EP0995486A1 - Appareil pour distribuer progressivement des produits - Google Patents

Appareil pour distribuer progressivement des produits Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0995486A1
EP0995486A1 EP98203607A EP98203607A EP0995486A1 EP 0995486 A1 EP0995486 A1 EP 0995486A1 EP 98203607 A EP98203607 A EP 98203607A EP 98203607 A EP98203607 A EP 98203607A EP 0995486 A1 EP0995486 A1 EP 0995486A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ribbon
product
packaging
receiver
pockets
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98203607A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Patrick c/o Agfa-Gevaert N.V. van den Bergen
Paul c/o Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Janssen
Dirk c/o Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Peeters
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Agfa Gevaert NV
Original Assignee
Agfa Gevaert NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Agfa Gevaert NV filed Critical Agfa Gevaert NV
Priority to EP98203607A priority Critical patent/EP0995486A1/fr
Priority to JP11295803A priority patent/JP2000128137A/ja
Publication of EP0995486A1 publication Critical patent/EP0995486A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03D—APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03D3/00—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion
    • G03D3/02—Details of liquid circulation
    • G03D3/06—Liquid supply; Liquid circulation outside tanks

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus for progressively dispensing product from packaging, especially where the product is a photographic material processing composition.
  • photographic processing chemicals may be supplied in powder or liquid concentrate form to be dissolved, dispersed or diluted in water before use.
  • Such chemicals are often supplied in canisters, in bottles or in flexible material bags, especially polyethylene bags, of various sizes.
  • One solution proposed is for the product to be contained in a sealed collapsible container which is up-ended over the mouth of a mixer housing, a device for opening the seal of the container being provided adjacent the neck of the housing. While such a proposal is environmentally friendly, only large amounts of product can be dispensed at a time, unless the collapsible containers are small when frequent attention from the operator becomes necessary. To accurately control the composition of processing liquids, it is important to be able to dispense relatively small amounts of product to the mixer.
  • an apparatus for progressively dispensing product from packaging comprising a ribbon formed of two sheets in face-to-face relationship sealed together at selected locations to define a plurality of closed pockets therebetween, product being retained in the pockets, the apparatus comprising guide means for guiding the ribbon along a guide path to a sheet peeling device, wherein said sheet peeling device comprises sheet take-up means carried in a ribbon store having a space for accommodating a supply of packaging ribbon from which product is to be progressively dispensed and a drive device carried in a receiver positioned below the sheet take-up means whereby product dispensed from the packaging ribbon falls into the receiver, the drive device being releasably engageable with the sheet take-up means to enable the ribbon store and the receiver to be separated from each other.
  • the apparatus may further comprise counting means for counting the number of pockets opened by the peeling device.
  • the counting means may comprise a detector for sensing identification marks on the packaging and means for totalling the number of the identification marks sensed by the detector.
  • the counting means may comprise means for measuring the length of packaging ribbon fed to the peeling device, for example an encoder carried on a guide roller over which the ribbon passes.
  • the peeling device may comprise a pair of rotatable members, such as rollers, positioned one on either side of the guide path, each adapted to take up one of the sheets of flexible material.
  • the rollers may have sprocket teeth positioned to engage sprocket holes in a leading end portion of the ribbon.
  • the ribbon may be secured to the rollers, for example by adhesive.
  • the ribbon store may be removed and replaced with another of similar construction.
  • the apparatus comprises two or more ribbon stores coupled to a common receiver.
  • the dispensing of product from the ribbon in the other ribbon store may begin, and continue while the first ribbon store is replaced. In this way, continuous dispensing of product into the receiver can be achieved.
  • the ribbon is attached, adjacent its downstream end, to a wall of the ribbon store, the ribbon store having a collapsible portion which is caused to collapse as the ribbon is progressively fed along the guide path.
  • the receiver may be a mixer, having a dosing device for introducing measured quantities of liquid into the mixer, means for mixing the liquid with product dispensed from the packaging, and an outlet for discharging the mixture of liquid and product.
  • the sheet material from which the ribbon is formed is preferably a flexible material, for example formed of a metal foil such as aluminium, a polymer mono-material such as polyethylene, polypropylene (optionally containing polybutylene particles) or a complex material having more than one layer such as polyethyleneterephthalate/polyethylene, polyamide/polyethylene, or paper/aluminium/polyethylene.
  • the sheet material is preferably provided with an anti-static coating.
  • the two sheets are preferably separate. This gives a construction which is more convenient to peel apart than where the two sheets are formed by folding over a single sheet, since the latter arrangement results in a folded edge along one side of the ribbon.
  • the sheet material may include a suitable light filter.
  • the two sheets may be sealed together by a variety of methods known in the art including heat and pressure sealing and the use of suitable adhesives.
  • the size of the locations where such sealing is made influences the forces necessary to peel the packaging apart.
  • the packaging is constructed in such a manner that, when the sheets are peeled apart, the integrity of the sheets remains intact. In this way the peeled apart sheets can be conveniently removed, without risk of some polymer material falling into the mixer or other device into which the product is dispensed.
  • This integrity can be achieved where each sheet comprises two or more co-extruded layers of polymer material, the inner layer (as considered in the assembled packaging) having a lower level of purity than the outer layer.
  • peelable sheet materials are commercially available, for example from BISCHOF & KLEIN.
  • the pockets are preferably so shaped as to have substantially no edges extending at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the ribbon. This arrangement ensures that the force needed to pull the two sheets apart remains substantially constant.
  • An elliptical, diamond or hexagonal shape with a major axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon may be used.
  • the invention is of particular benefit where the product is in powder or liquid form.
  • the product is preferably a photographic material processing composition, preferably selected from developing compositions, fixing compositions, activator, stabilisers, biocides and combinations thereof.
  • the pockets may be arranged in a line extending in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon. Where the pockets are all of the same size, the same quantity of product may be contained therein, enabling the dispensing of controlled relatively small amounts of product. Thus it is preferred that at least the majority of the pockets contain identical amounts of product of identical composition.
  • the invention provides packaging comprising a ribbon formed of two sheets in face-to-face relationship sealed together at selected locations to define a plurality of closed pockets therebetween, product being retained in the pockets, the sheets being secured together in such a manner as to be capable of being peeled apart to progressively release the product from the pockets, characterised in that the pockets are arranged in a plurality of lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon.
  • the pockets of one line can be of a first size, while the pockets of another line are of a second size.
  • at least the majority of the pockets in one of the lines contain identical first amounts of product of a first composition, while at least the majority of the pockets in another line contain identical second amounts of product of a second composition.
  • some of the pockets may contain a product different to that contained in other pockets.
  • the pockets adjacent the leading end portion of the ribbon may contain "start-up" chemistry having a composition different from that contained in the other pockets, which constitute "top-up” chemistry.
  • some of the pockets may contain compositions which constitute "cleaning" chemistry.
  • a packaging includes a ribbon 10 formed of two sheets 11,12 of flexible material in face-to-face relationship.
  • the two sheets 11, 12 are sealed together at selected locations 13 to define a plurality of closed pockets 14 therebetween, product 28 in powder or liquid form being retained in the pockets 14.
  • the sheets 11,12 are secured together in such a manner as to be capable of being peeled apart to progressively release the product 28 from the pockets 14.
  • the pockets 14 are arranged in a single line 15 extending in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon 10.
  • the majority of the pockets 14 contain identical amounts of a product A2, of identical composition.
  • One pocket located adjacent a leading end portion 30 of the ribbon 10 contains a product A1 constituting start-up chemistry, having a composition different to that A2 contained in others of the pockets and constituting top-up chemistry.
  • the leading end portion 30 of the ribbon 10 does not include any locations where the sheets 11, 12 are sealed together. Thus the two sheets are free from each other at this end.
  • Sprocket holes 43 are formed along the edges of the sheets 11, 12 in this leading end portion 30.
  • the pockets 14 are arranged in two lines 15, 16 extending in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon 10.
  • the majority of the pockets 14 in the line 15 contain identical first amounts of product A2 of a first composition, while the majority of the pockets 14 in the other line 16 contain identical second amounts of product B2 of a second composition.
  • the pair of pockets located adjacent a leading end portion 30 of the ribbon 10 contain start-up compositions A1, B1 different to the top-up compositions A2, B2 contained in the other pockets.
  • the pockets 14 have edges 27 which extend generally in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon 10 or obliquely thereto.
  • the pockets are thereby so shaped as to have substantially no edges extending at right angles to the longitudinal direction.
  • an apparatus for progressively dispensing product from the packaging shown in Figures 1 to 3 includes a sheet peeling device 18 and a first guide roller 26 for guiding the packaging along a guide path 31 to the sheet peeling device 18.
  • the peeling device 18 includes a pair of rotatable rollers 21, 22 positioned one on either side of the guide path 31, each adapted to take up one of the sheets 11,12 of flexible material after passing over a respective one of two further guide rollers 39, 40.
  • the rollers 21, 22 carry retractable sprocket teeth 44 which engage the sprocket holes 43 in the leading end portion 30 of the ribbon 10, to assist in the taking up of the sheets 11, 12 by the rollers 21, 22.
  • the rotatable rollers 21, 22 are carried in a first housing part in the form of a packaging ribbon store 23 having a space 33 for accommodating a supply 34 of packaging ribbon 10 from which product 28 is to be progressively dispensed.
  • the rotatable roller 21 is coupled to a gear 29.
  • the further guide rollers 39, 40 can also be carried in the ribbon store 23.
  • a receiver in the form of a mixer 24 carries a drive motor 42 coupled to a drive gear 25 which meshes with the gear 29 to rotate the rotatable rollers 21, 22 in a sheet peeling direction.
  • Roller 21 is coupled to roller 22 by means of a belt or one or more gears (not shown).
  • a catch mechanism 35 is provided for releasably coupling the packaging ribbon store 23 and the mixer 24 to each other. Seals 41 positioned between the packaging ribbon store 23 and the mixer 24 ensure that the two parts are coupled together in a closed manner, preventing the escape of dust and/or mist from the dispensed product 28.
  • the drive gear 25 is releasably engageable with the rotatable rollers 21, 22 to enable the packaging ribbon store 23 and the mixer 24 to be separated from each other.
  • the mixer 24 is positioned below the rotatable rollers 21, 22 whereby product 28 dispensed from the packaging ribbon 10 falls into the mixer 24.
  • the mixer 24 has a dosing device 36 for introducing measured quantities of water into the mixer, an agitator 37 for mixing the liquid with product 28 dispensed from the packaging, and an outlet 38 for discharging the mixture of liquid and product.
  • a detector 32 is positioned adjacent the guide path 31 upstream of the peeling device 18 and senses identification marks 20 on the packaging as it passes.
  • a counter 17 totals the number of the identification marks 20 sensed by the detector 32. The detector thus serves to count the number of pockets 14 opened by the peeling device 18.
  • An encoder 19, coupled to the guide roller 26, serves to measure the length of packaging ribbon 10 fed to the peeling device 18 and thereby also serves to count the number of pockets 14 opened by the peeling device 18.
  • the ribbon store 23 has a collapsible portion 46.
  • the ribbon 10 is attached, adjacent its downstream end 45, to a remote wall 47 of the collapsible portion 46 of the ribbon store 23, so that the collapsible portion 46 is caused to collapse as the ribbon in the store 23 is progressively fed along the guide path 31.
  • the store 23 may be removed and replaced with another of similar construction.
  • the ribbon store 23 may be supplied with the leading end portions already in position. The operator need then merely place the ribbon store 23 in position relative to the mixer 24, to ensure that the drive gear 25 meshes with the gear 29. Operation of the motor 42 will then immediately cause dispensing of the product to commence.
  • the wound sheet material By retracting the sprocket teeth 44 on the rollers 21, 22 the wound sheet material can be simply removed therefrom and disposed of intelligently.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Labeling Devices (AREA)
  • Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
EP98203607A 1998-10-22 1998-10-22 Appareil pour distribuer progressivement des produits Withdrawn EP0995486A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98203607A EP0995486A1 (fr) 1998-10-22 1998-10-22 Appareil pour distribuer progressivement des produits
JP11295803A JP2000128137A (ja) 1998-10-22 1999-10-18 製品を漸進的に分与する装置

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98203607A EP0995486A1 (fr) 1998-10-22 1998-10-22 Appareil pour distribuer progressivement des produits

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0995486A1 true EP0995486A1 (fr) 2000-04-26

Family

ID=8234264

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98203607A Withdrawn EP0995486A1 (fr) 1998-10-22 1998-10-22 Appareil pour distribuer progressivement des produits

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0995486A1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2000128137A (fr)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH365323A (fr) * 1958-10-31 1962-10-31 Melikian Inc Rudd Ensemble de cartouches destiné à la préparation d'une boisson à l'aide d'une machine
DE4120867A1 (de) * 1991-06-25 1993-01-07 Agfa Gevaert Ag Fotografisches verarbeitungsverfahren und vorrichtung dafuer
EP0537365A1 (fr) * 1991-05-01 1993-04-21 Konica Corporation Appareil de developpement automatique pour support photosensible a base d'halogenure d'argent
EP0854386A2 (fr) * 1992-10-30 1998-07-22 Konica Corporation Appareil automatique pour le développement de matériaux photographiques à l'halogénure d'argent sensibles à la lumière

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH365323A (fr) * 1958-10-31 1962-10-31 Melikian Inc Rudd Ensemble de cartouches destiné à la préparation d'une boisson à l'aide d'une machine
EP0537365A1 (fr) * 1991-05-01 1993-04-21 Konica Corporation Appareil de developpement automatique pour support photosensible a base d'halogenure d'argent
DE4120867A1 (de) * 1991-06-25 1993-01-07 Agfa Gevaert Ag Fotografisches verarbeitungsverfahren und vorrichtung dafuer
EP0854386A2 (fr) * 1992-10-30 1998-07-22 Konica Corporation Appareil automatique pour le développement de matériaux photographiques à l'halogénure d'argent sensibles à la lumière

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2000128137A (ja) 2000-05-09

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