Synchronized Heat Seal Unit Positioning for Bag Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bag making apparatuses face issues with inconsistent heat seal strength due to varying film thicknesses, misalignment of heat seal members affecting design integrity, and cumbersome positional adjustments of heat seal devices, leading to inefficient and aesthetically flawed plastic bags.

Innovation Solution

A heat seal device with a pair of seal units that can move in perpendicular directions, featuring an adjustment unit allowing synchronized movement and precise positioning of heat seal members, eliminating the need for separate adjustments and ensuring consistent heat sealing across different sections of the plastic bag.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If heat seal members are fixed in position, then the structure is simple, but misalignment with design occurs affecting aesthetic quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heat seal members are made adjustable in position along the width direction through a movable mechanism. The adjustment unit allows the heat seal members to be positioned at different locations to align with design patterns, transforming the fixed structure into a dynamic one that can adapt to different alignment requirements while maintaining operational simplicity through automated control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If heat seal members are adjusted separately in width direction, then positioning precision can be improved, but adjustment operation becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning precisionVSAvoidadjustment operation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment unit combines the positioning mechanisms for both heat seal members into a single integrated system. When one heat seal member is adjusted in the width direction, the other heat seal member is automatically adjusted by the same amount, ensuring synchronized positioning. This merging of adjustment operations simplifies the operating procedure while maintaining high positioning precision for both members simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism is designed to automatically coordinate the movement of both heat seal members. When an operator adjusts one heat seal member, the system self-adjusts the other member to maintain proper alignment, reducing the need for manual intervention and complex adjustment procedures while ensuring consistent positioning precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Strength

If heat sealing is performed once, then the process is efficient, but seal strength is insufficient in sections with multiple stacked films

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat seal strengthVSAvoidheat sealing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs heat sealing in multiple passes at different positions along the width direction. The heat seal members are moved to different locations in periodic cycles, allowing different sections of the film stack to be sealed at different times. This periodic action ensures that all sections, including those with multiple stacked films requiring stronger sealing, receive adequate heat treatment while maintaining overall process efficiency through automated sequencing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

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 provides enhanced heat seal strength, improved design alignment, and streamlined positional adjustments, resulting in higher-quality plastic bags with consistent seal integrity and reduced operational complexity.

Implementation Method 1

Each of the first and second seal units includes a heat seal member and a heater for heating the heat seal member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3798147B1Heat sealing device
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 TOTANI CORP (JP)
  • EP3798147B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3798147B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3798147B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A head seal device 10 of a bag making apparatus includes a pair of seal units 12 and 13 configured to face each other in a facing direction Z. Each of the seal units 12 and 13 includes a heat seal member 14, 15 and a heater 16, 17. The heat seal device 10 includes an adjustment unit 18 configured to move the first seal unit 12 in a width direction Y of continuous sheet panels 1 and 2, and to move the second seal unit 13 in the width direction Y of the sheet panels 1 and 2 in accordance with movement of the first seal unit 12 in the width direction Y.