Horizontal Bag-Making Machine Spout Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing apparatus for making plastic bags with a spout are complex, costly, and inefficient, particularly due to the vertical alignment of panel materials which complicates feeding and alignment, making it difficult to produce bags at high speed and in pairs.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus aligns first and second webs of panel material horizontally and feeds them intermittently, using a guide device and seal devices to form and heat-seal folded portions, allowing for the insertion and sealing of a spout without gravity-induced misalignment, and includes a mechanism for forming apertures and heat-sealing with end surface material to create standing pouches.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the first and second webs of panel material are disposed along the vertical plane and fed longitudinally thereof and intermittently, then the spout can be inserted into the aperture formed in the second folded portion, but the apparatus becomes complicated in structure and high in cost due to gravity-induced misalignment and complex feeding mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of feeding panel materialVSAvoidapparatus structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional vertical arrangement by disposing the first and second webs of panel material along the horizontal plane instead. This inversion eliminates gravity-induced misalignment issues and allows for simpler feeding mechanisms, directly reducing apparatus structure complexity while maintaining the spout insertion function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

By arranging the panel material webs horizontally, the patent creates an equipotential configuration where gravity acts uniformly on both webs, preventing differential movement and misalignment. This horizontal arrangement ensures stable feeding without complex alignment mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

2Manufacturing precision

If the spout is inserted sideways into the aperture with the second folded portion disposed along the vertical plane, then the spout can be positioned on the folded lines, but the apparatus becomes complicated in structure and low in speed due to sideways insertion and sealing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespout positioning precisionVSAvoidbag making speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the insertion direction from sideways (vertical plane) to downward (horizontal plane). This inversion allows the spout to be inserted vertically into the aperture formed in the second folded portion, enabling faster and simpler sealing operations while maintaining precise positioning on the folded lines

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If the apparatus is arranged to successively make the plastic bags one by one, then the spout can be inserted and sealed properly, but it is difficult to successively make the plastic bags two by two and reduces production efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespout sealing reliabilityVSAvoidproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the panel material into multiple webs (first web and second web) that can be fed and processed independently but simultaneously. This segmentation enables the apparatus to make plastic bags two by two while maintaining proper spout insertion and sealing reliability for each bag, thereby doubling production efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This approach simplifies the structure, reduces costs, and enables high-speed production of plastic bags with a spout, allowing for efficient and simultaneous production of pairs of bags with stable end surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

a heat seal device by which the first web of panel material and the second web of panel material are heat-sealed to each other

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat sealing: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a cooling device by which the heat-sealed portion is cooled

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentEP3369563B1Bag-making machine
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 FUJI SEAL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP3369563B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1E
  • EP3369563B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2H
  • EP3369563B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

An apparatus to successively make plastic bags, each of which includes an end surface provided with a spout, by employing the general feeding way of panel material, including the possibility of making successively the plastic bags two by two. A folded portion is formed in a first web of panel material, a second web of panel material is superposed with the first web of panel material on opposite side to the folded portion to have one side edge protruding beyond the longitudinal fold line, an aperture is formed in a web of end surface material, a spout is inserted into the aperture, the spout and the web of end surface material being heat sealed with each other. The web of end surface material and the folded portion are heat sealed with each other while the web of end surface material and the second web of panel material are heat sealed with each other about the spout.