Method and device for packaging products and array of packaged products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10259601-B2
Application number	US-201314060103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2013
Priority date	Aug 20, 2003
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A method for packaging products, such as candies, the method comprising the steps of positioning the products on a first sheet which is continuously moved in a transport direction, covering the products by a second sheet which is continuously moved in the same transport direction and which is aligned substantially plane-parallel to the first sheet, and sealing together the first and second sheets near the outer edges of the individual products or grouped products by a sealing device, wherein the sealing device comprises sealing ribs extending substantially transversely to the transport direction on one side of the moving sheets, wherein said sealing ribs are being moved at the same speed as the sheets and the sealing ribs seal the first and second sheets together in between the moving products.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for packaging products comprising the steps of:
placing elongated individual or grouped products spaced a pre-defined distance apart on a conveyor having a transport direction;
continuously moving a bottom, uniformly planar, unshaped first sheet in the same transport direction as said conveyor;
pre-shaping an upper second sheet to fit partially around said products and spaced from the first sheet prior to contacting said products,
continuously moving the second sheet in the same transport direction as said conveyor;
positioning the said spaced apart products on the first sheet; and,
sealing the first sheet to the second sheet with a sealing device moving at the same speed as the first and second sheets and having sealing ribs extending transversely to the transport direction, said sealing ribs being disposed between said products to form a seal between said spaced apart products,
wherein the second sheet is pre-shaped by engaging the second sheet with a rotating first shaping drum on one side of the second sheet and a rotating second shaping drum on the opposite side of the second sheet,
wherein each of said shaping drums comprises shaping ribs protruding from the cylindrical surface of the drum and extending transversely to the transport direction of the second sheet,
and wherein the shaping ribs of the first shaping drum and the shaping ribs of the second shaping drum co-operate to move between each other while contacting the second sheet.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one suction device is located on the first shaping drum between the protruding shaping ribs.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one suction device at least partially pre-shapes the second sheet.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the sealing ribs protrude from the cylindrical surface of a rotating drum.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing ribs comprise the protruding shaping ribs of the rotating first shaping drum.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the first shaping drum is positioned such that it guides the moving second sheet towards the moving first sheet.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing device uses ultrasonic sealing to seal the first and second sheets, and wherein the ultrasonic sealing comprises co-operation between an ultrasonic welding device and the sealing ribs.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first sheet comprises a rigid board or film.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first sheet comprises plastic-coated cardboard.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second sheet comprises a flexible foil or film.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising sealing the longitudinal sides of the first sheet and the second sheet together to enclose the individual or grouped products in an air-tight package.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising folding the longitudinal sides of the sealed first and second sheets upwards, thereby enhancing the rigidity of the air-tight packages.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising weakening the sealed areas between the products such that the packaged products stay attached to each other, but can be easily separated.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein weakening the sealed areas between the products comprises perforating or scoring.

Assignees

• Mars Inc

Inventors

• Van Den Elzen Marinus J H M
• Van Liempd Albertus C H

Classifications

• B65B5/02 Primary

  Machines characterised by incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles · CPC title

• B65B51/225

  by ultrasonic welding · CPC title

• B65B35/10

  Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles · CPC title

• B65B25/005

  packaging of confectionery · CPC title

• B65B9/045 Primary

  for single articles, e.g. tablets · CPC title