Bagger system and method of operation

Abstract

Systems and methods for a bagger are provided. The bagger includes a support frame including two rails; a movable system configured to receive a film therethrough, the movable system including a seal system, a gripper system, and a cutting device, the movable system attached to the two rails of the support frame; actuators including a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator and the second actuator each configured to move the movable system along a respective rail of the two rails of the support frame, simultaneously; and a roller configured to hold a roll of the film, the roller connected to a portion of the support frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bagger comprising:
 a support frame comprising two rails;   a movable system configured to receive a film therethrough, the movable system comprising a seal system, a gripper system, and a cutting device, the movable system attached to the two rails of the support frame;   actuators including a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator and the second actuator each configured to move the movable system along a respective rail of the two rails of the support frame, simultaneously; and   a roller configured to hold a roll of the film, the roller connected to a portion of the support frame, wherein   wherein the gripper system comprises at least one body that is configured to grip the film,   the seal system comprises a seal bar that is configured to heat seal opposite side faces of the film together so as to form a first end of a bag, and   the cutting device comprises an actuator and a knife, the actuator configured to cause the knife to separate the bag from another portion of the film by cutting the film.   
     
     
         2 . The bagger of  claim 1 , wherein the movable system further comprises a pneumatic roller that is configured to contact the film. 
     
     
         3 . The bagger of  claim 1 , further comprising a static bar above the movable system, the static bar configured to reduce static on a portion of the film before the portion of the film enters the movable system. 
     
     
         4 . The bagger of  claim 3 , wherein the movable system further comprises a housing that comprises the seal system, the gripper system, and the cutting device, the housing attached to the two rails of the support frame. 
     
     
         5 . The bagger of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting device is configured to transversely cut the film at a position that is between the seal system and the gripper system. 
     
     
         6 . The bagger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller comprising at least one processor and memory, the controller configured to:
 control the movable system to move a predetermined amount along the two rails in a first direction to a first position while the gripper system and the seal system of the movable system are gripping the film; 
 control, while the movable system is moving the predetermined amount in the first direction to the first position, the seal system of the movable system to seal the film; 
 control, after the film is sealed by the seal system, the cutting device to cut the film; and 
 control, after the movable system reaches the first position and the film is sealed by the seal system, the gripper system and the seal system to ungrip the film such that a portion of the film, defined by the cut, moves away from a remainder of the film. 
   
     
     
         7 . The bagger of  claim 6 , wherein the movable system further comprises a pneumatic roller that is configured to contact the film, and the controller is further configured to control, before the movable system is controlled to move in the first direction to the first position, the movable system to move a predetermined amount along the two rails in a second direction to a second position while the gripper system and the seal system of the movable system are not gripping the film and the pneumatic roller is operated. 
     
     
         8 . The bagger of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to control the pneumatic roller to not be operated while the movable system is controlled to move in the first direction to the first position. 
     
     
         9 . The bagger of  claim 8 , wherein the movable system comprises a housing that comprises the seal system, the gripper system, the pneumatic roller, and the cutting device, the housing attached to the two rails of the support frame. 
     
     
         10 . The bagger of  claim 9 , wherein the cutting device is configured to transversely cut the film at a position that is between the seal system and the gripper system. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a bag from a film by using a bagger, the method comprising:
 controlling a movable system of the bagger to move a predetermined amount in a first direction to a first position while a gripper system of the movable system and a seal system of the movable system are gripping the film;   controlling, while the movable system is moving the predetermined amount in the first direction to the first position, the seal system of the movable system to seal the film;   controlling, after the film is sealed by the seal system, a cutting device of the movable system to cut the film; and   controlling, after the movable system reaches the first position and the film is sealed by the seal system, the gripper system and the seal system to ungrip the film such that a portion of the film, defined by the cut, moves away from a remainder of the film,   wherein the movable system is configured to receive the film therethrough, the gripper system includes at least one body that is configured to grip the film, the seal system includes a seal bar that is configured to heat seal opposite side faces of the film together so as to form a first end of the bag, and the cutting device includes an actuator and a knife, the actuator configured to cause the knife to separate the bag from the remainder of the film by cutting the film.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the movable system further includes a pneumatic roller that is configured to contact the film. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the movable system is configured to move along rails of the bagger. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 controlling, before the movable system is controlled to move in the first direction to the first position, the movable system to move a predetermined amount in a second direction to a second position while the gripper system and the seal system of the movable system are not gripping the film and a pneumatic roller of the movable system is operated.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the bagger further includes a static bar above the movable system, the static bar configured to reduce static on a portion of the film before the portion of the film enters the movable system. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the movable system further includes a housing that includes the seal system, the gripper system, and the cutting device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cutting device is configured to transversely cut the film at a position that is between the seal system and the gripper system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the controlling the movable system to move in the first direction to the first position comprises controlling the movable system to move in the first direction to the first position while the pneumatic roller is not operated. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the movable system further includes a housing that includes the seal system, the gripper system, the pneumatic roller, and the cutting device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the housing is configured to move along rails of the bagger.