Thermoforming packaging machine with a top film forming station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10118719-B2
Application number	US-201514599297-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2015
Priority date	Jan 21, 2014
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A thermoforming packaging machine with a top film forming station, wherein the forming tool upper part and the foaming tool lower part of the top film forming station are disposed above a transportation plane of a lower film. One of the forming tool upper part or the forming tool lower part are operably connected to a lifting mechanism by a traverse system. The lifting mechanism is disposed below the transportation plane of the lower film. The traverse system transfers a lifting force from the lifting device to one of the forming tool upper part or lower part through the transportation plane of the lower film.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thermoforming packaging machine comprising:
a lower film forming station for forming a tray in a lower film;
a top film forming station for forming cavities in a top film, wherein said top film and said top film forming station are disposed above said lower film and a lower film transport plane of said lower film, and said top film is conveyed through said top film forming station in a top film transport plane that is substantially parallel to the lower film transport plane; and
said top film forming station comprises:
a lifting mechanism disposed below said lower film transport plane of said lower film;
a traverse system;
a forming tool upper part disposed above said lower film transport plane and above the top film transport plane; and
a forming tool lower part disposed above said lower film transport plane and below the top film transport plane;

wherein at least one of said forming tool upper part and said forming tool lower part are disposed for movement in a direction transverse to said lower film transport plane, and operably connected to said lifting mechanism by said traverse system, wherein said traverse system comprises one or more struts, each of said one or more struts operably connecting and spanning between said at least one of said forming tool upper part and said forming tool lower part and said lifting mechanism, wherein each of said one or more struts passes through said lower film transport plane, and each of said one or more struts transfer a lifting force from the lifting mechanism to said at least one of said forming tool upper part and said forming tool lower part through the lower film transport plane, wherein said lifting force is in a direction substantially transverse to said lower film transport plane.

2. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said lifting mechanism is a toggle lever lifting mechanism or a direct drive.

3. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said lifting mechanism comprises a servo drive.

4. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 further comprising a sealing station and a top film cutting station, wherein said top film cutting station is disposed between said top film forming station and said sealing station.

5. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 4 , wherein a removal device is provided below said top film cutting station and above said lower film transport plane for removing cutting waste.

6. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 5 , wherein said removal device comprises a conveyor belt aligned generally transversely to a direction of transport of said lower film.

7. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 further comprising a top film transport device including clamp chains.

8. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 7 , wherein said top film transport device is provided along said top film forming station and a top film cutting station.

9. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein one or more first struts connect said forming tool lower part to a lifting mechanism upper part of said lifting mechanism.

10. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 9 , wherein one or more second struts connect said forming tool upper part to a lever mechanism of said lifting mechanism.

11. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said lower film transport plane is horizontal and said at least one of said forming tool upper part and said forming tool lower part operably connected to said lifting mechanism is disposed for a vertical lifting motion.

12. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a sealing station, wherein the said top film forming station is upstream of said sealing station in a direction of production.

13. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein one or more first struts are provided that connect said forming tool upper part to a lever mechanism of said lifting mechanism.

14. A method for operating a thermoforming packaging machine, said method comprising the steps of:
disposing a lifting mechanism for a top film forming station below a lower film transport plane of a lower film of the thermoforming packaging machine;
disposing a forming tool upper part of the top film forming station above said lower film transport plane;
disposing a forming tool lower part of the top film forming station above said lower film transport plane;
transmitting a lifting motion of said lifting mechanism in a direction perpendicular to the lower film transport plane to at least one of said forming tool upper part and said forming tool lower part using a traverse system extending through said lower film transport plane, wherein said traverse system comprises one or more struts disposed between and operably connecting said lifting mechanism and said at least one of said forming tool upper part and said forming tool lower part, wherein said one or more struts pass through the lower film transport plane; and
sealing a container formed from said top film and said lower film in a sealing station; and
forming cavities in a top film in said top film forming station prior to said top film reaching said sealing station, wherein the top film forming station is upstream said sealing station in a direction of production.

15. Method according to claim 14 further comprising the step of cutting or punching said top film in a top film cutting station after said top film has been formed in said top film forming station but before said top film has been fed to said sealing station.

16. Method according to claim 14 , wherein a circumferential peelable seal seam and a permanent seal are created in said sealing station, where said permanent seal forms a hinge and is created only at one side of a package.

17. A thermoforming packaging machine comprising:
a lower film conveyed through said thermoforming packaging machine in a lower film transport plane;
a top film forming station for forming cavities in a top film, said top film conveyed through said top film forming station in a top film transport plane, where said top film transport plane is parallel to said lower film transport plane at said top film forming station, and wherein said top film and said top film forming station are disposed above said lower film and said lower film transport plane of said lower film;
and said top film forming station comprises:
a lifting mechanism disposed below said lower film transport plane of said lower film, the lifting mechanism comprising a lifting mechanism upper part;
a traverse system comprising a first set of four struts;
a forming tool upper part disposed above said lower film transport plane and above said top film transport plane; and
a forming tool lower part disposed above said lower film transport plane and below said top film transport plane, said first set of four struts disposed between and operably connected to said forming tool lower part and said lifting mechanism upper part;

wherein said first set of four struts passes through the lower film transport plane to transfer a first lifting force from the lifting mechanism upper part to said forming tool lower part to move said forming tool lower part in a direction substantially perpendicular to said lower film transport plane.

18. The thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 17 , wherein said traverse system further comprises a second set of four struts, and a lever mechanism,

Assignees

• Multivac Sepp Haggenmueller Gmbh & Co Kg
• Multivac Haggenmueller Kg

Inventors

• Ehrmann Elmar

Classifications

• B65B65/02

  Driving gear · CPC title

• B65B61/08

  using rotary cutters · CPC title

• B65B61/065

  by punching out · CPC title

• B65B47/04

  by application of mechanical pressure · CPC title

• B65B31/021

  the containers or wrappers being interconnected · CPC title