Bag applicator assembly for a stationary packer assembly for filling valve bags, stationary packer assembly comprising this bag applicator assembly and method for operating this bag applicator assembly

1. A bag applicator assembly for a stationary packer assembly ( 2 ) comprising a plurality of filling nozzles ( 12 ), arranged linearly, for filling valve bags ( 3 ), wherein each of the valve bags ( 3 ) comprises a valve ( 4 ) selectively movable between a closed and an open configuration; the bag applicator comprising:

a bag feeding device ( 21 ) comprising a supporting plane ( 5 ) configured for receiving the valve bag ( 3 ) having the valve ( 4 ) in the closed configuration;

a valve opening device ( 6 ) configured for cyclically moving between a first configuration of picking the valve bag ( 3 ) from the supporting plane ( 5 ) and a second configuration of opening the valve ( 4 ) and keeping the valve ( 4 ) in the open configuration, wherein the valve opening device ( 6 ) comprises:

a supporting frame ( 7 ) pivotably connected to the supporting plane ( 5 ), wherein:

in a lower position, the supporting frame ( 7 ) is parallel to the supporting plane ( 5 ); and

in a raised position, the supporting frame ( 7 ) is tilted with respect to the supporting plane ( 5 ); and

a bag applicator device ( 13 ) comprising a tilting arm ( 14 ) configured to pivot to switch between a travelling position and a releasing position, the bag applicator device ( 13 ) configured to:

pick up the valve bag ( 3 ) from the valve opening device ( 6 ), wherein the valve bag ( 3 ) is picked up from the valve opening device ( 6 ) when the supporting frame ( 7 ) is in the raised position, wherein the supporting frame ( 7 ) is tilted with respect to the supporting plane ( 5 );

move the valve bag ( 3 ), linearly, towards a selected one of the filling nozzles ( 12 ) in a travelling configuration while avoiding valve bag ( 3 ) interference with the filling nozzles ( 12 ) wherein, in the travelling configuration, the tilting arm ( 14 ) is in the travelling position, thereby avoiding the valve bag ( 3 ) interference during liner movement past the filling nozzles ( 12 ); and

release the valve bag ( 3 ) at the selected filling nozzle ( 12 ), by pivoting the tilting arm ( 14 ) to the releasing position;

wherein in the second configuration of the valve opening device ( 6 ), the bag applicator device ( 13 ) is configured to pick up the valve bag ( 3 ) in the travelling configuration without requiring the tilting arm ( 14 ) to change from the travelling position by virtue of the supporting frame ( 7 ) handing over the valve bag ( 3 ) in the raised position.

2. The bag applicator assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the valve opening device ( 6 ) comprises an actuator ( 8 ) configured for cyclically moving the supporting frame ( 7 ) from the lower position to the raised position and vice versa.

3. The bag applicator assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the supporting frame ( 7 ) supports:

a first suction device ( 9 ) configured to couple with the valve bag ( 3 ) at a first end ( 19 ) comprising the valve ( 4 );

a second suction device ( 10 ) configured to couple with a second end ( 22 ) of the valve bag ( 3 ) that is disposed opposite to the first end ( 19 ) of the valve bag ( 3 ); and

a fixed constraint ( 20 ) disposed between the first suction device ( 9 ) and the second suction device ( 10 );

the first suction device ( 9 ) being cyclically movable with respect to the second suction device ( 10 ) between a first position wherein the valve bag ( 3 ) is not spread and the valve ( 4 ) is closed, and a second position wherein the valve bag ( 3 ) is spread and the valve is open ( 4 ), wherein the spread of the valve bag ( 3 ) is facilitated by the interaction of the fixed constraint ( 20 ) with the valve bag ( 3 ), causing the valve bag ( 3 ) to bend at the fixed constraint ( 20 ).

4. The bag applicator assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tilting arm ( 14 ) is configured to:

selectively move along a linear/straight guide ( 15 ) from the valve opening device ( 6 ) to the filling nozzles ( 12 ), and vice versa; and

tilt with respect to the linear/straight guide ( 15 ) between the travelling position and the releasing position at the filling nozzle ( 12 ).

5. The bag applicator assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the tilting arm ( 14 ) is provided with a clamping device ( 16 ) for picking up the open valve bag ( 3 ) at the valve opening device ( 6 ) and for releasing the valve bag ( 3 ) in a filling station ( 11 ).

6. The bag applicator assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bag applicator comprises a control unit configured for controlling the movement of the valve opening device ( 6 ) from the lower to the raised position so that once the tilting arm ( 14 ) reaches the valve opening device ( 6 ), the valve bag ( 3 ) can be picked up by the tilting arm ( 14 ) without any delay.

7. The bag applicator assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

each of the plurality of filling nozzles ( 12 ) is arranged one beside the other linearly, and each of the filling nozzles ( 12 ) is configured for entering the valve ( 4 ) in the open configuration of the valve bag ( 3 ) to deliver a powdery material inside the valve bag ( 3 ).

8. A method for operating the bag applicator assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a) controlling the valve opening device ( 6 ) for cyclically moving from the first configuration to the second configuration and vice-versa;

b) controlling the bag applicator device ( 13 ) for cyclically performing the following steps:

picking up the open valve bag ( 3 ) at the valve opening device ( 6 );

travelling linearly from the valve opening device ( 6 ) to one of the filling nozzles ( 12 ) in the travelling configuration;

changing from the travelling position to the releasing position for releasing the valve bag ( 3 ) at the filling nozzle ( 12 );

changing from the releasing position to the travelling position by moving away from the filling nozzle ( 12 ) for reaching the travelling configuration; and

travelling linearly from the filling nozzle ( 12 ) to the valve opening device ( 6 ) in the travelling configuration;

wherein,

the steps a) and b) of controlling the valve opening device ( 6 ) and the bag applicator device ( 13 ) are performed so that when the bag applicator device ( 13 ) reaches the valve opening device ( 6 ), the valve opening device ( 6 ) is in the second configuration and the valve bag ( 3 ) can be picked up by the bag applicator device ( 13 ) in the travelling configuration without requiring the tilting arm ( 14 ) to change from the travelling position by virtue of the supporting frame ( 7 ) handing over the valve bag ( 3 ) in the raised position.