Pouch Opening Fingers for Flexible Packaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for opening flexible pouches often fail to fully open them before filling, leading to incomplete access for products.
Innovation Solution
A machine with a pair of opposed side grippers and panel grippers, along with pouch opening fingers, is used to partially and fully open the pouch by displacing the grippers and fingers in a coordinated manner to ensure complete access for filling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional opening techniques (grippers, diving rods, or gas) are used to open the pouch, then the pouch opening process can be performed, but the pouch may not be fully opened prior to filling depending on the configuration of the pouch
Solution Approach 1:
The opening mechanism is segmented into multiple functional components: side grippers for holding pouch sides, panel grippers for holding upper edges, and opening fingers for actively separating walls. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function in the opening sequence, ensuring reliable full opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The side grippers and panel grippers perform preliminary action by holding and positioning the pouch walls before the opening fingers are deployed. This preliminary positioning ensures that the opening fingers can effectively separate the walls without obstruction, achieving full opening reliability.
2Device complexity
If a simple gripper system is used to open the pouch, then the device complexity is reduced, but the pouch cannot be fully opened for all configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The opening mechanism is designed with multi-functionality to handle various pouch configurations. The combination of side grippers, panel grippers, and opening fingers creates a universal system that can adapt to different pouch types (flexible, rigid, various seal configurations) while ensuring full opening reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening fingers are positioned within the pouch structure during the opening process, with the fingers nested between the pouch walls. This nesting arrangement allows the fingers to effectively separate the walls from the inside, ensuring complete opening without requiring excessive external force or complex external mechanisms.
3Productivity
If the pouch is not fully opened before filling, then the filling process may be incomplete or inefficient, but increasing opening complexity increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The opening and filling operations are merged into a coordinated sequence. The opening fingers remain in place to maintain the opened state during filling, and the grippers continue to hold the pouch walls apart. This merging ensures that the pouch remains fully open throughout the filling process, maximizing filling efficiency without requiring separate complex opening and filling mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, machine and method for opening a flexible pouch includes a pair of opposed side grippers each holding a side of the pouch. A pair of opposed panel grippers each hold an upper edge of the pouch. The side grippers are displaced inwardly towards each other and the panel grippers are displaced outwardly away from each other to partially open the pouch. A pair of pouch opening fingers are displaceable between a raised position above the pouch and a lowered position within the pouch. The pouch opening fingers are open in the raised position and closed after lowered into the lowered position, to grip the wall of the pouch. The pair of pouch opening fingers move together a predetermined distance in an outboard direction to fully separate the pouch walls.