Patent Grant
11840364
The invention relates to a method for packaging portioned products which are liquid or pasty at least in the processing state in a wrapper that is cut to length from at least one packaging material web, wherein the packaging material web is transported in the direction of at least one upwardly open pair of folding claws, is cut to length while forming a substantially planar blank of the wrapper, and the blank is positioned above the pair of folding claws, wherein the product is metered, the product portion is pre-shaped, and the blank by placing thereon the pre-shaped product portion is folded into the pair of folding claws while forming the upwardly open wrapper, whereupon the upward-projecting lateral longitudinal peripheries of the upwardly open wrapper are folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion, and whereupon the transverse peripheries of the wrapper which extend so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lateral longitudinal peripheries of said wrapper are folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion. The invention furthermore relates to a packaging machine, particularly suitable for carrying out such a method, for packaging portioned products which are liquid or pasty at least in the processing state in a wrapper that is cut to length from at least one packaging material web, comprising
Methods of this type for packaging portioned products which are liquid or pasty at least in the processing state in a wrapper that is cut to length from a packaging material web, as well as packaging machines suitable for carrying out said methods, are known and are widely used in particular for packaging portions of foodstuffs which are liquid to more or less pasty at least in the processing state, such as for example butter, margarine, pasty fats, processed and fresh cheese, chocolate, soup pastes, and the like. The typical procedure here is such that planar blanks are first cut to length from a packaging material web that by means of a transport installation is transported to a cutting installation, whereupon the blank is transferred to a folding duct in which said blank by means of a folding ram is folded inward while forming the upwardly open wrapper. The desired product portion which has been metered by means of a metering installation is then placed onto the wrapper folded in the folding duct, said product portion being able to be placed into the folding duct already pre-shaped by means of a pre-shaping installation, such as in the form of a product-forming duct, for example, that is assigned to the metering installation, or placed into the folding duct in the pasty state so as to be pre-shaped in the latter. Finally, the upward-projecting lateral longitudinal peripheries of the upwardly open wrapper are folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion, whereupon the transverse peripheries of the wrapper which extend so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lateral longitudinal peripheries of said wrapper are folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion. Such a method, as well as a packaging machine suitable for carrying out said method, is known from DE 10 2008 020 604 B1, for example.
In many cases it is desirable for the pasty products to be packaged in a more or less air-tight manner, so as to protect the packaged product which in most instances is perishable against brief oxidative incursions and to meet hygienic requirements. For this purpose, DE 10 2012 014 951 B1, for example, describes a method for packaging portioned products which are liquid or pasty at least in the processing state in a wrapper that is cut to length from a packaging material web in that the product is metered in a metering installation and is pre-shaped in a product-forming duct of the metering installation, whereupon the pre-shaped product portion by means of a product ejector ram which is guided in the product-forming duct is placed onto the central region between the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the packaging material web which is guided along below the product-forming duct. The packaging material web having the pre-shaped product portion is thereafter transported to a first folding station at which the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the packaging material web are folded upward onto the lateral faces of the product portion as well as inward onto the upper side of the product portion. The packaging material web which is transported onward and which now encloses a respective product portion in an approximately tubular manner, downstream of the first folding station, reaches a first connecting station at which the free ends of the packaging material web are sealed or adhesively bonded to one another by means of one or a plurality of pairs of sealing rollers. The packaging material web which is transported onward and which now encloses a respective product portion in a more or less unreleasable and approximately tubular manner, downstream of the first connecting station, in turn reaches a second folding station at which the packaging material of the packaging material web is in each case folded between two successive pre-shaped product portions onto the transverse peripheries of the packaging material web, this taking place by means of folding jaws which are able to be moved in a reciprocating manner perpendicularly to the plane of the packaging material web and which along portions are conjointly moved in a synchronized manner with the packaging material web. The second folding station herein can be configured as a second folding and connecting station so as to peripherally seal or adhesively bond to one another the transverse peripheries of the packaging material web conjointly with the folding procedure. The product portions which are now completely packaged and finally separated from one another are downstream of the second folding and connecting station, in that the packaging material web by means of a cutting installation is cut to length while in each case forming the finished wrapper packaging between successive packaged product portions.
While the known method, or the packaging machine serving for carrying out said method, respectively, has in principle been successful in practice and enable high cycle rates, one disadvantage lies in particular in a relatively complex construction which requires in particular a large installation space. Moreover, it has proven to be comparatively complex to ensure a more or less entirely gas-tight, in particular air-free, packaging, respectively, by means of the known packaging machine, because it is very difficult for residual air which, predominantly by virtue of the transverse linear seals successively generated at the second folding and connecting station, is trapped in the packaging material to completely escape.
The same applies in an analogous manner to a method for packaging pasty products in a wrapper according to DE 10 2009 037 667 A1, which moreover requires an approximately cruciform blank of the wrapper which is interconnected along at least three different linear seals.
Further methods and devices for packaging portioned products into wrappers that are cut to length from packaging material webs can be derived from WO 00/61436 A1 and EP 0 733 548 A1, for example. A metering installation for foodstuffs which are liquid or pasty in the processing state is moreover known from EP 0 539 646 B1.
The invention is based on the object of refining a method and a packaging machine of the type mentioned at the outset, while guaranteeing faster cycle rates and while at least largely avoiding the afore-mentioned disadvantages, in a simple and cost-effective manner so that a higher degree of compactness in comparison to the prior art, and in particular packaging of the product into the wrapper in a substantially entirely air-free manner, is guaranteed.
In terms of the method, this object in a method of the type mentioned at the outset is achieved in that at least the upward-projecting lateral longitudinal peripheries of the upwardly open wrapper are folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connected to one another, while the wrapper provided with the pre-shaped product portion is still situated in the pair of folding claws.
In terms of the device, the invention in a packaging machine of the type mentioned at the outset for achieving this object furthermore provides that at least the first folding station is configured as a first folding and connecting station and has two first folding and connecting tools which under a contact pressure are able to be converged and diverged, wherein the at least one pair of folding claws and the first folding and connecting station are able to be moved relative to one another to a first folding and connecting position in which the first folding and connecting station is situated directly above the pair of folding claws so as to, by relocating the first folding and connecting tools towards one another in a manner substantially parallel to the open upper side of the pair of folding claws, under a contact pressure fold the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the upwardly open wrapper provided with a pre-shaped product portion and situated in the pair of folding claws inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connect said lateral peripheries to one another.
The design embodiment according to the invention consequently makes it possible for at least the longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper which is folded into the at least one pair of folding claws and is cut to length from the packaging material web, to be folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connected to one another immediately after the product portion that has been metered by means of the metering installation and pre-shaped by means of the pre-shaping installation has been placed onto said wrapper, while the wrapper is still situated in the pair of folding claws such that the folding and connecting of the longitudinal peripheries for the purpose of applying a first connecting line which extends in the longitudinal direction takes place in a single operating cycle, and a separate, subsequent operating cycle for connecting the longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper to one another is as dispensable as any transportation to a separate connecting station required to this end. In terms of construction, the first folding and connecting tools of the first folding and connecting station serve to this end according to the invention, said first folding and connecting tools, by virtue of being able to be mutually converged under a contact pressure, being capable of folding the longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper onto the exposed upper side of the pre-shaped product portion as well as pressing said longitudinal peripheries onto one another along the peripheries and on account thereof connecting said longitudinal peripheries to one another. For this purpose, the at least one pair of folding claws and the first folding and connecting station are able to be moved relative to one another to a first folding and connecting position in which the first folding and connecting station is situated directly above the folding duct. The pair of folding claws according to the invention here is not configured as a circumferentially completely closed folding duct but comprises two approximately parallel folding claws, designed in the form of plates, for example, the blank of the wrapper positioned being folded into the intermediate space of said folding claws above the open cross section of the pair of folding claws by ejecting the pre-shaped product portion from the pre-shaping installation. By virtue of the open transverse sides of the pair of folding claws, the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper here can be simply folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously be connected to one another, because the wrapper possesses only an approximately U-shaped design when said wrapper has been folded into the pair of folding claws, such that the longitudinal sides of said wrapper that are to be connected to one another are mutually aligned in an entirely parallel manner.
In one advantageous design embodiment it can be provided that the upward-projecting lateral longitudinal peripheries of the upwardly open wrapper which are folded inward as well as the transverse peripheries of the wrapper which extend so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lateral longitudinal peripheries of said wrapper are in each case folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connected to one another, while the wrapper provided with the pre-shaped product portion is still situated in the pair of folding claws.
In terms of the device, a packaging machine according to the invention for this purpose is preferably distinguished in that the second folding station is configured as the second folding and connecting station and has in each case two second folding and connecting tools which are disposed on the opposite open transverse sides of the pair of folding claws and under a contact pressure are able to be converged and diverged, wherein the at least one pair of folding claws and the second folding and connecting station are able to be moved relative to one another to a second folding and connecting position in which the pair of folding claws that are open in the direction of the two transverse sides of the pre-shaped product portion situated in the pair of folding claws are situated in the interior of the second folding and connecting station so as to fold in each case the lateral transverse peripheries of the wrapper situated in the pair of folding claws and provided with a pre-shaped product portion inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connect said lateral transverse peripheries to one another.
In this way it is possible to not only fold the longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper that are folded into the at least one pair of folding claws inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connect said longitudinal peripheries to one another while the wrapper is still situated in the pair of folding claws, but also the two transverse peripheries of said wrapper that extend in each case substantially perpendicular to the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper that have already been connected to one another, wherein the folding of the two respective transverse peripheries inward onto the preshaped product portion, as well as connecting the two respective transverse peripheries to one another, again takes place in a single operating cycle as long as the wrapper impinged with the pre-shaped product portion is still situated in the pair of folding claws.
In terms of construction, the second folding and connecting tools of the second folding and connecting station serve to this end according to the invention, said second folding and connecting tools potentially being designed so as to be similar to those of the first folding and connecting station, but being able to be converged and diverged in a direction of movement which is perpendicular in relation to the pre-shaped production portion. By virtue of the second folding and connecting tools also being able to be converged under a contact pressure, said second folding and connecting tools are capable of folding the respective transverse peripheries of the wrapper onto the two opposite transverse sides of the preshaped product portion as well as pressing said transverse peripheries onto one another along the peripheries and, on account thereof, connecting said transverse peripheries to one another in the region of both ends of the first connecting line of the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper that are applied at the first folding and connecting station. For this purpose, the at least one pair of folding claws and the second folding and connecting station are able to be moved relative to one another to a second folding and connecting position in which the pair of folding claws is situated in the interior of the second folding and connecting station, that is to say having the open transverse sides between the two pairs of second folding and connecting tools which are in each case able to be converged and diverged. It can prove particularly advantageous here for the two pairs of second folding and connecting tools to be converged and pressed against one another in a synchronous manner when folding and connecting the respective transverse peripheries of the wrapper, such that the two transverse peripheries of the wrapper are simultaneously connected to one another on both sides with what is now an entirely closed wrapper packaging, so that any potential residual air in the interior of the wrapper can completely escape and a more or less air-tight or gas-tight, respectively, wrapper packaging is generated.
As has already been indicated, it can be provided in one advantageous design embodiment for transferring the at least one pair of folding claws at least from the first folding and connecting station to the second folding and connecting station that in the first folding and connecting station the upward-projecting lateral longitudinal peripheries of the upwardly open wrapper first are folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connected to one another, whereupon the pair of folding claws, conjointly with the wrapper situated therein and provided with the pre-shaped product portion, the longitudinal peripheries of said wrapper already having been connected to one another, is transferred, in particular along a substantially arcuate track curve, to the second folding and connecting station at which the transverse peripheries of the wrapper which extend so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lateral longitudinal peripheries of said wrapper are in each case folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connected to one another.
In terms of the device, it can be advantageously provided for this purpose that the at least one pair of folding claws is disposed on the external circumference of a rotatingly driven folding wheel, wherein the first folding and connecting station and the second folding and connecting station are disposed on different circumferential regions of the folding wheel such that by rotating the at least one pair of folding claws, in particular in a cycled manner, the wrapper folded therein, conjointly with the pre-shaped product portion, can be transported from the first folding and connecting station to the second folding and connecting station. The two folding claws of the pair of folding claws here extend expediently perpendicularly to the direction of rotation of the folding wheel, thus substantially in the axial direction of the latter, so as to entrain the wrapper folded therein, conjointly with the product portion received therein, in the direction of rotation of the folding wheel so that the open transverse sides of the pair of folding claws point in each case in the direction of the axial ends of the folding wheel.
In order to ensure very high cycle rates, a plurality of pairs of folding claws can preferably be disposed on different circumferential regions of the folding wheel in this case, wherein the circumferential spacing between two neighbouring pairs of folding claws corresponds to the circumferential spacing between the first folding and connecting station and the second folding and connecting station which are disposed on different circumferential regions of the folding wheel, as has already been mentioned. In this way, a wrapper folded into one of the pairs of folding claws at the first folding and connecting station, for example, can be provided with the first connecting line of the lateral longitudinal peripheries that extends in the longitudinal direction, while a wrapper which is folded into a further pair of folding claws and which has already passed through this operating cycle and has been transferred to the second folding and connecting station by rotating the folding wheel, can simultaneously be provided with the two connecting lines of the respective transverse peripheries of said wrapper that extend in the transverse direction.
While the metering installation having the pre-shaping installation assigned thereto can in principle also be disposed so as to be upstream of the first folding and connecting station, for example in particular again on a circumferential region of the folding wheel, the circumferential spacing thereof from the first folding and connecting station corresponding to the circumferential spacing between two neighbouring pairs of folding claws of the folding wheel, the pre-shaping installation, in particular the metering installation as well as the pre-shaping installation, can be preferably disposed on the same circumferential region of the folding wheel as the first folding and connecting station such that the pre-shaped product portion can be placed onto the wrapper by means of the pre-shaping installation, and the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper by means of the first folding and connecting station are then immediately thereafter folded inward and connected to one another without having to rotate the folding wheel, on account of which a very high degree of compactness of the packaging machine can be ensured at very high cycle rates.
When folding the transverse peripheries of the wrapper onto the pre-shaped product portion, it can furthermore prove advantageous for the two opposite peripheral portions of the wrapper that are situated between the transverse peripheries of said wrapper to be first in each case folded inward in a substantially triangular shape onto the product portion, whereupon the transverse peripheries are in each case folded outward onto the peripheral portions of the wrapper that have been folded inward in a substantially triangular shape, and the transverse peripheries are connected to one another.
In terms of the device, it can be provided for this purpose that the second folding and connecting station furthermore has in each case two third folding tools which are in each case able to be converged and diverged in a direction which is parallel to the respective plane of movement of the second folding and connecting tools but substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the latter so as to, when folding the transverse peripheries of the wrapper onto the pre-shaped product portion and connecting these transverse peripheries to one another by means of the second folding and connecting tools, first fold in each case inward in a substantially triangular shape the two opposite peripheral portions of the wrapper that are situated between the transverse peripheries of the latter onto the product portion and thereafter by means of the second folding and connecting tools fold in each case the transverse peripheries of the wrapper outward onto the peripheral portions of the wrapper that have been folded inward in a substantially triangular shape and simultaneously connect said transverse peripheries to one another. The peripheral portions of the wrapper that are situated between the respective transverse peripheries of the wrapper that have to be connected to one another, by means of the third folding tools, can thus first be folded outward onto the pre-shaped product portion such that said peripheral portions in the finished wrapper packaging are situated on the inside of the transverse peripheries of the wrapper that are subsequently connected to one another by means of the second folding and connecting tools. Third folding tools of this type are known per se from DE 10 2012 014 951 B1 cited at the outset, and therein referred to as “indenting installation”.
The longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper that are folded inward onto the preshaped product portion and/or the transverse peripheries of the wrapper that extend so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper and are folded inward onto the pre-shaped product portion can thus, when folded inward, preferably be simultaneously connected to one another in that said peripheries are sealed, in particular cold-sealed, or adhesively bonded to one another.
In terms of device, the first folding and connecting tools of the first folding and connecting station and/or the second folding and connecting tools of the second folding and connecting station can consequently be preferably formed by sealing tools, in particular cold-sealing tools.
If the product to be packaged is a product which is largely insensitive to the temperature, a packaging material web which is provided with a hot-seal-capable coating or impregnation can be used, for example, the wrapper cut to length from said packaging material web being hot-sealed by means of the first folding and connecting tools of the first folding and connecting station and/or by means of the respective second folding and connecting tools of the second folding and connecting station. In this case, the first and/or second folding and connecting tools are able to be heated so as to generate a longitudinal linear seal and/or in each case a transverse linear seal by pressing said tools against one another. However, if the product to be packaged is a temperature-sensitive product as is the case in particular with the foodstuffs listed in an exemplary manner at the outset, a packaging material web which has been provided with a pattern of cold-sealing lacquer or adhesive according to the envisaged connecting lines can preferably be used, for example, such that the wrapper that is cut to length from the packaging material web can be cold-sealed or adhesively bonded to one another by means of the first folding and connecting tools of the first folding and connecting station and/or by means of the respective second folding and connecting tools of the second folding and connecting station in that the respective folding and connecting tools are converged in the non-temperature-controlled state only by way of a contact pressure so as to cold-seal, or adhesively bond, respectively, the peripheral regions of the wrapper that are provided with the cold-seal lacquer or adhesive, respectively.
If desired, the wrapper which is situated in the folding duct and is provided with the pre-shaped product portion can be kept in an inert gas atmosphere at least while the longitudinal peripheries of said wrapper and/or expediently also when the transverse peripheries of said wrapper are connected to one another such that an enhanced protection of the product against oxidation as a result of contact with oxygen in the air is guaranteed. In a corresponding packaging machine, it can be provided for this purpose that at least the first folding and connecting station and/or preferably also the second folding and connecting station is disposed in an inert gas atmosphere.
As has already been indicated, according to a first variant of the method it can be provided that the product which is liquid or pasty at least in the processing state is pre-shaped in a product-forming duct, whereupon the pre-shaped product portion, for example by means of a product ejector ram which is guided so as to be displaceable in the product-forming duct, for example, is transferred to the pair of folding claws and, when the pre-shaped product portion is transferred from the product-forming duct to the pair of folding claws, the substantially planar blank of the wrapper that is positioned in an intermediate space between the product-forming duct and the pair of folding claws is simultaneously folded inward.
In a packaging machine suitable for carrying out such a first method variant, the pre-shaping installation can preferably have at least one product-forming duct having a product ejector ram which is configured for ejecting the pre-shaped product portion into the pair of folding claws, wherein the guiding installation is in particular disposed between the product-forming duct and the pair of folding claws so as to, when the product portion that has been pre-shaped in the product-forming duct by means of the product ejector ram is ejected from the product-forming duct into the pair of folding claws, simultaneously fold the blank of the wrapper which by means of the guiding installation has been introduced into the intermediate space between the product-forming duct and the pair of folding claws into the pair of folding claws. The pre-shaping installation having the at least one product-forming duct in this case can in particular be integrated in the metering installation such that the metering volume is predefined by the volumetric capacity of the product-forming duct, wherein this metering volume may preferably be variable by setting the product ejector ram in relation to the product-forming duct.
According to a second embodiment it can instead be provided that the product which is liquid or pasty at least in the processing state is pre-shaped in a forming nozzle, wherein the product portion is metered, squeezed through the forming nozzle and herein pre-shaped, cut off, and the pre-shaped product portion obtained herewith is transferred to the pair of folding claws. When the pre-shaped product portion is transferred from the forming nozzle to the pair of folding claws, the substantially planar blank of the wrapper that is positioned in an intermediate space between the forming nozzle and the pair of folding claws is again in particular simultaneously folded into the pair of folding claws.
In a packaging machine suitable for carrying out such a second method variant, the pre-shaping installation can consequently be formed by at least one forming nozzle which is configured for ejecting the pre-shaped product portion into the pair of folding claws, wherein the guiding installation is in particular disposed between the forming nozzle and the pair of folding claws so as to, when the product portion that has been pre-shaped in the forming nozzle is ejected into the pair of folding claws, simultaneously fold the blank of the wrapper which by means of the guiding installation has been introduced into the intermediate space between the forming nozzle and the pair of folding claws into the pair of folding claws. The pre-shaping installation having the at least one forming nozzle in this case can in particular be disposed downstream of the metering installation, wherein the metering installation can be formed by, for example, a volumetric metering unit such as an extruder, an extradition press, a hydraulic, pneumatic, hydro-pneumatic piston/cylinder unit or the like. Consequently, the product portion can be metered by correspondingly rotating the extruder screw according to a number of revolutions corresponding to the desired product portion, or by correspondingly repositioning the piston of the piston/cylinder unit according to a piston travel that corresponds to the desired product portion, be extruded or squeezed through the forming nozzle, respectively, and be pre-shaped hereby.
Both variants of embodiments here proved to be particularly favourable with a view to the fact that no folding ram for folding the blank that has been cut to length from the packaging material web, while forming a wrapper, has to be assigned to the pair of folding claws, but the blank can be folded into the folding duct by the product portion that has been pre-shaped by means of the product-forming duct or the forming nozzle of the extruder of the metering installation.
As far as the design embodiment of the guiding installation in terms of construction is concerned, it can be furthermore provided in one advantageous design embodiment that the guiding installation has at least one first pair of first guiding means which are disposed so as to be mutually parallel, as well as at least one second pair of second guiding means which are disposed so as to be mutually parallel, said guiding means being in each case potentially formed by guide plates, guide meshes, guide rods or the like which are disposed so as to be mutually parallel, for example, the substantially planar blank of the wrapper that by means of the cutting installation has been cut to length from the packaging material web being able to be received in the intermediate space of said guiding means and being able to be transferred to the pair of folding claws.
It can in particular be provided here that
In as far as the design embodiment of the first folding and connecting tools of the first folding and connecting station in terms of construction is concerned, it can in this context preferably be provided that one of the first folding and connecting tools is disposed on the first pair of the first guiding means of the guiding installation, preferably on the end thereof which is leading in the guiding direction and faces the pair of folding claws as well as the second pair of the second guiding means, and that the other of the first folding and connecting tools of the first folding and connecting station is disposed, in particular so as to be stationary, on the second pair of the second guiding means of the guiding installation that are able to be moved in a reciprocating manner, preferably on the end thereof which is trailing in the guiding direction and faces the pair of folding claws as well as the first pair of the first guiding means, such that said other of the first folding and connecting tools, conjointly with the second pair of the second guiding means of the guiding installation, is able to be converged with and diverged from the first folding and connecting tool.
Further features and advantages of the invention are derived from the description hereunder of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings in which:
An exemplary embodiment of a packaging machine according to the invention, which in its entirety is provided with the reference sign 1, for packaging portioned products which are liquid or pasty in the processing state in a wrapper that is cut to length from a packaging material web is schematically reproduced in
As can be seen from
The packaging machine 1 furthermore comprises a metering installation which is configured for metering a product portion of the product which is pasty in the processing state, and in the exemplary embodiment shown here comprises a pre-shaping installation 10 which is integrated in said metering installation and serves for metering and simultaneously pre-shaping a respective product portion. The pre-shaping installation 10 integrated in the metering installation in the present case has a plurality of presently four product-forming ducts 11 which are in each case equipped with a product ejector ram 12 which is able to be relocated in the axial direction of a respective product-forming duct 11 and which by being relocated from a respective product-forming duct 11 serves for ejecting a product portion that has been metered and pre-shaped in a respective product-forming duct 11, on the one hand, and in the position thereof retracted into a respective product-forming duct 11 may be height-adjustable in particular in relation to the respective product-forming duct so as to be able to predefine the desired metering volume, on the other hand. The product-forming ducts 11 in the present exemplary embodiment are disposed, preferably at equidistant circumferential spacings, on a rotatably mounted plate 13 which is rotatingly driven in cycles so as to transfer in each case one of the product-forming ducts 11 to a product-ejecting position in which the product portion pre-shaped in the product-forming duct 11 is ejected from the product-forming duct 11, while at least one other product-forming duct 11 is situated in a position in which a further product portion can be placed into said product-forming duct 11, so as to meter and simultaneously pre-shape said product portion in the product-forming duct 11.
The packaging machine 1, in the transporting direction T downstream of the packaging material buffer, comprises a transport installation 20 which is configured for transporting the packaging material web 4 in the direction of the pre-shaping installation 10 and has, for example, one or a plurality of indexing rollers 21, wherein one pair of indexing rollers 21 are provided in the present case, at least one of said indexing rollers 21 being rotatably driven in a continuous or cycled manner, and said indexing rollers 21 being able to be pressed onto one another so as to drive the packaging material web 4 with the desired indexing action by guiding the packaging material web 4 through the pair of indexing rollers 21. As can furthermore be derived from
A cutting installation 30 which is configured for cutting to length planar blanks of in each case one wrapper from the packaging material web 4 is disposed in the transporting direction T of the packaging material web 4 downstream of the transport installation 20 and upstream of the pre-shaping installation 10, said cutting installation 30 having, for example, a cutting blade 31 which extends so as to be approximately perpendicular to the transporting direction T of the packaging material web 4 and which is mounted so as to be pivotable in a reciprocating manner about a pivot axis which likewise extends so as to be perpendicular to the transporting direction T of the packaging material web 4, so as to pivot said cutting blade 31 by motorized pivoting between a cutting position, in which said cutting blade 31 severs the packaging material web 4, and a resting position, in which said cutting blade 31 is disposed above or below the packaging material web 4. In the present exemplary embodiment, the pivot axis of the cutting blade 31 of the cutting installation 30 is congruent with the rotation axis of the upper indexing rollers 21 of the transport installation 20, for example, such that both can be mounted on a common support, this resulting in a high degree of compactness.
The cutting installation 30, again in the transporting direction T of the packaging material web 4, is adjoined by a guiding installation 40 which hereunder is described in detail with reference to
A first folding and connecting station 60, on the one hand, and a second folding and connecting station 70, on the other hand, are further disposed on different circumferential regions of the folding wheel 50, wherein the circumferential spacing of the first folding and connecting station 60 from the second folding and connecting station 70 corresponds to the circumferential spacing between two neighbouring pairs of folding claws 51 of the folding wheel 50, in the present case thus 90° and a total of four pairs of folding claws 51. While the first folding and connecting station 60 serves for folding the lateral longitudinal peripheries of a respective upwardly open wrapper that is folded into a respective pair of folding claws 51 and is provided with a pre-shaped product portion inward onto the pre-shaped product portion, and simultaneously for connecting these lateral longitudinal peripheries to one another, the second folding and connecting station 70, which in the direction of rotation of the folding wheel 50 is disposed downstream of the first folding and connecting station 60, serves for folding the transverse peripheries of the wrapper which extend so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lateral longitudinal peripheries of said wrapper inward onto the pre-shaped product portion, and simultaneously for connecting these transverse peripheries to one another, as is explained in detail further below with reference to
As is furthermore derived from
The packaging machine finally comprises a delivery station 90 which is disposed in the circumferential region of the folding wheel 50 and in the direction of rotation of the latter is disposed downstream of the calibrating station 80 (also see below for further details to this end), said delivery station 90 serving for delivering a respective completely packaged and calibrated product portion from a respective pair of folding claws 51 of the folding wheel 50, the circumferential spacing of said delivery station 90 from the calibrating station as well as from the pre-shaping installation 10 and from the first folding and connecting station 60 again corresponding to the circumferential spacing of two neighbouring pairs of folding claws 51 of the folding wheel 50, in the present case thus again 90°. In the present case, a conveyor belt 100 for transporting away the wrapper packaging that is delivered from the pair of folding claws 51 of the folding wheel 50 and supplying said wrapper packaging to a store (not shown) is disposed downstream of the delivery station 90, for example.
As can be seen in particular from
The first pair 41 of the first guiding means here directly adjoins the cutting installation 30 which in the transporting direction T of the packaging material web 4 is disposed downstream of the transport installation 20, so as to therebetween receive a respective blank of a respective wrapper that by means of the cutting installation 30 has been cut to length from the packaging material web 4, and to transport said blank onward by means of the pairs 43, 44 of guide rollers. The second pair 42 of the second guiding means, again when viewed in the transporting direction of the blank, adjoins the first pair 41 of the first guiding means that terminates in a position directly above a respective pair of folding claws 51 of the folding wheel 50, so as to guide onward the blank of a respective wrapper from the intermediate space between the first pair 41 of the first guiding means to the second pair 42 of the second guiding means. While the first pair 41 of the first guiding means can be disposed so as to be stationary, for example, the second pair 42 of the second guiding means is able to be moved in a reciprocating manner between a first position, in which the second pair 42 of the second guiding means adjoins the first pair 41 of the first guiding means and in this way bridges the pair of folding claws 51 (cf.
As is furthermore derived in particular from
The first folding and connecting tools 61, 62 here can be configured in the form of cold-sealing tools, for example, so as to cold-seal to one another the cold adhesive coatings already applied locally to the wrapper, or to the packaging material web 4, respectively (see further below for details to this end with reference to
In a furthermore advantageous design embodiment, the first folding and connecting station 60 can moreover have a first turn-over unit 64 which serves for turning over the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper that initially project upward in a substantially perpendicular manner from the pre-shaped product portion and are connected to one another by means of the first folding and connecting tools 61, 62. The first turn-over unit 64 in the exemplary embodiment shown comprises a baffle which extends substantially in the circumferential direction of the folding wheel 50 and, when viewed in the circumferential direction of the latter, is disposed between the first folding and connecting station 60 and the second folding and connecting station 70, the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper that are connected to one another contacting that end of said baffle that faces the first folding and connecting station 60 such that said lateral longitudinal peripheries are turned over against the upper, radially outward side of the wrapper when the folding wheel 50 is rotated when a wrapper that is provided with the pre-shaped product portion is transferred from the first folding and connecting station 60 to the second folding and connecting station 70.
As can be derived in particular from
In one advantageous design embodiment, the second folding and connecting station 70 can moreover have second turn-over units 75 which serve for turning over the transverse peripheries of the wrapper that initially project in a substantially perpendicular manner from the pre-shaped product portion to both transverse sides and are connected to one another by means of the second folding and connecting tools 71a, 71b, 72a, 72b. In a manner similar to that of the first turn-over unit 64, a respective second turn-over unit 75 in the exemplary embodiment shown comprises in each case one baffle which extends substantially in the circumferential direction of the folding wheel 50 and, when viewed in the circumferential direction of the latter, is disposed between the second folding and connecting station 70 and the calibrating station 80, the transverse peripheries of the wrapper that are connected to one another in each case contacting that end of said baffle that faces the second folding and connecting station 70 such that said transverse peripheries are turned over against the respective transverse side of the wrapper when the folding wheel 50 is rotated when a wrapper that is provided with the pre-shaped product portion is transferred from the second folding and connecting station 70 to the calibrating station 80.
As is derived in particular from
As can be seen primarily in
The functional mode of the packaging machine 1 is explained in more detail hereunder by means of a method for packaging portioned products which are liquid or pasty in the processing state, presently butter, in a wrapper that has been cut to length from the packaging material web 4.
As can be derived from
As can be derived from
As is derived from
Once the product ejector ram 12 in the situation reproduced in
As is shown in
As soon as this has taken place, the folding and connecting tool 61 on the left, in the situation according to
As soon as the second folding and connecting station 70 has reached the situation according to
As can be seen in
Once the second folding and connecting tools 71a and 72a, and 71b and 72b, respectively, have been moved out of the folding and connecting position thereof according to
As is derived from
The folding wheel 50 is thereafter yet again rotated by 90° in a counter-clockwise manner so as to transfer the completely calibrated wrapper packaging E to the delivery station 90 where the slide 92 in the situation according to
It goes without saying that the method steps described above with reference to the packaging of a single product portion can be repeated not only at a continuous sequence but that four wrappers can in particular be in each case processed in a synchronous manner, wherein simultaneously
A front elevation or plan view, respectively, of a wrapper E generated by means of the packaging machine 1 according to
The central area 102 of the wrapper E illustrated by dots covers the base area of the product portion which, conjointly with the ejection of a product portion from a product-forming duct 11 of the pre-shaping installation 10, has been folded onto the base 52 of a pair of folding claws 51 of the folding wheel. The folding lines 103 adjoin the base area 102 to the right and the left in
Furthermore, the folding lines 108 which extend so as to be perpendicular to the folding lines 103 and 105 adjoin the base area 102 of the wrapper E towards the top and the bottom in
Furthermore to be seen in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2018 008 483.4 | Oct 2018 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2019/000290 | 10/8/2019 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020/088788 | 5/7/2020 | WO | A |
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| 20140083055 | Rodrigues | Mar 2014 | A1 |
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|---|---|---|
| 3816970 | May 1988 | DE |
| 69121570 | Jan 1997 | DE |
| 102008020604 | Nov 2009 | DE |
| 102009037667 | Feb 2011 | DE |
| 102012014951 | Nov 2013 | DE |
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| 0539646 | May 1993 | EP |
| 0733548 | Sep 1996 | EP |
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| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report, with English translation, issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/EP2019/000290 dated Feb. 7, 2020 (7 pages). |
| Written Opinion of International Searching Authority issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/EP2019/000290 dated Feb. 7, 2020 (6 pages). |
| German Search Report issued in corresponding German Application No. 10 2018 008 483.4, dated Sep. 9, 2019 (3 pages). |
| Office Action issued in corresponding Japan Application No. 2021-523238, dated Apr. 18, 2023 (10 pages). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210403187 A1 | Dec 2021 | US |
