Packaging method and line for improved finished product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10843828-B2
Application number	US-201916442055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2019
Priority date	Jan 22, 2019
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

An overwrap feed station wraps a product with an overwrap material by drawing the overwrap material around the product to form a tube around the product as the product moves through the feed station. The feed station is configurable in one of first and second configurations based upon a desired location of a longitudinal seal to be formed on the tube around the product. A first former is configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the feed station so that longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on a first side of the tube during wrapping of the product. The second former is configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the feed station so that longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on a second side of the tube during wrapping of the product. The second side is transverse to the first side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of wrapping a product in a overwrap feed station, wherein the overwrap feed station is adapted and configured for wrapping the product with an overwrap material, the overwrap feed station has an entrance and a discharge, the overwrap feed station entrance is adapted and configured to be arranged with first and second formers, the overwrap feed station is adapted and configured to draw the overwrap material around the product and to form a tube of the overwrap material around the product as the product is being moved from the entrance to the discharge, each of the first and second formers has an opening, each of the formers is adapted and configured to receive the overwrap material through the opening of each former and guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station when installed on the entrance of the overwrap feed station
the first former is adapted and configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station in a manner such that during wrapping of the product, longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on, and are further sealed onto a longitudinal first side of the tube, and the second former is adapted and configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station in a manner such that during wrapping of the product, longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on, and are further sealed onto a longitudinal second side of the tube, wherein the longitudinal second side of the tube is transverse to the longitudinal first side of the tube, the method comprising:
configuring the overwrap feed station in one of a first configuration by installing the first former at the entrance of the overwrap feed station and a second configuration by installing the second former at the entrance of the overwrap feed station based upon a desired location of a longitudinal seal on the tube of the overwrap material around the product.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the overwrap feed station comprises first and second longitudinal sealers, and the method further comprises:
when in the first configuration, arranging the first longitudinal sealer adjacent to the first side of the tube; and
when in the second configuration arranging the second longitudinal sealer adjacent to the second side of the tube.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the overwrap feed station comprises a longitudinal sealer, and the method further comprises:
when in the first configuration, arranging the longitudinal sealer adjacent to the first side of the tube; and
when in the second configuration, arranging the longitudinal sealer adjacent to the second side of the tube.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second formers comprises a cap portion and a base portion; and the step of installing the one of the first former and the second former comprises:
when in the first configuration, installing the cap portion of the first former with the base portion of the first former wherein the base portion of the first former is one of different from and the same as the base portion of the second former; and
when in the second configuration, installing the cap portion of the second former with the base portion of the second former wherein the base portion of the second former is one of different from and the same as the base portion of the first former.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
moving the product through the opening of the one of the first and second formers;
directing the overwrap material to the opening of the one of the first and second formers; and
sealing the overlapped longitudinal edges of the overwrap material with the product in a tube of the overwrap material.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of directing the overwrap material to the opening of the one of the first and second formers comprises directing the overwrap material to travel in a same direction for each of the first and second configurations.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of directing the overwrap material to the opening of the one of the first and second formers comprises:
when in the first configuration, aligning the overwrap material relative to the opening of the first former in a manner such that the longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on the first longitudinal side of the tube during wrapping of the product; and
when in the second configuration, aligning the overwrap material relative to the opening of the second former in a manner such that the longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on the second longitudinal side of the tube during wrapping of the product.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of directing the overwrap material to the opening of the one of the first and second formers comprises:
unwinding a roll of the overwrap material about a same center axis for each of the first and second configurations.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of unwinding the roll of the overwrap material includes moving the roll of the overwrap material between first and second positions along the center axis, wherein in the first position of the roll of the overwrap material, the overwrap material is positioned relative to the opening of the first former in the first configuration such that the that longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on the first longitudinal side of the tube during wrapping of the product, and wherein in the second position of the roll of overwrap material, the overwrap material is positioned relative to the opening of the second former in the second configuration such that the that longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on the second longitudinal side of the tube during wrapping of the product.

10. A method of wrapping a product with an overwrap material in a packaging line comprising an overwrap feed station, wherein the overwrap feed station has left and right vertical supports, and bottom and top horizontal supports defining an enclosure with a hollow interior for the overwrap feed station, the overwrap feed station has an entrance and a discharge, the overwrap feed station entrance is adapted and configured to be arranged with first and second formers, the overwrap feed station is adapted and configured to draw the overwrap material around the product and to form a tube of the overwrap material around the product as the product is being moved from the entrance to the discharge, each of the first and second formers has an opening, each of the formers is adapted and configured to receive the overwrap material through the opening of each former and guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station when installed on the entrance of the overwrap feed station, the first former is adapted and configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station in a manner such that during wrapping of the product, longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap adjacent to one of the left and right vertical supports and are further sealed onto a left or right vertical side of the tube, and the second former is adapted and configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station in a manner such that during wrapping of the product, longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap adjacent to one of the top and bottom horizontal supports and are further sealed onto a top or bottom horizontal side of the tube, the method comprising:
configuring the overwrap feed station in one of a first configuration by installing the first former at the entrance of the overwrap feed station and a second configuration by installing the second

Assignees

• Paper Converting Machine Co
• Paper Converting Maching Company

Inventors

• Hyska David J
• Odegard John C
• Dunstan Jr Robert J
• Christman Brian L

Classifications

• B65B2009/063

  Forming shoulders · CPC title

• B65B9/06

  Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it · CPC title

• B65B25/146 Primary

  packaging rolled-up articles · CPC title

• B65B65/003

  Packaging lines, e.g. general layout · CPC title

• B65B11/105 Primary

  the axis of the tube being parallel to the conveying direction · CPC title