BAG PACKAGING APPARATUS

Field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of engineering with particular relation to a bag packaging apparatus fundamentally comprising a bag holding and transporting module and a package opening module whereby the act of packaging a set of bags into a larger package or bag can be carried out more efficiently.

Background of the invention

In a conventional bag manufacturing industry, especially for disposable plastic bags, it is still very common for the employees to pack a set of bags into a package by hand or manually by stacking up the bags one-by-one until the assigned number has been reached, and upon which the bags are being placed inside a larger bag or package before sealing the packaged bags so that these set of plastic bags are suitable for at least the purposes of handling, transporting and distributing to various other industries or retail locations. Even though the demand for disposable plastic bags is greatly increased due to the increase in global population's needs for affordable storage media, there are still very little known effective ways to package these bags.

This invention, thus, provides an apparatus that can be used for packaging the bags at relative ease and time efficient manner by comprising at least two modules, namely a bag holding and transporting module and a package opening module that can enable a set of bags on the bag holding and transporting module to seamlessly transport to a larger package being opened by the package opening module in automatic manner with the assistances of a sub-set of smaller parts and units and other supplementary modules that function together harmoniously to enable the bag packaging function to occur in a time efficient manner without the need of manual labour for any packaging work. The bag packaging apparatus can seriously reduce the time for bag packaging and is likely to have an important role in the bag, especially plastic bag manufacturing industry wherein the packaging is done at large volume daily and time is a very important asset for the industry. Summary of the invention

A bag packaging apparatus according to this invention is fundamentally comprising a bag holding and transporting module and a package opening module which are situating on an apparatus base wherein, during the bag packaging process, a set of bags are stacked up on the lower receiving plate of the bag holding and transporting module and are being pressed on by the upper pressing plate of the same module. On the other hand, the package opening module is, either manually or via other package catching system, placed with a larger bag or package wherein the package opening is placed between the upper package opening plate and the lower package opening plate of the package opening module. The opening of the package is lifted by the upper package opening plate whereby the bag holding and transporting module which contains the pressed bags is then moved toward and be engulfed by the open package.

The bag packaging apparatus according to this invention can further comprise a package catching module for transporting at least one package from a package placement position to the bag packaging position by a rail and catching the package from the package placement position and delivering to the package opening module at the bag packaging position. Furtjier, a finished package catch module and a packaged bag closing and sealing module (34) can be installed onto the apparatus for catching a set of packaged bags and moving the packaged bags out of the bag packaging position, and for closing and sealing the packaged bags accordingly. Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 illustrates one perspective view of one embodiment of the bag holding and transporting module of the bag packaging apparatus according to this invention.

FIGS. 2 illustrates one set of front perspectives of one embodiment of the bag holding and transporting module according to this invention wherein FIG.2A illustrates one embodiment of the module being opened for the purpose of placing a set of bags, and FIG. 2B illustrates one embodiment of the module being closed for the purpose of pressing the bags.

FIG. 3 illustrates one perspective view of one embodiment of the bag holding and transporting module and the package opening module of the bag packaging apparatus according to this invention. FIGS. 4 illustrates one set of perspective views of one embodiment of the package opening module according to this invention wherein FIG. 4A illustrates the back perspective of the bag packaging apparatus, and FIG. 4B illustrates the front perspective of the bag packaging apparatus. FIG. 5 illustrates one perspective view of one embodiment of the package catching module of the bag packaging apparatus according to this invention.

FIGS. 6 illustrates one set of viewpoints of one embodiment of the bag packaging apparatus during a package transport process wherein FIG. 6A illustrates the package being caught by a catching component at the package placement position, and FIG. 6B illustrates the package being opened by the package opening module at the bag packaging position.

FIG. 7 illustrates one viewpoint of one embodiment of the bag packaging process by the bag packaging apparatus according to this invention wherein the finished package catching module and the packaged bag closing and sealing unit are additionally installed for the purposes of finishing and sealing the packaged bags. Detailed description of the invention

A bag packaging apparatus according to this invention as represented in FIG. 3 is fundamentally comprising an apparatus base (35) wherein at least one portion on top of said base (35) comprising:

- A bag holding and transporting module (2), as illustrated in FIG. 1 , which comprises the following components:

- A lower receiving plate (3) for receiving and placing on a bag or a set of bags (1) as illustrated in FIG. 2A;

- An upper pressing plate (4) for pressing on the bag or the set of bags ( 1 ) which are being placed on the lower receiving plate (3) as illustrated in FIG. 2B; - A hinge (5) connecting to the upper pressing plate (4) comprising a rotational point with an arm (6) connecting to a plate pressing generator ( 10) on or adj acent to the upper portion of said hinge (5) for lifting (FIG. 2A) and pressing (FIG. 2B) the upper pressing plate (4) on the bags (1) which are being placed or stacked on the lower receiving plate (3); and - A plate fixing structure (8) connecting to a base (7) of the hinge (5) wherein the plate fixing structure (8) is further connecting to the plate pressing generator (10) on or adjacent to one end (11), the lower receiving plate (3) on or adjacent to another end (12), and a bottom slider (9) on or adjacent to one part of its basal portion (13).

- A package opening module (14), as illustrated in FIGS. 4, which comprises the following components:

- A four-sided package fixing structure (15) connecting to the bottom slider (9) on or adjacent to at least one part of its bottom side (16), a lower package opening plate (20) on or adjacent to its inner left and right sides (17, 18), and a package opening plate movement generator (23) on or adjacent to its top side (19); and

- An upper package opening plate (21) connecting to the package opening plate movement generator (23).

During the bag packaging process in accordance with FIG.7, the upper package opening plate (21) is lifted upward and away from the lower package opening plate (20) in order to open a package (24) and to receive the pressed bags d) from the plates (3, 4) of bag holding and transporting module (2) at a bag packaging position (29), and to close the package (24) once the bags (1) are placed inside the package (24).

The bags (1) are suitably chosen from polymer-based, non-polymer based and composite materials wherein the plastic bags are most preferable for the purpose of bag packaging according to this invention. The packages (24) are suitably of greater width and length than the bags (1) and are chosen from polymer-based, non-polymer based, and composite materials, most preferably plastic packages.

The bag packaging apparatus according to this invention can further comprise a package catching module (25) as depicted in FIG. 5, FIG. 6A, and FIG. 6B wherein said module

(25) comprising: - A sliding structure (26) for transporting at least one package (24) from a package placement position (28) to the bag packaging position (29) by a rail (27) which situates on the top side of the said sliding structure (26); and

- A catching component (30) comprising at least one suction cap (31 ), preferably three suction caps, for catching the package (24) from the package placement position (28) and delivering to the package opening module (14) at the bag packaging position (29) wherein the catching component (30) is connecting to a package movement generator (60).

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the bag packaging apparatus according to this invention can further comprise a finished package catching module (32) for catching a set of packaged bags

(33) and moving the packaged bags (33) out of the bag packaging position (29), and a packaged bag closing and sealing module (34) for closing and sealing the packaged bags (33).

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the lower receiving plate (3) and the upper pressing plate (4) of the bag holding and transporting module (2) are preferably bowl-shaped or concavely- shaped (40, 46) and are containing at least one grooves (42, 48) locating on their front edges (41, 47) so in order for the finished package catching module (32) to catch the bags ( at the grooves (42, 48) and, in turn, to remove the bags (1) out of the module (2) and into the package

(24) at the bag packaging position (29). Further, at or adjacent to the back end (43) of the lower receiving plate (3) features at least one bag stopper (44), but preferably two stoppers (44), for holding the bags ( 1 ) in a suitable position for bag packaging, and a back partition (45) connecting to the plate fixing structure (8). In addition, at or adjacent to the back end (49) of the upper pressing plate (4) comprising at least one cavity (50), but preferably two cavities (50), for the bag stoppers (44) of the lower receiving plate (3) to pass through and a back partition (51) connecting to the hinge (5) which further connects to or contains the plate pressing generator ( 10). In such plate arrangements, the lower receiving plate (3) and the upper pressing plate (4) of the bag holding and transporting module (2) are preferably comprising corresponding grooves (42, 48) and concaved shapes (40, 46) and wherein the bag stoppers (44) of the lower receiving plate (3) also suitably fits into the cavities (50) of the upper pressing plate (4). In one arrangement of the package opening module (14) according to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the lower package opening plate (20) of the package opening module (14) is concavely- shaped (52) and wherein its back end (53), which is connecting to the left and right sides (17, 18) of the package fixing structure (15), is wider than its unfixed or free, front end (54). The upper package opening plate (21) of the package opening module (14) has a downward U-shape (55) and wherein its back end (56), which is connecting to the package opening plate movement generator (23), is wider than its unfixed or free, front end (57).

All of the generators (10, 22, 23, and 60) can utilize at least one of the pneumatic, air cylindrical, or the hydraulic systems to drive the bag packaging apparatus according to this invention wherein:

- The plate pressing generator (10) is capable of activating the upper pressing plate (4), via the hinge (5), to swing the plate (4) open in order to place the bags d) on the lower receiving plate (3) and to press on the bags (1 ) once placed on the lower receiving plate (3).

- The fixing structure movement generator (22) which is either connecting to the bottom slider (9) and the four-sided package fixing structure (15), or to the bottom slider (9) and the plate fixing structure (8), or to both the four-sided package fixing structure (15) and the plate fixing structure (8) and their bottom slider (9), is capable of activating the plates (20, 21) of the package fixing structure (15) to move on the bottom slider (9) toward or away from the plates (3, 4) of the bag holding and transporting module (2), and/or capable of activating the plates (3, 4) of the bag holding and transporting module (2) to move on the bottom slider (9) toward or way from the plates (20, 21) of the package fixing structure (15).

- The package opening plate movement generator (23) which is capable of lifting the upper package opening plate (21) vertically upward from the lower package opening plate (20) to open the package (24) and moving the plate (21) vertically downward to reduce or close the opening of the package (24) once the bags d) are placed inside the package (24). - The package movement generator (60) which is capable of lifting the package (24) caught by the suction caps (31) from the package placement position (28) and delivering the package (24) via the sliding structure (26) to the package opening module (14) at the bag packaging position (29).

In light of the bag packaging apparatus according to the invention as described above, one method by which bag packaging process can be carried out, but does not set as limitation of this invention, by a user may comprise the following:

- Placing the bag or set of bags (1) on the lower receiving plate (3) of the bag holding and transporting module (2γ,

- Pressing the upper pressing plate (4) of the module (2) onto the bags ( 1) via activation of a plate pressing generator (10), connecting to a hinge (5) with a rotational point, to swing the pressing plate (4) down to press onto the bags d);

- Placing the package (24) on the package opening module ( 14), either manually or via package catching module (25) driven by the package movement generator (60), wherein one part of an opening of the package (24) is attached to the lower package opening plate (20) wherein another part of the package opening is attached to the upper package opening plate (21);

- Opening the package (24) by lifting of the upper package opening plate (21) via activation of the package opening plate movement generator (23);

- Moving the opened package (24) on the package opening module ( 14), which situates on a bottom slider (9), towards the pressed bags (1) on the bag holding and transporting module (2) via activation of the fixing structure movement generator (22), or moving the pressed bags d) on the bag holding and transporting module (2) via activation of the fixing structure movement generator (22) which situates on the bottom slider (9), towards the opened package (24);

- Inserting the bags d) into the package (24) at a bag packaging position (29) and closing the package (24) once the bags (bare inside the package (24) by lowering of the upper package opening plate (21) via activation of the package opening plate movement generator (23); and

- Catching the packaged bags (33) with the finished package catching module (32), moving the packaged bags (33) out of the bag packaging position (29), pulling back the bag holding and transporting module (2) from the bag packaging position (29) to the bag placement position, and closing and sealing the packaged bags (33) by using the packaged bag closing and sealing module (34) accordingly.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof.