Zipper registration using eye-mark encoder

Abstract

The apparatus uses a servo motor and an accumulator dancer arm to buffer the motion of film, with zipper and clips or sliders already inserted, in a zipper-sealing machine. The servo drives the film to an eye-mark and then stops the film. Upstream of the servo motor, the film and zipper stop so that the zipper can be processed, such as by ultrasonic crush stations and clip insertion stations. Downstream of the servo motor, the film runs out of an accumulator to the bagger/wrapper apparatus.

1 . A process of manufacturing at least a portion of a reclosable package including the steps of:
 providing a length of zipper material;   providing a station for inserting clips onto the length of zipper material;   providing a length of film;   sealing the length of zipper material to the length of film;   scanning the film for an eye-mark; and   upon detecting the eye-mark, momentarily stopping the length of zipper material and the length of film and activating the station for inserting clips onto the length of zipper material.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein motion of the film and the zipper is momentarily resumed after clips have been inserted on the length of zipper material. 
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 2  wherein the step of providing a length of zipper material is performed by a spool. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 3  further including the step of providing a first accumulator downstream of the spool whereby the spool can continue to provide the length of zipper material during the step of momentarily stopping the length of zipper material. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 4  further including the step of providing a crush station for performing periodic crush operations on the length of zipper. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the periodic crush operations are performed during the momentary stopping of the length of zipper material. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 6  further including the step of driving the film with a servo motor. 
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the step of driving the film with a servo motor and the step of momentarily stopping the zipper are responsive to the step of scanning the film for eye-mark. 
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 8  further including the step of providing a second accumulator downstream of the servo motor. 
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein speed of the film and zipper from the second accumulator remains substantially constant. 
   
   
       11 . An apparatus for manufacturing at least a portion of a reclosable package including:
 a source of a length of zipper material;   a station for inserting clips onto the length of zipper material;   a source of a length of film;   a sealer for sealing the length of zipper material to the length of film;   a scanner for scanning the film for an eye-mark; and   wherein upon the scanner detecting the eye-mark, the length of zipper material and the length of film are momentarily stopped and station inserts clips onto the length of zipper material.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein motion of the film and the zipper is momentarily resumed after clips have been inserted on the length of zipper material. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the source of a length of zipper material is a spool. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further including a first accumulator downstream of the spool whereby the spool can continue to provide the length of zipper material while the length of zipper material is momentarily stopped. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  further including a crush station for performing periodic crush operations on the length of zipper. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the periodic crush operations are performed while the length of zipper material is momentarily stopped. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  further including a servo motor to drive the film. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the servo motor is responsive to the scanner. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further including a second accumulator downstream of the servo motor. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein speed of the film and zipper from the second accumulator remains substantially constant.