Valve bag placing system and method

Abstract

In one example embodiment, a system for opening a valve bag includes a bag separator assembly and a valve opening assembly. The bag separator assembly is rotatable about a rotation axis and is configured to move along a taxis toward a plurality of valve bags to obtain a valve bag. The bag separator assembly also is configured to move along the y-axis in an opposing direction to separate the valve bag from the plurality of valve bags. The rotation axis and y-axis are perpendicular to one another. The valve opening assembly is configured to open a valve end of the valve bag. The valve opening assembly also is configured to move along an x-axis to be inserted into and removed from the valve end of a valve bag being held by the bag separator assembly. The bag separator assembly avoids contact with the valve opening assembly by rotating about the rotation axis before moving along the y-axis toward the plurality of valve bags.

1 . A system for opening a valve bag, the system comprising:
 a bag separator assembly being rotatable about a rotation axis, the bag separator assembly configured to move along a y-axis toward a plurality of valve bags to obtain the valve bag and to move in an opposing direction along the y-axis to separate the valve bag from the plurality of valve bags, the y-axis and rotation axis being perpendicular to one another; and   a valve opening assembly configured to open a valve end of the valve bag, the valve opening assembly being configured to move along an x-axis to be inserted into and removed from the valve end of a valve bag being held by the bag separator assembly, wherein the bag separator assembly avoids contact with the valve opening assembly by rotating about the rotation axis before moving along the y-axis toward the plurality of valve bags.   
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve opening assembly avoids contact with the bag separator assembly by moving along the x-axis as the bag separator assembly moves along the y-axis to lift a valve bag up to the valve opening assembly. 
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bag separator assembly moves along the y-axis towards the plurality of valve bags as the valve opening assembly opens the valve end of a valve bag. 
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve opening assembly moves along the x-axis between inserted and retracted positions, the valve opening assembly being partially inserted into the valve end when in the inserted position and the valve opening assembly being removed from the valve end when in the retracted position. 
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve opening assembly moves towards the retracted position as the bag separator assembly moves along the y-axis away from the plurality of valve bags. 
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a grabbing assembly having a plurality of arms configured to engage the valve bag and the valve end of the valve bag, the grabbing assembly engaging the valve bag before the valve opening assembly is removed from the valve end by moving along the x-axis away from the valve end. 
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a grabbing assembly and a placement assembly, the grabbing assembly engaging the valve end of the valve bag that has been opened by the valve opening assembly, the placement assembly moving the grabbing assembly away from the valve opening assembly as the valve opening assembly is removed from the valve end by moving along the x-axis away from the valve end. 
   
   
       8 . A method for filling a valve bag, the method comprising:
 lifting a first valve bag with a bag separator assembly along a y-axis to enable a valve opening assembly to be inserted into a valve end of the first valve bag;   inserting the valve opening assembly into the valve end of the first valve bag by moving the valve opening assembly along an x-axis;   returning the bag separator assembly to a group of valve bags by rotating the bag separator assembly about a rotation axis and moving the bag separator assembly along the y-axis towards the group of valve bags;   obtaining a second valve bag from the group of valve bags;   lifting the second valve bag with the bag separator assembly to enable the valve opening assembly to be inserted into a valve end of the second valve bag; and   removing the valve opening assembly from the valve end of the first valve bag by moving the valve opening assembly along the x-axis so as to avoid contact with the bag separator assembly.   
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the returning step comprises rotating the bag separator assembly about the rotation axis and away from the valve opening assembly before the bag separator assembly is moved along the y-axis toward the group of valve bags. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the obtaining step comprises rotating the bag separator assembly about the rotation axis and towards the group of valve bags and engaging the second valve bag. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the rotation axis and y-axis are perpendicular. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein removing step comprises moving the valve opening assembly along the x-axis so as to avoid contact with the bag separator assembly as the bag separator assembly moves away from the group of valve bags. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising opening the valve end of the first valve bag, wherein the opening and returning steps occur simultaneously. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 grasping the valve end of the first valve bag and the first valve bag; and   moving the valve end and the first valve bag away from the valve opening assembly towards a bag filling apparatus, wherein the removing and moving steps occur simultaneously.   
   
   
       15 . A system for obtaining, opening, placing and filling a valve bag, the system comprising:
 a bag supply assembly configured to supply a plurality of groups of valve bags;   a valve opening assembly configured to open a valve end of each of the valve bags;   a bag separator assembly configured to raise and lower along a first slot in a housing and to rotate towards and away from the housing in order to individually obtain each of the valve bags in the groups of valve bags while avoiding contact with the valve opening assembly, the bag separator assembly individually lifting each of the valve bags to the valve opening assembly;   a grabbing assembly configured to engage the valve end of each of the valve bags; and   a placement assembly configured to move the valve end from a location that is proximate to the valve opening assembly and to place the valve end in a location that is proximate to a bag filling assembly.   
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the bag separator assembly is configured to obtain a valve bag from the bag supply assembly by rotating towards the housing, lowering towards the bag supply assembly, rotating away from the housing, engaging the valve bag, and lifting the valve bag to the valve opening assembly. 
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the valve opening assembly is configured to move in two diametrically opposed directions along a second slot in the housing, the valve opening assembly moving in a first direction along the second slot to be inserted into the valve end and moving in a second direction along the second slot to be removed from the valve end. 
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the valve opening assembly moves in the second direction to avoid contact with the bag separator assembly when the bag separator assembly lifts a valve bag. 
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the placement assembly moves the valve end of a valve bag away from the valve opening assembly as the valve opening assembly is removed from the valve end. 
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the grabbing assembly disengages the valve end of a valve bag once the placement assembly has placed the valve end in the location that is proximate to the bag filling assembly.