Filling bags of film material

Abstract

There is described a method and an apparatus for filling contents into film bags and a packing item that may be used therefor. The apparatus includes a filling station including a mandrel which successively is guided into a channel-shaped opening rim area of a continuous web of film bag items. Bag openings are communicating with the channel-shaped opening rim area and are filled with fluid material via the mandrel, which in its circumferential surface has openings that may be aligned with the bag openings. Squeeze means squeeze channel-shaped opening rim areas around the mandrel so that a well-defined volume may be filled into each individual bag which is aligned with one or more openings between succeeding squeezing means. The mandrel also provides a firm and well-defined carrier engagement for the bag web during filing and subsequent welding of the bags.

1 . Method for filling contents into film bags, where film bag items in one continuous web are conveyed through a filling station, wherein a mandrel is successively guided into a channel-shaped opening rim area of the web of coherent film bag items, whereby bag openings are opened for receiving the contents, as the bags via the mandrel are filled with a liquid fluid and are then closed and separated from the web, wherein squeezing of the channel-shaped area of the channel-shaped opening rim area around the mandrel is established at opposite sides of one or more bag openings for a bag, that the filling is established through one or more openings in the mandrel by displacing a well-defined volume through one or more ducts in the mandrel.  
   
   
       2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the squeezing is established by the film being clamped between displaceable elastic jaws and interacting surfaces on the mandrel.  
   
   
       3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the filling occurs with an upwards directed flow of the fluid through the openings of the mandrel.  
   
   
       4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the bag openings are welded subsequent to filling the bags for closing the bags.  
   
   
       5 . Method according to  claim 4 , wherein redundant parts of rim strip areas are cut off.  
   
   
       6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the bag web along the upper parts of the bag or the opening rim area is brought into guiding connection with conveyor means arranged downstream of the mandrel, and which are arranged to clamp opposite side edges of the bag web, as the bag web or individual bags are conveyed along a transport line.  
   
   
       7 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the conveyor means include pressing rollers that engage the cut-off opening rim area, whereby the channel-shaped opening rim area of the bag web is pulled over the mandrels, that the bag web by the rotation of the pressing rollers are advanced along the transport line, and that the bag web or separate bags after separation from the web are clamped between further conveyor means in the form of endless opposite parallel conveyor runs that form part of the transport line.  
   
   
       8 . Apparatus for filling contents into film bags, where film bag items are conveyed in a continuous web that includes a channel-shaped opening rim area with bag openings for filling the bags with a liquid fluid when these are passed through a filling station, as the bags after filling are closed and separated from the web, said filling station includes a mandrel for successive guiding coherent film bag items of the web into the channel-shaped opening rim area, whereby the bag openings are opened for receiving the fluid, wherein the filling station includes squeeze means disposed at opposite sides of one or more bag openings for a bag, and which are adapted for squeezing around the mandrel with the channel-shaped opening rim area disposed around the mandrel opposite to one or more openings that are established in the mandrel, and which through one or more ducts in the mandrel are connected with means for displacing a well-defined volume.  
   
   
       9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein it includes means for cutting up the top edge of the web and means for cutting off the channel-shaped opening rim area and conveyor means arranged downstream of the mandrel, and which are adapted for clamping and conveying the bag web along a transport line whereby the channel-shaped opening rim area is pulled over the mandrel.  
   
   
       10 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the conveyor means include opposite rotatable pressing rollers that are pressed against each other with opening rim area of the bag web clamped there between, together with endless opposite parallel conveyor runs that clamp the bag web or separate bags after the latter have been separated from the web.  
   
   
       11 . Packing web for use in the method according to  claim 1 , consisting of a coherent row of flat bag items, the web including along a top edge a channel-shaped opening rim area that communicates with bag openings for receiving a content in use, as the bags via a mandrel inserted into the channel-shaped opening rim area are filled with liquid fluid and then is closed and separated from the web.  
   
   
       12 . Packing web according to  claim 11  and appearing as a flat tube web which is closed along both side edges, wherein the rim strip areas are constituted by a simple extension of the bag side.  
   
   
       13 . Packing web according to  claim 11 , wherein it is made with prepared film bag items that extend in from one side edge until a distance from the opposite side edge.