Patent Application
20240034505
This disclosure relates to vertical form, fill, and seal packaging machines that produce packages having a back seal and being held together in a continuous string with tear lines between the packages for subsequent ease of package separation. Such machines provide a flexible film package string that has a tear line of perforations with a cut-out at the back seal area between the connected packages of the string for ease of subsequent package separation. The disclosure also relates to unique blade configurations that create a desirable tear line of perforations in which a central portion of the tear line of perforations has a gap larger than the perforation gaps.
Vertical form, fill, and seal packaging machines are commonly used in the snack food industry for forming, filling, and sealing bags of chips and other like products. These machines are used to form packages from packaging-film, fill the packages as they are being formed, seal and separate the package by cutting the packaging-film above the seal. These types of machines produce separate filled and sealed packages from package-film.
In some instances, these machines produce a continuous string of separable connected packages with a transversely extending series of perforations adjacent to a transverse seal that may be referred to as a perforation tear line or a tear line of perforations. While such machines are acceptable, continuing development of packaging films has resulted in the formation of packages that, during the process of separating adjacent packages, the perforation tear line propagates normal to the perforation tear line and along the back seal area, which at times undesirably causes the package to open. Solutions to this problem are desired.
The described apparatus and embodiments of the unique blade used in the described apparatus address this problem by providing a cut-out in the back seal area of the transverse seal between adjacent packages.
One aspect of the described apparatus relates to a continuous vertical form, fill and seal machine for making a continuous string of separable connected packages. The machine has several features, including a vertically-oriented product delivery conduit; a film dispensing roller configured to mount thereon a roll of package-forming film; a film tensioner oriented and configured to receive, tension and guide package-forming film dispensed from the dispensing roller; and a package-former located and configured to receive tensioned package-film from the film tensioner and guide the package-film around an outer surface of the product delivery conduit. A heat seal bar adjacent the product delivery conduit seals together longitudinal opposed ends of the package-film around the product delivery conduit to create a back seal and to form a film tube as the package-film traverses down the outer surface of the product delivery conduit.
The machine includes a pair of reciprocating jaws located below the product delivery conduit and spaced apart to permit the film tube to pass between the jaws after the film tube separates from the product delivery conduit. One jaw of the reciprocating jaws has a toothed blade and a leading edge of the toothed blade extends beyond a leading edge of the one jaw. When the pair of jaws closes, teeth of the blade cut a transversely extending series of perforations adjacent to a transverse seal and simultaneously cut a transverse opening at an area of the back seal. The opening has a size that is larger than each of the perforation holes. Accordingly, the machine outputs a continuous string of connected sealed packages having a transversely extending perforation between adjacent packages with a cut-out in an area of the back seal. In some instances, the cut-out is a complete cut-out, i.e., a single continuous hole or gap is created at the back seal area.
Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a blade configured for use with the described apparatus in which the apparatus forms a continuous string of separable connected packages having a back seal. In one embodiment, the blade has a front, a back, a first side end, a second side end spaced from the first side end and defining a central portion that is configured to provide a cut-out out in an area of the back seal. The provided opening of the cut-out has a size that is larger than each of the perforation holes. In some instances, the provided cut-out is a complete cut-out, i.e., a single continuous hole or gap is created at the back seal area.
On a top portion of the blade, a first series of perforation teeth extend laterally from the first side end to a first side of the central portion and are spaced from each other; and a second series of perforation teeth extend laterally from the second side end to a second side of the central portion and being spaced from each other.
In one embodiment, each tooth of the first and second series of perforation teeth are formed as wedges along longitudinally opposed sides of the tooth, terminating in a cutting edge along a perimeter of the tooth, and converging in a sharp point. In another embodiment, each tooth of the first and second series of perforation teeth are formed as wedges along laterally opposed sides of the tooth, terminating in a cutting edge along a perimeter of the tooth, and converging in a sharp point.
Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a continuous string of connected sealed packages with each package having a longitudinally extending back seal the packages having a transversely extending perforation between adjacent packages and a cut-out in an area of the back seal. The opening of the cut-out has a size that is larger than each of the perforation holes. In some instances, the cut-out is a complete cut-out, i.e., a single continuous hole or gap is created at the back seal area.
An exemplary method provides a continuous string of separable connected packages from a vertical form, fill and seal machine. The method includes the steps of continuously dispensing packaging-film from a roll of packaging-film, tensioning and guiding the dispensed packaging-film, and enveloping a product delivery conduit with tensioned and guided packaging-film. The method further includes sealing together longitudinal opposed ends of the package-film to create a back seal and to form a film tube, moving the film tube down and feeding product into the film tube from the product delivery conduit. The film tube is sealed with a pair of transverse seals, which have a transverse tear line comprising perforations located between them and which have a cut-out in an area of the back seal. The opening of the cut-out has a size that is larger than each of the perforation holes. In some instances, the cut-out is a complete cut-out, i.e., a single continuous hole or gap is created at the back seal area.
Continuous operation of the vertical form, fill and seal machine in this manner provides a continuous string of connected sealed packages having a transversely extending perforation between adjacent packages with a cut-out in an area of the back seal. When required or desired, the string of packages can then be separated into individual packages with ease along the tear lines such that propagation of the perforation tear line in a direction normal to the transverse tear line is minimized.
As used in this description, the phrases, “back seal area” and “area of the back seal” refers to at least the lateral extent of the back seal, whether it is a lap seal or fin seal and is meant to include the area immediately adjacent to each lateral side of the back seal. In other words, the “back seal area” and “area of the back seal” encompasses the back seal as well as a small portion of the transverse seal laterally adjacent each side of the back seal.
Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be appreciated from the following detailed description.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the present technology will become more readily appreciated by reference to the following Detailed Description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying simplified drawings of exemplary embodiments. The illustrative, schematic drawings, briefly described here below, are not to scale, are presented for ease of explanation and do not limit the scope of the inventions recited in the accompanying patent claims.
Turning to
The packaging-film 110 passes from the tensioners 114 over a former 116, which directs the packaging-film into a vertical tube around a product delivery conduit 118. As the tube is pulled downward by drive belts 120, the vertical tube of film is sealed along its length by a vertical sealer 122, to form a film tube 124 having a continuous longitudinally extending back seal 160.
The machine applies the pair of heat sealing jaws 126, 128 against the film tube 133 to form a pair of transverse seals 134, 136. One of the pair of transverse seals acts as the top seal 134 of a package 140 created by that cycle, and the other part of the transverse seal acts as the bottom seal 136 of the next package 140 that will be made in the machine. One of the heat seal jaws includes a blade 200 that creates a transverse perforation tear line 138 between the top seal 134 and bottom seal 136 of each adjacent package 140 for ease of subsequent separation of the string into individual packages 140, as illustrated in
Turning to
Referring to
Referring now to
In this embodiment, the central portion 214 is provided with a single tooth 270 that extends longitudinally a defined length such that a first side of the central portion 272 and a second side of the central portion 274 are defined. The defined length is approximately the same as the width of the back area seal 168 so that, in operation, a cut-out 139 may be effected at the back seal area. It will be appreciated that because the central portion has only a single tooth 270, a complete cut-out 139 will be formed. As can be appreciated by viewing
A first series 260 of spaced perforation teeth 250 extend from the first side end 210 to a first side of the central portion 272. A second series 262 of spaced perforation teeth 250 extend from the second side end 212 to a second side of the central portion 274. While the perforation teeth 250 are shown as being spaced apart equidistantly, such even spacing, while perhaps aesthetically desirable, is not essential for producing tear lines 138 to separate a continuous string of separable packages.
Referring to
The sharp point of each perforation tooth 250 extends from the blade a defined distance 256 from a base 202 of the blade 200 and in some instances, the defined distance is the same for each perforation tooth 250. In some instances the defined distance 256 of each perforation tooth 250 is the same as the defined distance 280 for the sharp point 278 of the single tooth 270.
Referring now to
A first series 360 of spaced perforation teeth 350 extend from the first side 310 end to a first side of the central portion 372. A second series 362 of spaced perforation teeth 350 extend from the second side end 312 to a second side of the central portion 374. While the perforation teeth 350 are shown as being spaced apart equidistantly, such even spacing, while perhaps aesthetically desirable, is not essential for producing a perforation tear line 138 used to separate a continuous string of separable packages.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the central portion 314 of the blade 300 is provided with a series of spaced cutting teeth 370 that extend longitudinally a defined length such that a first side of the central portion 372 and a second side of the central portion 374 are defined. The defined length is approximately the same as the width of the back area seal 168 so that, in operation, a cut-out 139 may be effected at the back seal area 168.
As best seen in
The head portion of each cutting tooth 370 includes wedges 376 along laterally opposed sides of the tooth 370 that terminate in a cutting edge along a perimeter of the tooth and converge in a sharp point 378. The wedges 376 extend along the opposed sides of the tooth and the wedges from the opposing sides converge in a sharp pointed tip 378 of each tooth that is able to penetrate the back seal 160 during normal operation of the vertical form, fill and seal machine. Moreover, in this embodiment, the teeth 370 are symmetrical about an axis extending through the sharp point or tip 378.
The sharp point 378 of each cutting tooth 370 extends from the blade a defined distance 380 from a base 302 of the blade and in some instances, the defined distance 380 is the same for each cutting tooth 370. In addition, as best seen in
During an exemplary operation, packaging-film is unwound from a film-dispensing roll 112 of the machine 100. The packing-film is tensioned and guided to a former 116 which guides the packaging-film over a product delivery conduit 118. As the packaging-film, shaped around the product delivery conduit travels along the length of the conduit, opposed ends of the packaging-film are sealed together to form a film tube 124 having a continuous longitudinal back seal 160. Product is delivered to the back-sealed lower region of the tube film 124. The film tube 124 is then sealed with a pair of reciprocating jaws that include a toothed blade 200, 300 located between a pair of heat sealing elements 142, 144. This forms a pair of parallel transverse seals 134, 136 with a tear line 138 comprised of perforations formed by the toothed blade between the seals. Simultaneously, a cut-out 139 in the back seal area 168 is also created. The cut-out 139 has a gap that is larger than each gap of the perforation holes or gaps. In some instances, the cut-out 139 is a complete cut-out 139, as described above. Continuous operation produces a string 135 of connected packages 140, as illustrated for example in
From the foregoing, an exemplary method provides a continuous string of separable connected packages from a vertical form, fill and seal machine. The method includes the steps of continuously dispensing packaging-film from a roll of packaging film, tensioning and guiding the dispensed packaging-film, and enveloping a product delivery conduit with tensioned and guided packaging-film. The method further includes sealing together longitudinal opposed ends of the package-film to form a film tube, moving the film tube down and feeding product into the film tube from the product delivery conduit. The film tube is sealed by using opposed reciprocating jaws to create a pair of transverse seals, which have a transverse tear line comprising perforations located between them. Continuous operation of the vertical form, fill and seal machine in this manner provides a continuous string of connected sealed packages having a transversely extending perforation between adjacent packages. When required or desired, the string of packages can then be separated into individual packages with ease along the tear lines.
While the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments of the disclosure have been shown by way of example in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the concepts of the present disclosure to the particular disclosed forms; the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
