PACKAGING MACHINE HAVING A SEALING MEANS
The present invention relates to a packaging machine comprising a sealing station which uses a sealing means to join an upper film web to a lower film web by sealing, said sealing means having at least one opening which is connected to a vacuum source and/or a source of substitute gas. The present invention also relates to a sealing frame.
The present invention relates to a packaging machine comprising a sealing station which uses a sealing means to seal an upper film web to a lower film web, said sealing means having at least one opening, connected to a vacuum source and/or to a source of substitute gas. The present, invention further relates to a sealing frame assembly.
Packaging machines of this type are well known from the prior art and are used, for instance, to close off a packaging tray, which is deep-drawn into the lower film web and has subsequently been filled, with a cover film, by sealing of the upper film to the lower film. In these packagings, prior to the closure, a gas exchange often takes place in and/or before the sealing station, i.e. the air or gas present inside the packaging is extracted by means of an underpressure and/or replaced, at least partially, by a substitute gas, which is introduced, in particular injected, between the upper and the lower film. Nowadays, these packaging machines generally produce per machine cycle several packagings simultaneously, in which the gas exchange is preferably intended to take place individually or identically.
It was therefore the object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine which meets these requirements.
The object is achieved with a packaging machine comprising a sealing station which uses a sealing means to seal an upper film web to a lower film web, said sealing means having at least one opening, connected to a vacuum source and/or to a source of substitute gas, wherein in the sealing means is provided at least one valve, with which the gas flow at the opening is adjustable.
The present invention relates to a packaging machine, in particular a form fill seal packaging machine (FFS packaging machine). In these packaging machines, a lower film web is transported, in particular in cycles, along the packaging machine, and firstly one or more packaging tray(s) is/are formed into the lower film web. Next, each packaging tray is filled in a filling station with a product to be packed, in particular food slices, or other weighable and/or countable products to be packed, in particular foodstuffs, and afterwards closed off with a cover film, which is fastened, in particular sealed, to the packaging tray. In a cycle, a multiplicity of packaging trays, substantially simultaneously, is preferably deep drawn, filled and provided with a cover film. This multiplicity of packaging trays is referred to as a so-called format, containing (X·Y) packaging trays.
The sealing of the upper film to the lower film is realized, under the influence of heat and pressure, with a sealing means. This sealing means is preferably a heated sealing frame, which predefines the shape of the sealing seam and which generally has for each packaging tray a recess which at least partially receives the packaging tray during the sealing process. The sealing frame seals the cover film simultaneously to all packaging trays of a format, is preferably provided beneath the lower film web, and is preferably raised for the sealing and preferably lowered after the sealing. When raised, the sealing frame is pressed against an upper tool, for instance a sealing frame or a plate. The two film webs, which are located between the sealing frame assembly and the upper tool, are here pressed one against the other and are sealed to each other under the influence of heat.
According to the invention, a sealing tool, in particular the sealing frame assembly, now has at least one opening, connected to a vacuum source and/or to a source of substitute gas. Through this opening, either air present between the two film webs is extracted and/or a substitute gas is injected between the two film webs. The openings extend preferably in a row running parallel to the transport direction of the lower film web. For gas exchange, at least one, preferably a multiplicity of holes, are made in the lower film web, preferably before the sealing station, through which holes the gas enters into the space between the two film webs or is sucked out of this same. Alternatively, the vacuum can also be introduced and/or the gas exchange realized by means of longitudinally and/or transversely disposed nozzles, so-called longitudinal and transverse nozzles, as disclosed, for instance, in DE 102006020360.
According to the invention, in the sealing means or at least one nozzle there is now provided a valve, with which the flow at the opening is adjustable, i.e. for instance volumetric rate of flow per unit of time, flow direction and/or flow velocity. In particular if a multiplicity of openings are present in the sealing means, the gas flow, i.e. the aspiration of the air and/or the injection of the substitute gas for each packaging tray of a format can be regulated individually or in groups. It is thereby possible for each format to receive in the packaging trays substantially the same gas atmosphere or to obtain specifically different conditions.
Preferably a conduit, for instance in the form of a bore, is provided in the tool, in particular in the sealing frame assembly, which conduit connects one or more openings to a vacuum source and/or source of substitute gas. In this conduit is now provided a valve, with which the cross section of the conduit at the site of the valve can be altered in order to adjust the flow resistance, and thus the quantity of gas which is sucked into the opening or blown out of the opening, or the flow velocity of the gas. Targeted adjustment of the flow velocity of the gas can be used, for instance, to prevent products which are light and/or have a tendency to move, slip, or even to fly away, such as, for instance, sausage slices with low fat content and low mutual adhesive effect, from moving and/or flying away.
Preferably, a blind hole, into which a cylinder having a through bore is introduced, is provided in the conduit. The through bore can be fully or only partially aligned with the conduit and thereby alter the flow cross section. It is also possible, however, to screw into the blind hole a screw, or a valve tappet, which alters the cross section of the blind hole, and thus of the conduit.
The valve can be driven by manual or motorized means.
The adjustment of each valve can be realized automatically, by a sensor, for instance, measuring the atmosphere in the packaging or the flow velocity at the opening and then adjusting the respective valve accordingly.
Preferably, the sealing tool, in particular the sealing frame assembly, has a multiplicity of openings, the flow of which is at least partially, preferably fully, individually adjustable.
Preferably, the valve has a locking means, which locks it in its respective position, so that it does not independently shift during operation of the packaging machine. A locking means of this type is, for instance, a varnish.
A further subject of the present invention is a sealing frame assembly, having an opening connected to a conduit, wherein in the conduit is provided a valve, with which a gas stream out of or into the opening is adjustable.
The statements made with regard to this subject of the present invention apply equally to the packaging machine according to the invention, and vice versa.
Preferably, the sealing frame assembly has a multiplicity of openings, which are preferably provided on mutually opposite sides, in particular along a line.
Preferably, each opening is connected to a gas conduit, which is preferably incorporated, in particular by drilling, into the wall of the sealing frame assembly. Each gas conduit is connected to a vacuum source and/or source of substitute gas. In each of these conduits is provided a valve, with which the gas stream through the respective conduit can be adjusted.
Preferably, in each conduit is provided a blind hole, which serves as a seat for a valve body, for instance a cylinder, or into which a valve body can be screwed.
A further subject of the present invention is a nozzle, preferably a transverse and/or longitudinal nozzle, having one or more openings connected to a conduit, wherein in one or each conduit is provided a valve, with which a gas stream out of or into the opening is adjustable.
The statements made with regard to this subject of the present invention apply equally to the packaging machine according to the invention, and vice versa.
Below, the inventions ere described with reference to
Claims
1. A packaging machine comprising:
- a sealing station which uses a sealing means to seal an upper film web to a lower film web, the sealing means having at least one opening connected to a vacuum source and/or to a source of substitute gas,
- wherein the sealing means or a nozzle in the sealing station includes at least one valve with which a flow at the at least one opening is adjustable.
2. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing means is a sealing frame assembly.
3. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing means has a multiplicity of openings the flow of which is at least partially or fully, individually adjustable.
4. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one valve is drivable by a manual or a motorized means.
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is connected to a conduit that connects the at least one opening to fee vacuum source and to the source of substitute gas,
- wherein the valve has a through bore that when fully aligned with the conduit provides for the valve to be fully opened.
8) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the valve is rotatable so that an overlap of the through bore and the conduit reduces flow through the conduit.
9. A packaging machine comprising:
- a sealing station having a sealing means for sealing an upper film web to a lower film web, the sealing means having an opening connected to a vacuum source and to a source of substitute gas,
- wherein the sealing means includes a valve for adjusting air moving out of the opening gas moving into the opening,
- wherein a gas exchange takes place where the air moving out of the opening is extracted from between the upper film web and the lower film web, and the gas moving into the opening is injected between the upper film web and the lower film web, and
- wherein the gas exchange takes place before or during the sealing of the upper film web to the lower film web.
10) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sealing means has multiple valves and multiple openings,
- wherein each of the valves are adjustable so that the air moving out of the openings or the gas moving into the openings can be adjusted so that the volumetric rate of flow per unit of time, flow direction and/or flow velocity is adjustable.
11) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the valves include a slot for manually adjusting the valves.
12) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the valves has a locking means which locks each of the valves in a respective position so that the valves do not independently shift during operation of the packaging machine.
13) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the lower film web is deep drawn to form a packaging tray, and the upper film web is sealed to the packaging tray.
14) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the openings are arranged in a row running parallel to a transport direction of the lower film web.
15) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein a multiplicity of holes are made in the lower film web during or before the upper film web is sealed to the lower film web, and
- wherein the air is extracted from between the upper film web and the lower film web through the holes and the gas is injected between the upper film web and the lower film web through the holes.
16) A packaging machine comprising:
- a sealing station having a sealing means for sealing an upper film web to a lower film web, the sealing means having a plurality of openings connected to a conduit which connects the openings to vacuum source and to a source of substitute gas, the conduit includes a plurality of valves,
- wherein a gas exchange takes place in the sealing station where air moving to the vacuum source is extracted out of the openings from between the upper film web and the lower film web, and the gas moving from the source of substitute gas into the opening is injected between the upper film web and the lower film web,
- wherein each of the valves are adjustable so that the air moving out of the openings or the gas moving into the openings can be adjusted so that the volumetric rate of flow per unit of time, flow direction and/or flow velocity can be regulated, and
- wherein the gas exchange takes place before or during the sealing of the upper film web to the lower film web.
17) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of the valves have a through bore that when fully aligned with the conduit provides for the valve to be fully opened, and
- wherein the valve is rotatable so that an overlap of the through bore and the conduit reduces flow through the conduit.
18) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein the openings are arranged in a row running parallel to a transport direction of the lower film web.
19) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 18, wherein a multiplicity of holes, are made in the lower film web during or before the upper film web is sealed to the lower film web, and
- wherein the is extracted from between the upper film web and the lower film web through the holes, and the gas is injected between the upper film web and fee lower film web through the holes.
20) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 19, wherein the lower film web is deep drawn to form a packaging tray, and the upper film web is sealed to the packaging tray.
21) The packaging machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of the valves include an O-ring seal.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 4, 2014
Publication Date: May 12, 2016
Inventor: Reiner Paul (Steffenberg)
Application Number: 14/897,276