Vertical Bagging Machine Film Folding Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vertical bagging machines are limited in handling irregularly shaped objects and require pre-folded film stock, which increases costs and reduces flexibility in packaging various sizes and shapes of products.
Innovation Solution
A vertical bagging machine design that utilizes a spindle for unwinding flat film stock, incorporates a folding plate with a central peak and folding rollers to create a fold line, and an adjustable spreader chute with guide plates to form and seal bags around items, allowing for automatic or semi-automatic operation and accommodating items of different sizes without re-tooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pre-folded film stock is used, then bag formation is simplified, but manufacturing cost increases and flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The film is unfolded and laid flat on the folding plate before packaging, performing the unfolding action in advance rather than using pre-folded film. This allows the film to be properly positioned and folded during the packaging process, eliminating the need for expensive pre-folded stock while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the film from pre-folded (compact) to unfolded (flat), transforming it from a finished product requiring assembly to a raw material ready for processing. This parameter change enables cost savings while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Productivity
If horizontal bagging machine is used, then packaging speed is improved, but adaptability to irregular shaped objects is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from horizontal bagging to vertical bagging, changing the dimensional orientation of the packaging process. The film is folded vertically and the bag is formed vertically, allowing the machine to accommodate items of various sizes and shapes by adjusting vertical dimensions rather than being constrained by horizontal footprint limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical bagging system allows dynamic adjustment of the folding plate and guide plates to accommodate different item shapes and sizes. The system can adapt its geometry dynamically during operation, whereas horizontal machines have fixed horizontal constraints that limit their ability to handle irregular objects.
3Adaptability or versatility
If vertical bagging machine with flat roll stock is used, then adaptability to various sizes is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The folding mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the folding plate with its central peak, the guide plates with inner and outer surfaces, and the folding rollers. Each segment performs a specific function in the folding process, making the overall complex task of forming bags from flat roll stock manageable through modular functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding plate acts as an intermediary element between the flat roll stock and the final bag form. It provides a structured surface that guides the film through the folding process, transforming the flat material into the three-dimensional bag shape without requiring complex direct manipulation mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If hand packing is used, then labor flexibility is maintained, but labor cost increases and output speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical bagging machine performs the bagging operation automatically without requiring manual intervention for each packaging step. The machine feeds the film, positions the item, forms the bag, and seals it autonomously, replacing hand packing operations while maintaining operational flexibility through automated control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A vertical bagging machine including a spindle for receiving and supporting a roll of stock material, the spindle defining a spindle axis, wherein the stock material is unwindable as a sheet, a folding plate defining a folding plate plane that is substantially parallel with the spindle axis, the folding plate including a first edge and a second edge, wherein the first and second edges are generally equal in length and connect at a central peak, a spreader chute including a first guide plate and a second guide plate, the second guide plate being generally parallel with and spaced apart from the first guide plate, wherein the first and second guide plates are substantially perpendicular to the folding plate plane, and first and second folding rollers defining a nip therebetween, the first and second folding rollers being generally parallel with the folding plate plane and disposed between the folding plate and the spreader chute, wherein the sheet is moveable over the central peak, through the nip, and over the first and second guide plates to define a loading space between the first and second guide plates.