Four clip clipping machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11160283-B2
Application number	US-202016805296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2020
Priority date	Feb 28, 2020
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

A clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products is provided, comprising gathering means for forming a plait-like portion from tubular packaging casing filled with filling material and a closing unit for applying at least four closure means to the plait-like portion. Moreover, a guide unit is provided for guiding closure means to a closing unit of a clipping machine, being configured to supply at least two closure means to a first closing device of the closing unit and at least two further closure means to a second closing device of the closing unit. There is also provided a method for producing sausage-shaped products, comprising filling a portion of tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing with filling material, forming a plait-like portion therefrom and applying at least two closure means to a first section of the plait-like portion while substantially simultaneously applying two closure means to a second section of the plait-like portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products containing a filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing, the clipping machine comprising:
gathering means for forming a plait-like portion of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing; and
a closing unit for applying at least four closure means to the plait-like portion of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing, the closing unit comprising at least a first closing device and a second closing device;
wherein the first closing device is configured to apply at least two closure means of the at least four closure means to a first section of the plait-like portion of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing; and
wherein the second closing device is configured to apply at least two further closure means of the at least four closure means to a second section of the plait-like portion of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing.

2. The clipping machine of claim 1 , wherein the closing unit is configured to bend respective free end portions of each of the at least four closure means around at least a portion of a periphery of the plait-like portion so that, when the closure means are applied to the plait-like portion, the free end portions of a respective closure means are substantially aligned with respect to each other.

3. The clipping machine of claim 1 , wherein the closing unit is configured such that the closure means of the at least two closure means applied to the first section of the plait-like portion are applied at a first predefined spacing from one another, and such that the closure means of the at least two further closure means applied to the second section of the plait-like portion are applied at a second predefined spacing from one another.

4. The clipping machine of claim 3 , wherein the closing unit is configured such that the at least two closure means applied to the first section of the plait-like portion are applied at a predefined distance from the at least two further closure means applied to the second section of the plait-like portion.

5. The clipping machine claim 1 , further comprising clip insertion means for inserting at least two closure means into a respective seat of each of the first and second closing device.

6. A clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products containing a filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing, the clipping machine comprising:
gathering means for forming a plait-like portion of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing; and
a closing unit for applying at least four closure means to the plait-like portion of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing, the closing unit comprising:
at least a first closing device comprising a first placement tool and a first closing tool, the first closing device being configured to apply at least two closure means of the at least four closure means to a first section of the plait-like portion of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing; and
a second closing device comprising a second placement tool and a second closing tool, the second closing device being configured to apply at least two further closure means of the at least four closure means to a second section of the plait-like portion of the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing,

wherein each of the first and second placement tool is configured to receive the respective at least two closure means being applied to the first and second section of the plait-like portion and to place the respectively received at least two closure means at the plait-like portion; and
wherein each of the first and second closing tool is configured to close the respective at least two closure means placed at the plait-like portion by the respective placement tool.

7. The clipping machine of claim 6 , wherein the closing unit is configured such that the closure means of the at least two closure means applied to the first section of the plait-like portion are applied at a first predefined spacing from one another, and such that the closure means of the at least two further closure means applied to the second section of the plait-like portion are applied at a second predefined spacing from one another.

8. The clipping machine of claim 6 , wherein the closing unit is configured such that the at least two closure means applied to the first section of the plait-like portion are applied at a predefined distance from the at least two further closure means applied to the second section of the plait-like portion.

9. The clipping machine of claim 6 , wherein the first placement tool and the second placement tool are coupled to a common placement arm and the first closing tool and the second closing tool are coupled to a common closing arm; and
wherein at least one of the placement arm and the closing arm is reversibly movable toward the respective other arm.

10. The clipping machine of claim 9 , wherein the first placement tool and the second placement tool form a single, unitary component, and/or wherein the first closing tool and the second closing tool form a single, unitary component.

11. The clipping machine of claim 6 , further comprising hold down means configured to releasably engage at least a portion of each of the at least two closure means and at least a portion of each of the at least two further closure means when being supplied to the respective first and second closing device, at least until at least a portion of the respective closure means is received by a respective placement tool of each of the first and second closing device.

12. The clipping machine of claim 11 , further comprising clip insertion means for inserting at least two closure means into a respective seat of each of the first and second placement tool.

13. A guide unit for guiding closure means from a clip supply to a closing unit of a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products;
wherein the guide unit is configured to supply at least two closure means to a first closing device of the closing unit of the clipping machine and to supply at least two further closure means to a second closing device of the closing unit of the clipping machine.

14. The guide unit of claim 13 , wherein a plurality of successively arranged closure means are connected to form a clip line;
wherein the guide unit further comprises a first guide channel configured to guide at least a first and a second clip line to the first closing device and a second guide channel for guiding at least a third and a fourth clip line to the second closing device; and
wherein a distance element is provided between the first and second guide channel, the distance element configured to maintain a predefined distance between the at least two closure means supplied to the first closing device and the at least two further closure means supplied to the second closing device.

15. The guide unit of claim 14 , wherein the first guide channel comprises a first spacer element and the second guide channel comprises a second spacer element for partitioning each of the first and second guide channel, wherein the first guide channel is partitioned into a first guide lane and a second guide lane and the second guide channel is partitioned into a third guide lane and a fourth guide lane;
wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth guide lane is configured to guide one of the first, second, third and fourth clip line to a respective one of the first and second closing device.

16. The guide unit of claim 13 , further comprising a pivoting axis for pivoting the guide unit.

17. The guide unit of c

Assignees

• Poly Clip System Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Zurwieden Martin

Classifications

• B65B51/04

  Applying separate sealing or securing members, e.g. clips, (applying separate lids or covers B65B7/28) · CPC title

• A22C11/12 Primary

  Apparatus for tying sausage skins {; Clipping sausage skins (applying clips or binding material to package folds or closures, e.g. to twisted bag necks B65B51/04, B65B51/08)} · CPC title

• B65B51/05

  Stapling · CPC title

• A22C11/02

  Sausage filling or stuffing machines {(enclosing material in preformed tubular webs B65B9/10)} · CPC title

• A22C11/125 Primary

  by clipping; Removal of clips · CPC title