Bagging Machine Sheath Locking Mechanism for Flat Loaves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bagging machines for elongated food products, such as breads, face challenges in efficiently packaging loaves with flat bases due to circular sheath designs that can block the bread and fail to maintain the bread's position at the bottom of the bag after formation.
Innovation Solution
A bagging machine with a mechanism that presses one edge of the sheath against a plate, allowing easier insertion of flat-based loaves and maintaining the bag's shape with a blower system, and incorporates a locking flap to hold the sheath in position during cutting and welding, ensuring proper bread positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a circular sheath is used for bagging, then the sheath can be easily formed and cut, but flat-based loaves are blocked by the edges of the sheath and cannot be easily inserted
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath is transformed from a rigid circular structure to a dynamic, adaptable form. By introducing the pressing means that apply force to flatten the sheath edges, the structure becomes adaptable to different loaf shapes, particularly flat-based loaves, while maintaining the ease of formation from the circular sheath.
2Productivity
If the sheath is cut and folded to form a bag, then the bagging process is completed, but the sheath is no longer held in position and the bread projection is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing means are activated before the sheath is cut and folded to form the bag. By pre-flattening the sheath edges and securing the loaf position during this preliminary stage, the system ensures that when the bag is formed, the bread is already correctly positioned and will project completely from the bag.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the sheath edges are not pressed against the plate, then the sheath remains flexible, but flat-based loaves cannot be easily inserted into the bag
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath maintains its dynamic characteristics by being flexible when not pressed, yet becomes rigid and flat when the pressing means are activated. This dynamic transformation allows the sheath to adapt to different operational requirements: flexibility for formation and asymmetric flattening for easy loaf insertion.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates efficient bagging of various bread types by ensuring easy insertion and correct positioning of loaves within the bag, improving the efficiency and versatility of the bagging process.
Implementation Method 1
a blower system making it possible to shape the sheath 7 when the latter is positioned on the plate 10
Implementation Method 2
one edge of the end of the sheath is pressed against the plate, which allows flat-based loaves to be more easily inserted into the bag
Implementation Method 3
the sheath is cut, folded and welded to form a bag
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
This bagging machine (1) for elongated food products (3), in particular breads, comprises a rotating reel (5) including a wound tubular sheath (7), a drive mechanism (8, 9) for the sheath (7) from the reel (5), folding and sealing means (13) suitable for forming bags (11) from the sheath (7), a platform (10) on which the unwound sheath (7) is positioned, a blowing system (17, 21) for shaping the sheath (7), and a conveyor belt for introducing an elongated food product (3) into the sheath (7). This machine (1) includes, at the outlet of the infeed conveyor belt (15) onto the plate (10), a locking member (19) adapted to lock in position an edge (70a) of one end (70) of the sleeve (7), open on the side of the infeed conveyor belt (15), against the plate (10) before the formation of the bag (11).