying direction between the adjacent carriages during the 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.

[0037] The feed 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 feed 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 feed device when changing the packaging bag format. Furthermore, there are no components arranged above the packaging bag that could hinder or complicate transfer to the conveying device.

[0038] The one or more suction belts and / or clamping belts can in particular be aligned at least in regions substantially parallel to the side surfaces of the packaging bag, so that the one or more suction belts can suck up a side surface of the packaging bag or the one or more clamping belts can hold the packaging bag laterally.

[0039] The feeding device is preferably designed to convey suctioned packaging bags by displacing the suction belts and / or clamping belts.

[0040] 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 direction of extension, similar to a belt drive and / or a drive belt of a belt transmission.

[0041] The suction belts can be coupled to a vacuum device such that a vacuum is created at a suction surface of the suction belts to suck in the packaging bags. For this purpose, the suction belts can have a plurality of holes through which a vacuum is applied and air is sucked in.

[0042] Preferably, the suction belts and / or clamping belts are arranged in such a way that they feed and / or transfer a suctioned and / or held packaging bag to the conveying device, displaced substantially in the conveying direction.

[0043] Preferably, the packaging machine 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.

[0044] 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 relative to the other adjacent carriage, in particular in a mutual direction. 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.

[0045] The packaging machine preferably comprises a weighing device for weighing a packaging bag and / or the contents, particularly while the packaging bag is positioned in the region 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.

[0046] Preferably, two adjacent carriages each have a load cell for weighing the packaging bag held jointly by the carriages. The load cell can, for example, measure the deformation of a section of the holding device using one or more strain gauges. Alternatively or additionally, the load cell can measure a downward vertical force exerted by the packaging bag using one or more piezo elements.

[0047] 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 conveyor track. Alternatively or additionally, a power supply can be provided by electromagnetic induction.

[0048] One or more measurement signals from the load cell can be transmitted, for example, using wireless technology, particularly NFC. Alternatively or additionally, one or more measurement signals can be transmitted optically, for example, via an LED on the carriage and a phototransistor on the conveyor track or a receiving device that receives a signal from the LED. Alternatively or additionally, a display and / or a mechanical measuring scale on the carriage can be captured by a camera.

[0049] Preferably and alternatively, the conveying device can comprise a substantially decoupled section with a load 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 is required.

[0050] The weighing device in the conveyor track can comprise a substantially decoupled segment of the conveyor 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.

[0051] 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 portion 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 may have 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 feed device and / or to the carriages.

[0052] Two or more layers of packaging material can be joined in regions 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 separate packaging bags, for example by separating the packaging material using a cutting edge and / or blade. The packaging bags produced in this or a similar manner are transferred from the feed device to the conveying device and / or fed to it, from which they are conveyed to further stations, in particular at least one filling station and / or a closing device.

[0053] The conveying device is particularly designed to convey a packaging bag to a closure device for closing a filled packaging bag. A closure device can, in particular, essentially, preferably fluid-tightly, close an opening in the packaging bag through which the contents were introduced into the packaging bag.

[0054] Preferably, the feed device is 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 these and to feed them to the conveying device. Alternatively, the feed device is designed to receive a produced, in particular a separated, packaging bag and feed it to the conveying device.

[0055] 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 on curves and / or non-rectilinear regions of the conveying path 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 the load on the packaging bag and / or the carriage holding the packaging bag. A guide and / or guiding element can, in particular, have a guardrail and / or crash barrier and / or a protective plate, which is arranged substantially parallel to a region of the conveying path and at a distance from it.Preferably, a position and / or an orientation of a guide and / or guiding element is manually or automatically adjustable, in particular in order to be adaptable to different packaging bags, speeds, filling materials and / or filling quantities.

[0056] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for feeding a packaging bag to a conveying device of a packaging machine, wherein the conveying device is configured to convey a plurality of 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 while displacing the carriages and the packaging bag in a conveying direction. This method is particularly advantageous because the packaging bag is transferred to the conveying device, reducing the load on the packaging bag and allowing the process speed to be increased.

[0057] Preferably, the packaging bag is displaced during feeding essentially without acceleration and / or essentially only in the conveying direction. In particular, the carriages are displaced essentially in the conveying direction during transfer. Preferably, the packaging bag is displaced essentially not perpendicular to the conveying direction during feeding and / or transfer.

[0058] Preferably, the method comprises engaging a holding device of two adjacent carriages with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0059] The method preferably comprises weighing a packaging bag by means of a weighing device, in particular during and / or after a filling process. 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, wherein two adjacent carriages are each configured to jointly receive, hold, and displace a packaging bag in a conveying direction and / or production direction; and a weighing device for weighing a packaging bag, wherein two adjacent carriages each have a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag held by the carriages, or wherein the conveying device has a substantially decoupled section with a weighing cell for weighing the packaging bag and the carriage holding the same.The packaging machine and the weighing device may in particular have one or more of the features and / or devices and / or properties described with regard to other aspects.

[0060] 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, wherein two adjacent carriages are each configured to jointly receive, hold, and displace a packaging bag in a conveying direction; wherein the conveying device has a conveying track, and: the carriages are arranged substantially vertically on 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 characteristics of this aspect.

[0061] The conveyor track preferably has 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. Preferably, the packaging machine further comprises: a feed device for feeding a packaging bag to the conveyor device, in particular to two adjacent carriages of the conveyor device; wherein the packaging bag is displaced in the conveying direction during feeding to the conveyor device and the carriages are displaced during receiving the packaging bag. The packaging bag can be displaced during feeding essentially without acceleration and / or essentially only in the conveying direction.

[0062] Preferably, two adjacent carriages each have a holding device for engaging with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag.

[0063] Preferably, the conveying device is configured to individually control adjacent carriages when receiving a packaging bag, in particular the displacement in the conveying direction.

[0064] Preferably, the feeding device comprises one or more suction belts and / or clamping belts for holding and / or conveying a packaging bag.

[0065] 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 to the filling device.

[0066] 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.

[0067] In the following, individual embodiments for achieving the object are described by way of example with reference to the figures. In some cases, the individual embodiments described have features that are not absolutely necessary to carry out 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 to be regarded as falling within the scope of the described technical teaching. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessary repetition, certain features are only mentioned in relation to individual embodiments described below. It is pointed out that the individual embodiments should therefore not only be considered in isolation, but also in conjunction with one another.Based on this overview, those 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 considered to be encompassed by the description.

[0068] Short description of the drawings

[0069] Figure 1 shows an exemplary packaging machine;

[0070] Figure 2 shows a vertical view of the exemplary packaging machine of Figure 1;

[0071] Figure 3 shows an exemplary feeding device, an exemplary separating device and an exemplary connecting device of a packaging machine;

[0072] Figure 4 shows two exemplary adjacent carriages with a packaging bag. Detailed description of the drawings

[0073] Figure 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.

[0074] The conveyor device 2 comprises, in particular, a conveyor track 4, which in this example has a shape essentially of a rectangle with rounded corners. However, the conveyor track 4 can also have a different shape, in particular, one or more essentially horizontal curves. The conveyor track 4 is preferably aligned essentially flat. However, the conveyor track 4 can also have inclines and / or declines in certain areas, for example, to reach stations at different heights.

[0075] The conveying device 2 is preferably designed to convey and / or displace a plurality of carriages 6 in a conveying 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 form 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, direction of displacement, acceleration, and position along the conveying track, are preferably controllable and / or detectable.

[0076] 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. Preferably, the conveying track 4 has a vertical and / or outwardly directed side surface on 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.

[0077] 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 holding elements 14, wherein one of the holding elements 14 can be designed to be at least temporarily displaceable relative to the other holding element 14 in order to arrange and / or position a portion of a packaging bag 16 between the holding elements 14. When the two holding elements 14 subsequently approach one another, the portion of the packaging bag 16 is clamped between the holding elements 14 and / or held by the holding device 12 by means of force and / or frictional engagement.

[0078] A detailed view of two adjacent carriages 6 holding a packaging bag 16 is shown in Figure 4.

[0079] The packaging machine 1 may further comprise one or more connecting devices for connecting two or more layers of packaging material and forming a packaging bag 16. In addition, the packaging machine 1 may comprise one or more separating devices 30 which separate and / or separate interconnected packaging bags 16.

[0080] The packaging machine 1 preferably comprises a feed device 20 for feeding a produced and / or separated packaging bag 16 to the conveying device 2. The feed 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 orientation of the section of the conveying device 2 at which the packaging bags 16 are received. The feed device 20 and the conveying device 2 are in particular designed and / or aligned with one another such that the packaging bag 16 is displaced substantially continuously, preferably without acceleration, and / or exclusively in the conveying direction B, optionally at a slower speed, during the feeding and / or transfer to the conveying device 2.In other words, the packaging bag 16 is preferably transferred from the feed device 20 to the conveying device 2, while being displaced essentially exclusively in a straight line and essentially parallel to the conveying path 4. In particular, the packaging bag 16 experiences no acceleration in a direction transverse to the conveying direction B. Alternatively, the feed device 20 and the conveying device 2 can be configured to transfer or receive one or more packaging bags 16 essentially intermittently, wherein the packaging bags 16 can temporarily remain virtually stationary in the conveying direction B.

[0081] A preferred arrangement of the feed device 20 and the conveying device 2 is shown in detail in Figure 2. An exemplary feed device 20 is shown in detail in Figure 3.

[0082] The packaging machine 1 can further comprise a filling device 36, which is arranged on a section of the conveyor track 4 and which is designed to fill a packaging bag 16 conveyed by the conveyor device 2 with filling material. For this purpose, the packaging bag 16, held by two adjacent carriages 6, is moved to the filling device 36 and positioned below an inlet device.

[0083] 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. 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 cups 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 sensor and / or one or more sensors can be provided to monitor the open state of the packaging bag 16.

[0084] Figure 2 shows a vertical view of the exemplary packaging machine 1 of Figure 1 from above.

[0085] The conveying path 4 of the conveying device 2 is preferably formed in the region of the feeding device 20, at least in some regions, substantially linear and / or rectilinear, so that the conveying direction B of the packaging bag 16 is also substantially linear and / or rectilinear in the region of the feeding and / or transfer to the conveying device 2.

[0086] In the example, the feed device 20 has a suction belt 22, which, at least in some areas, runs and / or is oriented substantially parallel to the conveying path 4. The suction belt 22 is designed to generate a negative pressure at least in some areas on an outwardly directed surface, so that a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 can be at least temporarily sucked in and / or held by the suction belt 22.

[0087] The suction belt 22 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.

[0088] The feed device 20 can have one or more suction belts 22, wherein two or more suction belts 22 can be arranged essentially next to one another in the conveying direction B, in particular essentially adjoining one another without gaps, and / or one above the other.

[0089] Alternatively or additionally, the feed device 20 can have one or more clamping belts, which in particular can have one or more of the above-mentioned properties of the suction belts 22.

[0090] The feed device 20 is particularly designed to hold and / or convey packaging bags 16 with different measurements and / or dimensions, in particular different widths, without the need for conversion work. Therefore, the feed device 20 is particularly advantageous in combination with the exemplary conveying device 2 shown, since both the feed device 20 and the conveying device 2 are essentially "format-free," meaning that no or only minimal conversion effort is required when changing the format of the packaging bag 16 to be conveyed.

[0091] As shown in Figure 2, the packaging bags 16 are transferred to the conveying device 2 in such a way that the direction of displacement of the packaging bag 16 remains substantially constant and / or rectilinear throughout the transfer process.

[0092] Preferably, the conveying device 2 is designed to displace the two adjacent carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16 in such a way that the packaging bag 2 is transferred to the conveying device 2 or to the two carriages 6 essentially without acceleration.

[0093] For example, a packaging bag 16 to be transferred is held by the feed device 20, in particular the suction belt 22, and is displaced by it at a substantially constant speed in the conveying direction B.

[0094] 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. Preferably, a carriage 6a at the front in the conveying direction B is positioned on the conveying track 4 in front of the packaging bag 16. The carriage 6a can be temporarily essentially stationary or can be displaced in the conveying direction B in such a way that the 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.

[0095] Alternatively or additionally, the rear carriage 6b arranged in the conveying direction B and on the conveying track 4 can be positioned behind the packaging bag 16 and displaced at a speed which is 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.

[0096] Preferably, the packaging machine 1 is configured to control and / or initiate the approach of the holder elements 14 of a holding device 12 to one another. In particular, the packaging machine 1 can be configured to displace the holder elements 14 of the two adjacent carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16 essentially simultaneously and / or synchronously, in particular to bring them closer to one another, so that the sections 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 essentially simultaneously.

[0097] Preferably, the two carriages 6a and 6b are controlled such that they are each positioned substantially simultaneously relative to the packaging bag 16 such that their holding devices 12 can be brought into engagement with a respective section 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 section of the packaging bag 16, in particular by substantially simultaneously displacing at least one of the holding elements 14.

[0098] Preferably, the packaging machine 1 comprises a holder element displacement device 38 for displacing one or more holder elements 14 from one or more carriages 6.

[0099] 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, upon displacement, it comes into contact with or abuts one or more, preferably two adjacent, carriages 6 assigned to a packaging bag 16, such that at least one holder element 14 of the carriage 6(s) is displaced or actuated and holds a portion of the packaging bag 16. This is particularly advantageous since the holder elements 14 of both adjacent carriages 6 can be displaced essentially simultaneously and / or by a single displacement of the holder element displacement device 38. In particular, the time and / or speed of the displacement can be flexibly controlled and easily adapted to different formats of the packaging bags 16 and displacement speeds.Alternatively, the holder element displacement device 38 can be arranged substantially stationary relative to the conveyor track 4 and oriented and / or shaped such that a portion of a holding device 12 abuts the holder element displacement device 38 during the conveyance of the associated carriage 6 and is thereby displaced or actuated, thereby holding the packaging bag 16. However, the packaging bag 16 is then 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.

[0100] When the packaging bag 16 is transferred from the feed 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 feed device 20 and by the holding devices 12 of the carriages 6.

[0101] The feed device 20 can be designed such that the 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 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.

[0102] 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. Alternatively, the feeding and / or transfer of one or more packaging bags 16 to the conveying device 2 can take place intermittently and / or during a temporary near standstill of the one or more packaging bags 16. In this case, 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.

[0103] Figure 3 shows an exemplary feeding device 20 and two exemplary separating devices 30 of a packaging machine 1.

[0104] The feed device 20 may have a drive unit 24 which drives a suction belt 22 and / or displaces the suction belt 22 in a continuous loop in a path.

[0105] 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 oriented substantially vertically and parallel to the conveying direction B. The suction surface 23 is, in particular, a section of the suction belt 22 designed to receive a packaging bag 16, to displace it, and to feed it 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.

[0106] The suction belt 22 is preferably configured to generate negative pressure at the suction surface 23, in particular in order to suck in and / or hold a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16. For this purpose, the feed device 20 can have a negative pressure generating device and / or a compressor which is connected to the suction belt 22. The suction belt 22 can have a plurality of holes at which the negative pressure is applied and through which air and / or a packaging bag is sucked in. The feed 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, in the case of packaging bags 16 with a low height, which can only be held by the upper suction belt 22, the 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 direction of displacement 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.

[0107] The suction surface 23 is preferably not a predetermined section along the suction belt 22, but rather the suction surface 23 is always formed by the section of the suction belt 22 which forms precisely that part of the path which is designed to hold and / or displace a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16. In the example in Figure 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 in 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 the conveying device 2 and / or transferred thereto.

[0108] The feed device 20 with suction belt 22 is particularly advantageous because it can convey packaging bags 16 in different formats. This avoids changeover 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 sections of the packaging bag 16 that are gripped by the holding devices 12 of the carriages 6 are substantially exposed.

[0109] Likewise advantageously, the speed at which the packaging bags are displaced in the conveying direction B can be controllable and / or adjustable and / or adjustable with the conveying device 2 and / or synchronizable.

[0110] 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 separate formed packaging bags 16. The connecting device and the separating device 30 are arranged upstream of the feed device 20 in the packaging machine 1. A conveyor device for conveying the packaging material and / or the packaging bags 16 to the feed device 20 can be provided. The conveyor device can, for example, have one or more suction belts, wherein the suction belt 22 of the feed device 20 is preferably arranged substantially directly adjacent thereto.Optionally, the suction surface of the conveyor device can be oriented opposite to the suction surface 23 of the feed device 20, so that when a packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 is transferred from the conveyor device to the feed device 20, both side surfaces of the packaging material and / or packaging bag 16 are sucked by the corresponding suction belts at the same time.

[0111] Alternatively or additionally, the feed device 20 can have one or more clamping belts, which in particular can have one or more of the above-mentioned properties of the suction belts 22.

[0112] Figure 4 shows exemplary adjacent carriages 6 with a packaging bag 16 held by them, wherein the carriages are arranged on the conveyor track 4. The carriages 6 can in particular be included in a packaging machine 1 according to one aspect of the invention.

[0113] A carriage 6 preferably comprises a carriage body 8, which may have an elongated shape. One or more, preferably four, displacement devices 10 may be arranged on the carriage body 6 for displacing the carriage 6 along the conveying path 4. The displacement devices 10 may, in particular, be rollers whose rotation axes are preferably aligned substantially in the longitudinal extension of the carriage body 8.

[0114] Preferably, the carriage body 8, when arranged on the conveyor track 4, is oriented substantially vertically, with the side surface 5 of the conveyor track 4 facing vertically and / or laterally and outwardly. The rollers 10 are designed to run along a side surface 5 of the conveyor track 4, with their rotation axes preferably oriented substantially vertically.

[0115] The conveyor track 4 preferably has one or more guide devices 40 which can accommodate at least some of the rollers 10 of the carriages 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 conveyor track 4. For example, a guide device 40 can be designed as a groove in the side surface 5 and / or as a projection protruding substantially orthogonally from the side surface 5. In particular, the guide device 40 can have a substantially horizontal guide surface which is arranged in such a way as to support a side wall of a roller 10 of a carriage 6 substantially vertically from below.

[0116] The carriage 6 is preferably configured to be electromagnetically displaced along the conveying path 4. In particular, the carriage body 8 can be designed to be attracted and / or repelled by an electric and / or magnetic field and thus displaced. Preferably, the carriage body 8 comprises ferromagnetic material, at least in some areas.

[0117] The carriage 6 preferably has a holding device 12 for holding and / or gripping at least a portion of a packaging bag 12. In the example shown, the holding device 12 is designed to laterally grip an upper edge region of the packaging bag 16. In particular, the holding device 12 can comprise two holder elements 14, which each bear against opposite sides of the packaging bag 16 and / or form a force and / or frictional connection to hold the packaging bag 16.

[0118] 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.

[0119] The two carriages 6a and 6b, which are designed to jointly hold the packaging bag 16, preferably have holder elements 14 directed toward one another. 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 each grip and / or hold an opposite edge of the packaging bag 16.

[0120] The holding device 12 is preferably arranged in a vertically upper region of the carriage. The holding device 12 preferably projects at least partially upwards and outwards, i.e. away from the conveying track 4, from the carriage body 8. This is particularly advantageous since it allows a sufficient distance to be achieved between the packaging bag 16 and the conveying track 4. The carriage 6 can comprise and / or form a weighing device 32 for weighing the packaging bag 12 and / or its contents. 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.

[0121] The load 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 load 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.

[0122] 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 section of the conveyor track 4. Alternatively or additionally, a power supply can be provided by electromagnetic induction and a pickup coil of the carriage 6.

[0123] 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 on the carriage 6 and one or more phototransistors on the conveyor 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 on 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 one another by a calculation device in order to determine the weight of the packaging bag 16 and / or the contents held by it.

[0124] List of reference symbols

[0125] packaging machine

[0126] Transport facility

[0127] Transport track

[0128] side surface

[0129] Sleds

[0130] Sled body

[0131] 10 Relocation facility

[0132] 12 Holding device

[0133] 14 Holder element

[0134] 16 Packaging bag 0 Feeding device 2 Suction belt 3 Suction surface 4 Drive unit 6 Deflection roller

[0135] 30 Separation device

[0136] 32 Weighing device

[0137] 34 load cell

[0138] 36 Filling device

[0139] 38 Holder element displacement device

[0140] 40 Guide device

[0141] B Direction of transport

Claims

Patent claims 1. A packaging machine (1) for providing and filling a packaging bag (16), comprising: a conveying device (2) for conveying a plurality of carriages (6), wherein two adjacent carriages (6) are each configured to jointly receive, hold, and displace a packaging bag (16) in a conveying direction (B); and a feeding device (20) for feeding a packaging bag (16) to the conveying device (2), in particular to two adjacent carriages (6) of the conveying device (2); wherein the packaging bag (16) is displaced in the conveying direction (B) when being fed to the conveying device (2), and the carriages (6) are displaced when receiving the packaging bag (16).

2. Packaging machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the packaging bag (16) is displaced during feeding substantially without acceleration and / or substantially only in the conveying direction (B).

3. Packaging machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two adjacent carriages (6) each have a holding device (12) for engaging with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag (16).

4. Packaging machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying device (2) has a conveying track (4) and the carriage (6) has a plurality of displacement devices (10), in particular rollers, with substantially vertical axes of rotation, wherein the displacement devices (10) are preferably in direct contact with the Conveyor track (4) and arrange a carriage body (8) of the carriages (6) so as to be rollable on the conveyor track (4).

5. Packaging machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying device (2) is arranged to individually control adjacent carriages (6) when taking over a packaging bag (16), in particular the displacement in the conveying direction (B).

6. Packaging machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the feed device (20) has one or more suction belts (22) and / or one or more clamping belts for holding and / or conveying a packaging bag (16).

7. Packaging machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the packaging machine (1) further comprises at least one filling device (36) for filling a packaging bag (16) with filling material and the conveying device (2) is designed to displace a packaging bag (16) held by two adjacent carriages (6) to the filling device (36).

8. Packaging machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying device (2) is arranged to open and / or close an opening of a packaging bag (16) held by the carriages (6) by relatively displacing one adjacent carriage (6) with respect to the other adjacent carriage (6).

9. Packaging machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a weighing device (32) for weighing a packaging bag (16) 10. Packaging machine (1) according to claim 9, wherein two adjacent carriages (6) each have a weighing cell (34) for weighing the packaging bag (16) held by the carriages (6); and / or wherein the conveying device (2) has a substantially decoupled section with a weighing cell (34) for weighing the packaging bag (16) and the carriage (6) holding it.

11. Packaging machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a connecting device for connecting at least two layers of packaging material and producing a packaging bag (16); and / or a separating device (30) for separating a portion of the packaging material and / or at least one packaging bag (16); and / or a closing device for closing a filled packaging bag (16).

12. A method for feeding a packaging bag (16) to a conveying device (2) of a packaging machine (1), wherein the conveying device (2) is arranged to convey a plurality of carriages (6), comprising: Feeding a packaging bag (16) by a feeding device (20) to two adjacent carriages (6) of the conveying device (2); Taking over and holding the supplied packaging bag (16) by the adjacent carriages (6) during a displacement of the carriages (6) and the packaging bag (16) in a conveying direction (B).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the packaging bag (16) is displaced during feeding substantially without acceleration and / or substantially only in the conveying direction (B).

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising: engaging a holding device (12) of two adjacent carriages (6) with opposite sides and / or edges of a packaging bag (16); and / or Weighing a packaging bag (16) by means of a weighing device (32).

15. Packaging machine (1) for providing and filling a packaging bag (16), comprising: a conveying device (2) for conveying a plurality of carriages (6), wherein two adjacent carriages (6) are each arranged to jointly receive, hold and displace a packaging bag (16) in a conveying direction (B); and a weighing device (32) for weighing a packaging bag (16), wherein two adjacent carriages (6) each have a weighing cell (34) for Weighing the packaging bag (16) held by the carriage (6) or wherein the conveying device (2) has a substantially decoupled section with a weighing cell (34) for weighing the packaging bag (16) and the carriage (6) holding it.

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