Forming station for a thermoform packaging machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10633133-B2
Application number	US-201715402983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2017
Priority date	Jan 12, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A forming station for a thermoform packaging machine, wherein the forming station comprises a forming tool upper part and a forming tool lower part that are each configured for cooperating so as to thermoform a film positioned between the forming tool lower part and the forming tool upper part. The forming station includes a first change bar that is adapted to be releasably attached to a reception area of the forming tool lower part and the first change bar carries a plurality of punches or blades.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A forming station for a thermoform packaging machine comprising:
a forming tool upper part and a forming tool lower part, the forming tool upper part and the forming tool lower part disposed for cooperating to thermoform a film disposed between the forming tool lower part and the forming tool upper part; and
a first change bar configured to be removably attached to a reception area of the forming tool lower part and capable to be removed from the reception area of the forming tool lower part, the reception area being provided laterally at the forming tool lower part, wherein said first change bar carries a plurality of punches or a plurality of blades when said first change bar is removed from the reception area of the forming tool lower part and when said change bar is attached to the reception area of the forming tool lower part.

2. The forming station according to claim 1 further comprising a recess area of the forming tool upper part, the recess area having a plurality of recesses disposed to receive the plurality of punches or the plurality of blades during operation to allow the plurality of punches or the plurality of blades to perforate or slit the film during thermoforming of the film.

3. The forming station according to claim 1 , wherein the forming tool lower part includes a plurality of guide indentations disposed proximate the reception area, wherein when said first change bar is in an attached condition on said forming tool lower part, each of the plurality of punches or the plurality of blades will at least be partially received into a respective guide indentation.

4. The forming station according to claim 1 , wherein the first change bar includes the plurality of punches, and said forming station further includes second change bar adapted to be releasably mounted to the reception area of the forming tool lower part and having a plurality of blades, wherein the second change bar may be mounted to the forming tool lower part as an alternative to the first change bar.

5. The forming station according to claim 4 , further comprising a recess area of the forming tool upper part, the recess area having a plurality of recesses disposed to receive the plurality of punches or the plurality of blades during operation to allow the plurality of punches or the plurality of blades to perforate or slit the film during thermoforming of the film.

6. The forming station according to claim 4 , wherein the forming tool lower part includes a plurality of guide indentations wherein when said first change bar is in an attached condition on said forming tool lower part, each of the plurality of punches will at least be partially received into a respective one of said plurality of guide indentations, and wherein when said second change bar is in an attached condition on said forming tool lower part, each of the plurality of blades will at least be partially received into a respective one of said plurality of guide indentations.

7. The forming station according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of blades of the second change bar have one or more contours that are similarly arranged to one or more contours of the plurality of punches of the first change bar.

8. The forming station according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality blades of the second change bar have one or more contours which fully correspond to one or more contours of the punches of the first change bar.

9. The forming station according to claim 4 , wherein one or more contours of the plurality of blades of the second change bar do not extend beyond an area defined by one or more contours of the plurality of punches of the first change bar.

10. The forming station according to claim 4 , wherein the first change bar is adapted to be screw-fastened to the reception area, and the second change bar is adapted to be screw-fastened to the reception area.

11. The forming station according to claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of punches are integral with the first change bar, and each of the plurality of blades are integral with the second change bar.

12. The forming station according to claim 4 , wherein a vertical position of at least one of the first change bar or the second change bar is adjustable relative to the forming tool lower part.

13. The forming station according to claim 1 , wherein the first change bar is screw-fastened to the reception area.

14. The forming station according to claim 1 , wherein the reception area is movable in the direction of the forming tool upper part relative to the rest of the forming tool lower part.

15. The forming station according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of punches or the plurality of blades is releasably coupled to the first change bar at an associated one of a plurality of fastening sites.

16. The forming station according to claim 1 , wherein the first change bar has provided therein a plurality of exchange passages, wherein each of the plurality of exchange passages communicate with a respective opening in said first change bar, wherein each of said respective openings accommodating a punch, and wherein the punches accommodated in said respective openings can be pushed out of the first change bar by a tool sized to be inserted into each of said plurality of exchange passages.

17. The forming station according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of punches or the plurality of blades are integral with the first change bar.

18. The forming station according to claim 1 , wherein a vertical position of the first change bar is adjustable relative to the forming tool lower part.

19. A forming station for a thermoform packaging machine comprising:
a forming tool upper part and a forming tool lower part, the forming tool upper part and the forming tool lower part disposed for cooperating to thermoform a film disposed between the forming tool lower part and the forming tool upper part; and
a first change bar configured to be removably attached to a reception area of the forming tool lower part, the reception area being provided laterally at the forming tool lower part, wherein said first change bar has a plurality of cutting devices individually coupled to said first change bar in succession along a length of said first change bar and wherein at least two adjacent cutting devices of said plurality of cutting devices coupled to said first change bar define a space therebetween, and wherein each cutting device comprises one of a punch or a blade capable to cut one of an opening or a slit in the film.

20. The forming station according to claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of cutting devices extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first change bar.

21. A thermoform packaging machine comprising:
a forming station for forming one or more packaging troughs in a packaging film;
a filling station downstream of the forming tool for filling the one or more packaging troughs with a product;
a sealing station downstream of the filling station, the sealing station capable to evacuate or gas-flush the one or more packaging troughs and seal the one or more packaging troughs with a top film;
a conveyor for moving the film through the thermoform packaging machine in a conveying direction;
wherein the forming station includes a forming tool upper part and a forming tool lower part, the forming tool upper part and the forming tool lower part disposed for cooperating to thermoform one or more packaging troughs in the packaging film, wherein the packagi

Assignees

• Multivac Haggenmueller Kg

Inventors

• Schiche Hans-Christian
• Grondinger Bastian

Classifications

• B65B59/04

  Machines constructed with readily-detachable units or assemblies, e.g. to facilitate maintenance · CPC title

• B65B61/02

  for perforating, scoring {, slitting,} or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging {(scoring ampoules B65B3/006)} · CPC title

• B29C2793/0018

  for making a hole · CPC title

• B65B47/04

  by application of mechanical pressure · CPC title

• B26F1/14 Primary

  Punching tools; Punching dies · CPC title