Flexible Bag Convertible Bottom Reinforcement Panel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bag manufacturing processes face limitations in production rate and waste management, especially when producing square-bottomed bags with bellows, due to the need for precise adjustments and generation of waste during the manufacturing of bags with bellows, which affects efficiency and quality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a system with reinforcement panels between the bellows of flexible bags made from materials like paper or synthetic materials, which provides additional stiffness and allows for the formation of a square bottom without generating waste, by using a continuous process that folds and bonds the flaps without cutting the edges, and a machine that can easily adjust to different widths and formats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a continuous process with cutting and folding is used to manufacture bags with bellows, then production rate is improved, but waste is generated and machine adjustment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates waste generation by avoiding the cutting step entirely. The continuous process folds the flexible material to form bellows and seals them through bonding, recovering all material used in the process. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining high production rate through continuous processing while eliminating waste through a cut-free design.
2Manufacturing precision
If cutting is used to create sharp edges on bags, then edge quality is improved, but waste is generated during lateral seam manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cutting operation from the manufacturing process entirely. Instead of cutting edges to achieve sharp appearance, the process uses folding and bonding of lateral seams to create the desired edge quality without material removal. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining manufacturing precision through alternative means that do not generate waste.
3Manufacturing precision
If perforation means are changed and adjusted for different bag widths, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but adjustment time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the folding and bonding mechanism universal by designing it to accommodate different bag widths and formats without requiring changes to the fundamental process or components. The continuous processing line can be adjusted through simple parameter changes rather than physical component changes, resolving the contradiction by maintaining manufacturing precision while dramatically reducing adjustment complexity.
4Loss of substance
If flaps are bonded along edges without cutting, then waste is eliminated, but the useful width of the bag is reduced by the bonded areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin bonding areas along the lateral edges that minimally impact the useful width of the bag. The bonding is applied only to the necessary edge portions to create secure seals, leaving the majority of the bag width available for use. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating waste through edge bonding while preserving maximum useful area through optimized bonding placement.
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
The solution enables high-rate production of square-bottomed bags with improved resistance and functionality, reduced waste, and easier adjustment for different formats, while maintaining a sharp edge quality and visual appearance.
Implementation Method 1
adhesive is applied to the hems at least over one length of the first or second flap on one seam face... the folding means being configured to bring each edge hem against hem by the seam face so as to obtain bonding of the hems to each other
Data Source
AI summary
A bag made of flexible material has a first and a second segment having cheeks along their selvages, the cheeks being joined together so as to form two gussets joining the segments together, one end of the bag perpendicular to the selvages being closed. The bag has a system of at least one reinforcing panel extending over a central part of the segments, between the gussets, each segment having a fold marking line, one opposite the other, in order to delimit a bottom at the closed end. Method and machine for manufacturing such a bag.