Process for making a package for foodstuff products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11787100-B2
Application number	US-201816483945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2018
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

A process for making a hermetically sealed package, which includes forming a sheet of wrapping made of plastic material, in particular having a thickness of less than or equal to 140 μm. The process envisages: forming on the sheet a first, hollow, portion and a second, perimetral, portion, which delimits at least partially the first portion; inserting the product into the hollow portion obtained in the sheet of wrapping; applying a second sheet of wrapping in contact with the perimetral portion so as to close the hollow portion with the product inside; and welding the second sheet on the first sheet along the perimetral portion. Forming the first sheet includes providing on the second, perimetral, portion a series of pleats of the sheet, which are then sealed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for making a package ( 20 ) for foodstuff products comprising:
providing a first sheet ( 10 ) of wrapping, made of plastic material, and forming therein at least one first, hollow, portion ( 11 ), which is delimited, at least partially, by a second, perimetral, portion of said first sheet ( 13 );
inserting a foodstuff product within said first, hollow, portion ( 11 );
applying a second sheet of wrapping in contact with said second, perimetral, portion ( 13 ) so as to close said hollow portion ( 11 ) with said product inside; and
welding said second sheet ( 30 ) on said first sheet ( 10 ) along said second, perimetral, portion ( 11 ),
wherein forming of said first sheet includes:
providing a mould ( 21 ) having a mould cavity ( 21 ′);
providing a forming device ( 26 ) designed to co-operate with said mould cavity ( 21 ′) for forming said first sheet;
setting said first sheet ( 10 ) on said mould ( 21 ) and making on said first sheet, via said forming device ( 26 ), said first, hollow, portion ( 11 ) delimited by said second, perimetral, portion ( 13 ); wherein said first sheet of wrapping ( 10 ) has a thickness of less than or equal to 140 μm, and in that forming of said first sheet includes: providing said mould with a mould surface ( 221 ′) that surrounds said mould cavity ( 21 ′);
providing a first forming body ( 32 ) of the forming device ( 26 ) configured for pressing said first sheet of wrapping against said mould surface ( 221 ′);
during said step of formation of said first, hollow, portion ( 11 ), forming on at least said second portion ( 13 ) a series of pleats ( 122 ) identified by respective folding lines ( 122 ′) of said first sheet of wrapping that are oriented towards said hollow portion, wherein each folding line joins together two pleat sides of the respective pleat; and
via said first forming body ( 32 ) and said mould surface ( 221 ′), sealing said pleats ( 122 ) so as to prevent re-opening thereof;
squeezing said pleats ( 122 ) against said mould surface ( 221 ′) so that said pleats ( 122 ) and their respective pleat sides remain contained in the same general plane of the second perimetral portion ( 13 ); and
fixing said pleats squeezed against said mould surface in said position, via welding such that said pleats form an irregular arrangement.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said step of welding said second sheet ( 30 ) on said first sheet ( 10 ) along said second, perimetral, portion ( 13 ) is performed via said first forming body ( 32 ) according to a process of heat sealing, ultrasound welding, induction welding, etc.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein said first forming body ( 32 ) is heated to a pre-determined temperature.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein said mould surface ( 221 ′) is heated to a pre-determined temperature.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said forming device comprises the first forming body ( 32 ) and a second forming body ( 28 ) designed to co-operate with said mould cavity ( 21 ′) and the first forming body ( 32 ) configured for pressing said first sheet against said mould surface ( 221 ′).

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein said first forming body ( 32 ) is heated to a pre-determined temperature, whereas said second forming body ( 28 ) is either not heated or else is heated to a lower pre-determined temperature.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the ratio between the lower and the higher temperature (measured in degree Celsius) is lower than or equal to 1:1.8.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said pleats ( 122 ) are squeezed in the generic plane defined as a whole by said second portion ( 13 ).

Assignees

• Soremartec Sa

Inventors

• Mansuino Sergio
• Bonino Giovanni

Classifications

• B29C51/082 Primary

  by shaping between complementary mould parts · CPC title

• B29C51/262

  Clamping means for the sheets, e.g. clamping frames · CPC title

• B29C51/428

  of moulds or mould parts · CPC title

• B31B50/59

  Shaping sheet material under pressure (by folding B31B50/26; embossing B31B50/88) · CPC title

• B65B11/52

  one sheet being rendered plastic, e.g. by heating, and forced by fluid pressure, e.g. vacuum, into engagement with the other sheet and contents, e.g. skin- {, blister-, or bubble-} packaging · CPC title