System and Method for Producing Dosing Bags that Are Filled with Dry Additives for Use in Cementitious Mixtures

Abstract

A dosing bag filled with dry additive material is made using a dissolvable starch-based film. When the dosing bag with its contents are introduced into a mixture with water, it dissolves and releases its contents. The dosing bags are made in a chain. In this manner, any number of the dosing bags can be removed from the chain for use. The dosing bags are made from film material that is formed into a tube structure. While the tube structure is being partially filled, a section on the interior of the tube structure is shielded from contamination. After the partial filling, the tube is heat sealed closed in the area that was previously shielded. The shielded area is clean of contaminants and enables a high-quality seam to be formed. The shielding, filling, and sealing process is repeated multiple times to create the chain of dosing bags.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a dosing bag containing dry additive material for use in a cementitious mixture, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a film of material that can dissolve in water;   forming said film into a tube structure, wherein said tube structure has an interior surface;   filling part of said tube structure with said dry additive material;   shielding a clean section of said interior surface during said step of filling to prevent said clean section from becoming contaminated with said dry additive material; and   heat sealing said tube structure closed in said clean section to create a lateral seam.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including the step of perforating said lateral seam. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said film has two long edges and wherein said step of forming said film into a tube structure, further includes heat sealing said two long edges together into a long seam. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said film is supplied on two separate rolls and said step of forming said film into a tube structure further includes heat sealing said film from said two separate rolls together along long seams. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of shielding a clean section of said interior surface includes creating an invaginated fold in said tube structure prior to said step of filling. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of shielding a clean section of said interior surface includes placing a barrier over said clean section prior to said step of filling. 
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a chain of dosing bags, wherein each of said dosing bags in said chain contains a volume of dry additive material, said method comprising the steps of:
 i. providing a film of material that can dissolve in water;   ii. forming said film into a tube structure, wherein said tube structure has an interior surface;   iii. shielding a clean section on said interior surface;   iv. filling part of said tube structure with said dry additive material;   v. heat sealing said tube structure closed in said clean section to create a lateral seam and form an dosing bag having said dry additive material isolated therein; and   repeating steps ii, iv and v to create said chain of dosing bags.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further including the step of perforating said chain between each of said dosing bags. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said film has two long edges and wherein said step of forming said film into a tube structure, further includes heat sealing said two long edges together into a long seam. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said film is supplied on two separate rolls and said step of forming said film into a tube structure further includes heat sealing said film from said two separate roles together along long seams. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said step of shielding a clean section of said interior surface includes creating an invaginated fold in said tube structure. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said step of shielding a clean section of said interior surface includes placing a barrier over said clean section during said step of filling. 
     
     
         13 . A method of introducing a required weight of additives to a cementitious mixture in a mixer, said method comprising the steps of:
 creating a chain of interconnected dosing bags joined together along perforated seams that enable each of said dosing bags to be selective separated from said chain, wherein each of said dosing bags is filled with a unit weight of said additives that is a whole number derivative of said required weight, and wherein each of said dosing bags is formed from film that is dissolvable in water;   separating a plurality of said dosing bags from said chain, wherein said second weight of said additives in said dosing bags separated from said chain add up to equal said required weight;   adding dosing bags separated from said chain into said mixer with said cementitious material, wherein each of said dosing bags separately dissolves and releases said additives, and wherein said mixer distributes said additives throughout said cementitious material.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said step of creating a chain of interconnected dosing bags includes the sub-steps of:
 forming said film into a tube structure, wherein said tube structure has an interior surface;   heat sealing lateral seams in said tubular structure to form interconnected bags; and   filling said bags with said dry additive material to form said dosing bags.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further including the substeps of:
 shielding clean sections on said interior surface;   heat sealing said tube structure closed in said clean sections to create said lateral seams.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said step of creating a chain of interconnected dosing bags includes forming dosing bags that each hold between one ounce and one pound of said additives. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said step of creating chain of interconnected dosing bags includes creating dosing bags with heat sealed seams.