Abstract: In order to keep the overall length of an insertion feed unit small despite high variability, a vertical paternoster buffer is used as a buffer therein.

Abstract: In order to be able to safely remove the heavy and very sharp blade from the machine, which is overhanging when mounted, in contrast to known solutions, the entire cutting unit is not swung out of the machine so far that the blade is easily accessible, but instead the cutting unit together with the blade support and blade drive remain unchanged in position in the machine, and only the blade carrier of a mounting device is brought into contact with the blade. Then the blade can first be fixed to the protective blade carrier before the connection of the blade to the blade support is released, and then the blade carrier loaded with the blade can be removed from the machine in a simple manner, for example pulled out sideways.

Abstract: A workstation for a film-processing packaging machine defines a film transport plane in which the packaging film can be transported. In addition, the workstation comprises an electrically operable heating assembly. The latter in turn comprises an electrically conductive planar resistance heating element which in a plane parallel to the film transport plane has dimensions that are greater by a factor of at least 5, preferably at least 10, than in a direction perpendicular to the film transport plane. The resistance heating element is arranged between a heating plate and a clamping plate. The disclosure also relates to a packaging machine with such a workstation and to a method for operating such a workstation.

Abstract: In order to reliably detect, without supplying electric current or any other type of energy to a gripper, whether a rear end of a product caliber is in a grippable position close to a gripper base body and/or gripper claws are extended into the product caliber, i.e., are activated, a signal transmitter may be moved into an activated position via a purely mechanical operative connection between a sensing element, which detects the approach of the product caliber to the gripper base body in a contacting manner, which position can be detected by a sensor arranged far behind the gripper at a base frame of the machine.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a deep-drawing packaging machine with a forming station for deep-drawing trays into a film, a loading stretch for filling products into the trays, and a sealing station for sealing the trays. The deep-drawing packaging machine further comprises at least one vacuum cooling station which is disposed in a direction of transport upstream of the sealing station and which is formed for vacuum cooling the products placed into the trays along the loading stretch. The disclosure furthermore relates to a method for vacuum cooling products.

Abstract: A method for operating a sealing station of a packaging machine, wherein the method may include one or more of the following steps: filling a packing volume of a package with a gas to create a desired atmosphere to a preset gassing target pressure for a finished package, wherein the packaging volume may be defined by a lower and an upper packaging material; discharging a partial amount of the gas introduced into the packaging volume from the packaging volume into a collection volume while retaining the packaging volume generated by the preceding filling, which reduces the pressure within the packaging volume; and reducing the packaging volume by moving the upper packaging material to an end position that corresponds to a desired appearance such that the pressure inside the package increases again to near the gassing target pressure. A sealing station that performs this method is also described.

Abstract: A thermoform packaging machine comprising a forming station, a sealing station, and a cutting station for separating sealed packaging troughs from one another. The cutting station may comprise at least one cutting unit which is adapted to be positioned within the cutting station at different positions in the production direction. The cutting station may comprise a support that supports bottoms of the sealed packaging troughs conveyed into the cutting station for the purpose of separation from below. The support may comprise a plurality of support elements arranged in a horizontal bearing plane and which form a gap at a position in the support at which a cutting operation takes place according to the position of the cutting unit. The gap may be repositioned by moving the support elements to different positions to position the gap to accommodate a different position of the cutting unit within the cutting station.

Abstract: A sealing tool for a tray sealing machine, comprising an upper tool and a lower tool with a main body having a tray depression for receiving at least a part of a tray to be sealed, and a tray carrier, wherein a gas channel runs through the tray carrier. The sealing tool is characterized in that the tray carrier comprises a first plate with a first pressing surface and a second plate with a second pressing surface and the first plate has a first depression which extends from the first pressing surface, wherein the first depression forms at least a section of the gas channel when the first plate and the second plate are pressed against each other at the first and the second pressing surface, respectively.

Abstract: A method of forming a package includes forming, at a forming station of a packaging machine, a package base in a film so that the package base has a pocket. The method further includes attaching, at a first cover application station of the packaging machine, a first cover layer on the package base so that the first cover layer partially covers the pocket, and so that access to the pocket is provided to position a product in the pocket after the first cover layer has been attached to the package base.

Abstract: A sealing machine for the sealing of packages comprises a sealing chamber in which packages can be sealed. The sealing chamber comprises a working platform on which packages can be conveyed; a chamber lid movable relative to the working platform between an open position and a closed position; a sealing mechanism for the sealing of packages; and a suction unit for suction of gas from a volume enclosed by the chamber lid and the working platform. The sealing machine further comprises a protective frame kinematically connected to the chamber lid, and the protective frame has apertures through which gas can flow from the outer space into the enclosed volume.

Abstract: A reclosable package, and a machine and method for making that reclosable package that includes a tray for receiving a product and a substantially horizontal edge, wherein the horizontal edge extends circumferentially on an upper side of the tray and has a clamping portion releasably connected thereto. The package includes a top film across the tray, the edge and the clamping portion, and which may be releasably connected to the edge by a first sealed seam to seal the tray in a gas-tight manner. The top film may be connected to the clamping portion by a second sealed seam. A side face of the tray may include an undercut provided with a projection, the projection being suitable for locking the clamping portion in position when the clamping portion has been detached from the edge and is located between the projection of the undercut and the side face of the tray.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a packaging machine, which comprises a control unit having a process parameter generator designed to determine specific process parameters for a production process of the packaging machine. The control unit of the packaging machine also comprises a recipe generator for an adjustment process of the packaging machine preceding the production process or can be connected to a recipe generator of the apparatus, which generator is designed as a separate unit. The respective recipe generator comprises a set of rules for determining recipe variables for the adjustment process of the packaging machine and is designed to generate the recipe variables with reference to a plurality of data and to form therefrom a recipe data set for the adjustment process of the packaging machine. A method for using the apparatus is also included.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a sealing station with a product protection plate fastened thereto, wherein a fastening mechanism used for fastening the product protection plate comprises a magnetic locking unit, a hook-in locking unit or a gravity locking unit.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a packaging container, a web of material including a fiber-containing material is conveyed through a preforming station and through a forming station. In the preforming station, a forming region of the web of material is preformed by cooperation of a preforming die upper part with a preforming die lower part, the forming region being deformed between the preforming die upper part and the preforming die lower part during the preforming. In the forming station, a packaging depression is formed in the preformed forming region by cooperation of a forming die upper part with a forming die lower part, wherein the preformed forming region is deformed between the forming die upper part and the forming die lower part during forming.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a deep-drawing packaging machine comprising, in a direction of production, a forming station for producing trays in a film web, a loading stretch for filling the trays with a product, a sealing device for sealing the trays with a top film, as well as a cutting device for separating finished packagings. The sealing device comprises a first sealing tool for a first sealing cycle and a second sealing tool for a second sealing cycle. The first sealing tool comprises at least one first pair of impulse sealing bars oriented in a first orientation relative to the direction of production for producing first sealing seam sections, and the second sealing tool comprises at least one second pair of impulse sealing bars oriented in a second orientation relative to the direction of production for producing second sealing seam sections.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for inserting products into trays at a loading station for a tray sealer, where a tray of several trays loaded with product by way of a gripper unit to a target value at the loading station and provided therein on a tray conveyor is pushed directly onto a discharge belt of the loading station by way of a tray pusher formed on the gripper unit. The disclosure furthermore relates to a loading station for a tray sealer.

Abstract: A tray sealing machine is provided with a frame on which a sealing tool is arranged. The sealing tool comprises a lower tool in which a tray to be sealed can be received and an upper tool including a hood, a sealing component arranged in the interior of the hood, and a sealing component carrier on which the sealing component is arranged. The hood is movable relative to the sealing component and has a gas connection configured for connection to a corresponding gas connection of the tray sealing machine. The lower tool and the hood are configured to form a sealing chamber in a closed state of the sealing tool. The sealing tool further comprises a line connecting the gas connection to the sealing chamber in the closed state. The hood is movable relative to the frame and the sealing component carrier is unmovable relative to the frame.

Abstract: A thermoforming packaging machine comprises a film source, a forming station, a sealing station and a conveying device. The film source is configured to receive a lower film supply roll and provide a lower film web unwound from the lower film supply roll. The conveying device is configured to convey the lower film web from the film source to the forming station and further to the sealing station. The film source comprises a holding mandrel for receiving thereon the lower film supply roll and a film storage device configured for accommodating a variable length of the lower film web and regulating a film tension of the lower film web. The holding mandrel and the film storage device are arranged one above the other in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A tray sealer comprises a conveyor arrangement for conveying packaging trays along a conveying direction. The conveyor arrangement comprises a first conveyor device for conveying a first line of packaging trays along the conveying direction, a second conveyor device running laterally alongside the first conveyor device for conveying a second line of packaging trays along the conveying direction, and a center guide which is arranged between the first conveyor device and the second conveyor device and extends along the conveying direction. The conveyor arrangement further comprises a third conveyor device for conveying packaging trays along the conveying direction. The third conveyor device extends adjoining the second conveyor device in terms of the conveying direction laterally alongside the first conveyor device.

Abstract: In a packaging system including a packaging machine and at least one component provided in addition to the packaging machine, the packaging system includes a display and a computer unit. The system is configured to display a performance graphic on the display. The computer unit includes a fault analysis section that is configured to detect a stop or output deficit of the packaging system and, when a stop or an output deficit is detected, to determine, from a list of error sources stored in a memory, an error source causing the stop or output deficit so that the determined error source is shown on the display.