Patent Application
20230303285
The present invention relates to a method for producing a packaging with a packaging machine, in which a lower material web is unrolled from a supply roll and transported along the packaging machine and at the same time a material to be packaged is placed on the lower material web and, to produce the packaging, an upper film is sealed to the lower material web in a sealing station. The present invention also relates to a packaging machine for producing a packaging.
Packagings with a comparatively complex contour are difficult to cut from the lower material web or, respectively, have a comparatively unclean cut edge or, respectively, the packaging machines required for this are expensive to manufacture or, respectively, comparatively difficult to adjust or, respectively, are comparatively long or, respectively, the service life of the tools required for this is comparatively short or, respectively, a comparatively large number of cutting particles / cutting dust are produced during cutting.
It was therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method and a packaging machine which do not have the disadvantages of the prior art.
The object is solved with a method for producing a packaging with a packaging machine, in which a lower material web is unrolled from a supply roll and transported along the packaging machine and at the same time a material to be packaged is placed on the lower material web and, to complete the packaging, an upper film is sealed to the lower material web in a sealing station, wherein the completed package is cut from the upper and lower material webs, wherein the cutting of the lower material web takes place
The explanations given with respect to this subject matter of the present invention apply equally to the other subject matter of the present invention and vice versa. Features disclosed with respect to this subject matter of the present invention may be included in the other subject matter.
This subject matter of the present invention relates to a method for producing a packaging, in which a lower material web, for example, a plastic film or a material web having in particular a cardboard, paper or other non-plastic layer, is unrolled from a supply roll and transported preferably intermittently/cyclically along the packaging machine in a transport plane. In a forming station, this lower material web can then first be formed by means of a deep drawing tool, for example, to form a trough and/or a structure, in particular an anti-slip structure, in the lower material web. The forming station usually has a lower tool and an upper tool which are moved towards each other for forming and away from each other for further transport of the lower material web. The lower tool is located below and the upper tool above the transport plane of the lower material web. As a rule, several packagings arranged in a so-called format are processed simultaneously in the packaging machine according to the invention and are subsequently transported simultaneously along the packaging machine. Subsequently, the lower material web is loaded with a material to be packaged, in particular a food product such as sausage, ham or cheese, and in a next step is sealed with an upper film in a sealing station, wherein the upper film is usually sealed to the lower film web. Subsequently, the packaging thus completed is separated by cutting out the packaging from the lower and upper material webs. The upper material web is also unrolled from a supply roll. In relation to the transport direction of the respective film web, downstream of at least one supply roll there is preferably a dancer which keeps the tension in the respective material web at least substantially constant. The dancer can be a linear dancer or a rotational dancer.
The number of packagings produced at the same time and their length or width determine the length of the feed during one cycle, with up to 3 meters being quite common.
Preferably, before sealing, a reduced pressure compared to ambient pressure is generated in the packaging to be produced and/or the atmosphere is changed compared to air, for example, by introducing a gas between the lower material web and the upper film before sealing.
Preferably, the lower material web is transported along the packaging machine by grippers, which are preferably provided equidistantly on a transport means, for example, one, in particular two chains. Each gripper preferably has a lower gripper part and an upper gripper part, wherein the upper gripper part is preferably provided so as to be pivotable relative to the lower gripper part. The lower gripper part can be a separate part or part of the gripper’s support.
According to the invention, the carrier of the material to be packaged, for example, the packaging trough on which the material to be packaged is located, is now cut out of the lower material web. According to the invention, this is done in at least two separate steps.
According to one embodiment according to the invention, the cutting of the lower material web takes place partially upstream and partially downstream of the sealing station. The cut downstream of the sealing station is preferably made as a longitudinal cut parallel to the transport direction of the lower material web and the transverse cut is made transverse to the transport direction of the lower material web. In each of these cuts, the lower material web and the upper material web are severed. These cuts preferably sever a different area of the lower material web than the upstream cut.
According to another embodiment according to the invention or a preferred embodiment, the cutting of the lower material web takes place partially upstream and partially in the sealing station. The cut in the sealing station is usually a punch cut that takes place before, after and/or during sealing.
A punch in the sense of the invention severs the lower material web by crushing and/or cutting and/or shear cutting and/or ultrasonic cutting and/or thermal cutting and/or, if applicable, also by means of a relative movement of two cutting means. The punch can have a contour that extends at least partially longitudinally and transversely to the transport direction and can include, in particular, round corner areas. The punch is preferably a contour punch, which preferably has a punching knife with a closed contour. However, the contour of the punching knife can also be reduced by the section already cut upstream.
The following explanations apply to both embodiments according to the invention.
In the upstream cut, only the lower material web is severed, but this is preferably completely severed in the area of this cut.
Preferably, the upstream cutting takes place in the forming station, in particular before and/or while the lower material web is deep drawn, and/or afterwards. Preferably, during the upstream cut, the lower material web is cut only in one, two or more corner area(s) of the carrier of the material to be packaged, while the remaining contour of the carrier of the material to be packaged is cut only in and/or downstream of the sealing station. Preferably, the upstream cut is made at an angle, for example, an angle of 40 - 50°, in particular 45°, relative to the transport direction of the lower material web. The cut line is preferably straight, but may also be curved or corrugated or kinked or a combination thereof.
The cuts in the lower material web usually result in two or more separate cut-out lower material web elements, for example, the carrier of the material to be packaged and one, two or more corner areas. They are separated from one another by the upstream cut of the lower material web. Consequently, the cut severs the lower material web completely. Each or only some or only one of the lower material web element(s) or only the carrier of the material to be packaged may be bonded with the upper film, for example, by sealing.
The object is further solved with a method for producing a packaging with a packaging machine, in which a lower material web is unrolled from a supply roll and transported along the packaging machine and a packaging trough is formed in the lower material web with a forming tool and a material to be packaged is placed in the packaging trough and an upper film is sealed to the lower material web in a sealing station to complete the packaging, wherein the lower material web is completely severed at least in sections along the contour of the packaging trough before and/or during forming.
The explanations given with respect to this subject matter of the present invention apply equally to the other subject matter of the present invention and vice versa. Features disclosed with respect to this subject matter of the present invention may be included in the other subject matter.
The packaging trough is usually formed by deep drawing, by pulling and/or pressing the lower material web into a lower mold. For this purpose, an upper tool and/or a lower tool are moved towards each other, preferably along the perpendicular, until they contact, preferably clamp, the lower material web on both surfaces, in particular horizontal surfaces. Preferably during this movement, the cutting of the lower material web takes place in a section of the contour, for example, in one or more corner areas. In these sections, the lower material web is preferably severed completely. Thus, cutting takes place preferably even before forming of the lower material web.
Preferably, the complete cutting out of the packaging from the lower material web takes place in and/or downstream of the sealing station. After this, there is preferably no cut area in the lower material web in which the lower material web is not completely severed.
It is particularly preferred that no non-separated cut area remains, in particular that no non-separated cut area remains at the transitions to the corner area(s) already cut upstream of the sealing station, for example, because uncut transitions can hinder the opening of the packaging at a later time.
Preferably, the upper film is severed for separation in and/or downstream of the sealing station.
Preferably, the contour of the upper material web and the contour of the lower material web are different in the completed packaging. In particular, the contour of the upper material web is larger than that of the lower material web.
Furthermore, the object is solved with a packaging machine which unrolls a lower material web from a supply roll and transports it intermittently or continuously along the packaging machine and which is being loaded with a material to be packaged, wherein, for completion of a packaging, an upper material web is subsequently sealed to the lower material web in a sealing station, wherein a punch is provided which severs the lower material web along at least one partial area of the contour of a packaging to be produced, wherein the punch is provided in the forming tool. The person skilled in the art understands that the forming tool can also be a tool without deep drawing.
The explanations given with respect to this subject matter of the present invention apply equally to the other subject matter of the present invention and vice versa. Features disclosed with respect to this subject matter of the present invention may be included in the other subject matter.
This subject matter of the present invention relates to a packaging machine, in particular a so-called thermoformer, for producing a packaging, in which a lower material web, for example, a plastic film or a material web having in particular a cardboard, paper or other non-plastic layer, is unrolled from a supply roll and transported preferably intermittently/cyclically along the packaging machine in a transport plane. In a forming station, this lower material web is then first formed by means of a deep drawing tool or remains unformed, for example, to form a trough and/or a structure, in particular an anti-slip structure, in the lower material web. The forming station usually has a lower tool and an upper tool which are moved towards each other for forming and away from each other for further transport of the lower material web. The lower tool is located below and the upper tool above the transport plane of the lower material web. As a rule, several packagings arranged in a so-called format are processed simultaneously in the packaging machine according to the invention and are subsequently transported simultaneously along the packaging machine. Subsequently, the lower material web is loaded with a material to be packaged, in particular a food product such as sausage, ham or cheese, and in a next step is sealed with an upper film in a sealing station, wherein the upper film is usually sealed to the lower film web. Subsequently, the packaging thus completed is separated by completely cutting out the packaging from the lower and upper material webs. The upper material web is also unrolled from a supply roll. In relation to the transport direction of the respective film web, downstream of at least one supply roll there is preferably a dancer which keeps the tension in the respective material web at least substantially constant. The dancer can be a linear dancer or a rotational dancer.
According to the invention, at least one punch is provided in the forming station for each packaging to be produced, which punch severs the lower material web, in particular along a partial area of the contour of the packaging trough, wherein the trough remains unformed or is to be formed and/or has already been formed. The remaining contour of the packaging trough is not severed. In the case of a format of several packaging troughs, preferably at least one separate punch is provided for each packaging trough, the cutting behavior of which can preferably be individually adjusted in each case, in particular to the local conditions of the respective packaging in the format.
The punch in the forming station has proven to be advantageous because an additional cutting station can be omitted, including the protective devices and safety lengths to be taken into account that would otherwise be required for this and including, if applicable, the drive, so that the packaging machine can be designed to be shorter and less complex.
Preferably, each punch of the format has a knife and a counter knife. The knife preferably has a horizontal cutting edge. The counter knife is preferably a plate or plate-like body against which the knife presses during punching.
There can also be several punches provided per format. Preferably, the number of punches corresponds to the number of packaging of one format to be produced.
According to another inventive or preferred subject matter of the present invention, the knife of the punch is provided on a lower tool of the forming station and the counter knife is provided on an upper tool of the forming station or vice versa.
The explanations given with respect to this subject matter of the present invention apply equally to the other subject matter of the present invention and vice versa. Features disclosed with respect to this subject matter of the present invention may be included in the other subject matter.
Preferably, the lower tool and upper tool have a clamping plane. Preferably, the clamping plane is the transport plane of the lower material web. In this clamping plane, at least one tool rests against the lower material web during and/or after the moving together of the two tools. Preferably, however, both tools rest against the material web and clamp it between the two tools. The knife may protrude from this clamping plane so that it cuts the lower material web when the two tools are moved together. The extent to which the knife protrudes from the clamping plane is preferably individually adjustable, preferably during operation of the packaging machine, in particular by motor and especially preferred automatically. Preferably, the knife is stationary relative to the tool on which it is mounted.
However, it can also be provided that the knife is only moved, for example, pushed, into the clamping plane and/or beyond it during and/or upon and/or after completion of the moving together of the two tools, for example, from a protected waiting position, for example, so that the material web is clamped or at least held on one side by the knife preferably before it is severed, for example, to reduce or avoid wrinkles and/or to improve the cut quality on the lower material web, and/or to avoid or at least reduce the risk of accidents as a result of contact with the cutting edge when the tool is open, for example, during maintenance work.
Likewise, it can be advantageous if the knife and/or counter knife is moved back out of the clamping plane, for example, into its protected waiting position, after the cutting process has been completed and/or before the tool is opened. The retracting movement of the knife and/or counter knife prior to the two tools starting to move apart can have the advantage of stripping the partially separated material web from the knife and/or not unintentionally lifting the lower material web as a result of the frictional force, and/or while the two tools are moving apart for example, to reduce the total time required for these work steps.
Preferably, the counter knife is elastically and/or longitudinally displaceably mounted on a tool of the forming station. The elasticity of the mounting of the counter knife is preferably provided in such a way that a sufficient punching pressure is generated when the knife comes into contact. Preferably, the counterpressure increases with the longitudinal displacement of the counter knife during the punching process. Preferably, the position of the counter knife relative to the tool on which it is mounted is provided to be individually adjustable for each counter knife, preferably provided to be coarsely and finely adjustable, for example, by means of an adjustment means, for example, an adjustment screw and/or one or a combination of shims, which preferably have different thicknesses, preferably <0.5 mm thickness, more preferably <0.3 mm thickness, particularly preferably <=0.1 mm thickness.
Preferably, both the counter knife and the knife are provided to be adjustable, but particularly preferably, only one of the two knives is provided to be adjustable.
The elastic mounting of the counter knife is preferably provided with one or a combination of elastic supports, for example elastic supports made of silicone, which for example have a Shore hardness A of <90, preferably <70, particularly preferably <=50. The thickness of such a support is, for example, 3 mm or 5 mm. Alternatively or additionally, the knife that acts on the counter knife is elastically mounted.
Preferably, the elastic mounting and longitudinal displacement of the knife and/or counter knife is realized by means of a spring mounting of the knife and/or counter knife.
It has proved to be particularly advantageous that due to the elasticity of the mounting, the cutting force of the counter knife and/or knife practically adjusts itself within the set limits during the cut and unwanted load peaks are reliably avoided or at least considerably reduced, which noticeably extends the service life of at least the knife and counter knife.
It has also been shown to be advantageous that the punching according to the invention counteracts the formation of cutting dust, in particular when cutting fiber-containing material web, for example, paper, cardboard or corrugated board, and/or that the cut edge becomes particularly clean, for example, frays / roves noticeably less and/or shows virtually no material throw-ups, and thus offers a very good overall optical appearance.
It has also proved advantageous that due to the elasticity of the, preferably individual, mounting of knives and/or counter knives, the adjusting of several simultaneously acting knives is considerably simplified, for example, in order to realize the simultaneous partial cutting on several packaging troughs within one format, for example, on a format consisting of 4 × 4 packaging troughs with preferably at least 16 knives.
Alternatively, a plurality of knives and/or counter knives is arranged on a common support, for example, a common plate, which is elastically mounted. Furthermore, it has proven advantageous that the degree of elasticity and/or longitudinal displacement of the mounting of the counter knife and/or knife according to the invention can be changed, in particular adjusted and/or readjusted, during operation, for example, by varying a pneumatic and/or hydraulic cushion and/or an adjusting screw.
Preferably, a seal is provided on at least one tool in the area of the punch. Preferably, the seal extends into the clamping plane. Preferably, the seal is provided as a closed form, for example, as a ring. For example, the seal serves to separate fluids that support forming, for example, sub-vacuum and/or forming air and/or the seal prevents or reduces the tendency of the lower material web to tear as a result of material stresses in the area of the punch cuts and/or the seal supports the clamping of the lower material web.
According to a further inventive or preferred subject matter of the present invention, a dust extraction or dust blowing device is provided on the tool, preferably the lower tool of the forming station, on which the partial cutting of the lower material web takes place upstream of the sealing station, for example, in order to remove dust generated during the partial cutting of the lower material web and/or preferably during the cutting of the lateral holes, at least to the greatest possible extent.
The explanations given with respect to this subject matter of the present invention apply equally to the other subject matter of the present invention and vice versa. Features disclosed with respect to this subject matter of the present invention may be included in the other subject matter.
For example, the removal of particles is done by blowing air through one or more holes, but preferably by extracting air, in particular when the tool is open, for example, before forming the lower material web, especially during the feeding.
Another subject matter of the present invention is a method of operating the packaging machine according to the invention, in particular the packaging machine according to the invention, in which the knife is only moved, in particular pushed, out of a waiting position into the clamping plane during the moving together and/or during and/or after completion of the moving together of the two tools.
The explanations given with respect to this subject matter of the present invention apply equally to the other subject matter of the present invention and vice versa. Features disclosed with respect to this subject matter of the present invention may be included in the other subject matter.
Still another subject matter of the present invention is a method of operating a packaging machine, in particular the packaging machine according to the invention, in which the knife is moved back into its protected waiting position after the cutting process has been completed, before and/or while the two tools move apart.
The explanations given with respect to this subject matter of the present invention apply equally to the other subject matter of the present invention and vice versa. Features disclosed with respect to this subject matter of the present invention may be included in the other subject matter.
The inventions are explained below with reference to
According to the invention, the lower material web 8 is punched/cut in at least two different places along the contour of the carrier of the material to be packaged, for example, in the forming station and downstream of the sealing station or in the forming station and in the sealing station. The contour cut of the upper material web 14, on the other hand, only takes place in the sealing station or downstream of it.
A gassing or degassing opening in the lower material web 8, which serves to change the atmosphere in the resulting packaging, is not a contour cut 19 in the sense of the present invention.
In the area of the clamping plane 30, here on the lower tool 3, which serves as a mold for forming the packaging troughs, a seal 24 is provided, which preferably extends around the entire circumference of each punch 10. Preferably, the seal is elastically compressed when the two tools 3, 4 are moved together. The seal 24 facilitates the vacuum build-up in the tool 3 for forming, in this case deep drawing, the packaging trough 6 and, if applicable, supports the clamping of the film.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2020 207 627.8 | Jun 2020 | DE | national |
| 10 2021 203 534.5 | Apr 2021 | DE | national |
This application is a U.S. National Stage Entry of PCT/EP2021/065643 filed on Jun. 10, 2021, which claims priority to DE 10 2020 207 627.8 filed Jun. 19, 2020 and to DE 10 2021 203 534.5 filed on Apr. 09, 2021, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/065643 | 6/10/2021 | WO |
