Packaging apparatus and process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12129063-B2
Application number	US-202017768519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2020
Priority date	Oct 14, 2019
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

A packaging apparatus ( 1 ) for heat sealing packages (P) comprising a vacuum chamber ( 4 ) having an elongated opening ( 5 ) extending along or parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) and a conveyor ( 8 ) configured for receiving semi-sealed packages (P) and for moving the semi-sealed packages (P) relative to the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) along a main movement direction (M) such that each semi-sealed package (P) positioned on the conveyor ( 8 ) may have, during the relative movement of the semi-sealed package (P) with respect to the vacuum chamber ( 4 ), a terminal portion (TP) passing through the elongated opening ( 5 ) with its opening relatively moving within the vacuum chamber ( 4 ), while the main portion (MP) relatively moves outside the vacuum chamber ( 4 ). The packaging apparatus ( 1 ) further comprises evacuation means ( 9 ) fluidly communicating with the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) for evacuating gas present in the semi-sealed packages (P) and forming evacuated semi-sealed packages (P). The packaging apparatus ( 1 ) further comprises a heat sealer ( 13 ) configured for heat sealing the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P) thereby forming heat sealed packages (P). The packaging apparatus ( 1 ) is provided with at least one pre-heating unit ( 39, 40 ) arranged along the main movement direction (M) upstream of the heat sealing station ( 14 ) for pre-heating at least a band of the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P). A packaging process is also disclosed. The packaging process may use the packaging apparatus ( 1 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A packaging apparatus ( 1 ) comprising:
a vacuum chamber ( 4 ) having an elongated opening ( 5 ) extending along or parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the vacuum chamber ( 4 ),
a conveyor ( 8 ) configured for receiving semi-sealed packages (P), each one of the semi-sealed packages (P) having a terminal portion (TP) with at least one opening and a main portion (MP) housing one or more products, the conveyor ( 8 ) being further configured for moving the semi-sealed packages (P) relative to the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) along a main movement direction (M) such that each semi-sealed package (P) positioned on the conveyor ( 8 ) may have, during the relative movement of the semi-sealed package (P) with respect to the vacuum chamber ( 4 ), the terminal portion (TP) passing through the elongated opening ( 5 ) with its opening relatively moving within the vacuum chamber ( 4 ), while the main portion (MP) relatively moves outside the vacuum chamber ( 4 ),
evacuation means ( 9 ) fluidly communicating with the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) and configured for providing the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) with an internal vacuum pressure that is lower than an ambient pressure outside the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) thereby evacuating gas present in the semi-sealed packages (P) and forming evacuated semi-sealed packages (P);
a heat sealer ( 13 ) arranged along the main movement direction (M) and configured for receiving the evacuated semi-sealed packages (P), the heat sealer ( 13 ) comprising a heat sealing station ( 14 ) configured for heat sealing the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P) thereby forming heat sealed packages (P),
at least one pre-heating unit ( 39 , 40 ) arranged along the main movement direction (M) upstream of the heat sealing station ( 14 ) and configured for pre-heating at least a band (TP 2 ) of the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P),

wherein the heat sealer ( 13 ) comprises a sealing belt ( 18 ) configured for guiding the terminal portion (TP) of the evacuated semi-sealed packages (P) along the main movement direction (M) at least from the pre-heating unit ( 39 , 40 ) to the heat sealing station ( 14 ), the pre-heating unit ( 39 , 40 ) being configured for pre-heating at least a heat conveying tract of the sealing belt ( 18 ) designed to come into contact with said band (TP 2 ) of the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P) and pre-heat it.

2. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealing belt ( 18 ) comprises, at least on a surface designed to come into contact with a heat sealing surface of the heat sealing station ( 14 ), non-stick material; the sealing belt ( 18 ) being configured for guiding the terminal portion (TP) of evacuated semi-sealed packages (P) along the main movement direction (M) at least at the heat sealing station ( 14 ) while avoiding that said terminal portion (TP) sticks to the heat sealing station ( 14 ).

3. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pre-heating unit ( 39 , 40 ) comprises a pre-heating body ( 42 ) arranged along the main movement direction (M) and facing or being at least partially in contact with the sealing belt ( 18 ), the pre-heating body ( 42 ) being configured for pre-heating said heat conveying tract of the sealing belt ( 18 ).

4. The packaging apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the heat sealer ( 13 ) comprises a first pulley ( 20 ) and a second pulley ( 21 ) opposite to each other with respect to the heat sealing station ( 14 ), the first pulley ( 20 ) being arranged upstream the heat sealing station ( 14 ) with respect to the main movement direction (M) and being configured for guiding the sealing belt ( 18 ) towards the heat sealing station ( 14 ) and the second pulley ( 21 ) being configured for circulating back the sealing belt ( 18 ) towards the first pulley ( 20 ), the pre-heating body ( 39 , 40 ) being arranged at or in proximity of the first pulley ( 20 ) and being configured for pre-heating said heat conveying tract of the sealing belt ( 18 ) in proximity of the first pulley ( 20 ).

5. The packaging apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the pre-heating body ( 42 ) has at least one housing ( 43 ) and at least one heating cartridge ( 44 ) arranged in the housing ( 43 ), the heating cartridge ( 44 ) being configured for pre-heating said heat conveying tract of the sealing belt ( 18 ) upstream of the heat sealing station ( 14 ).

6. The packaging apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the pre-heating body ( 42 ) comprises a first arm ( 42 a ), a second arm ( 42 b ) and a joining portion ( 42 c ) transversal to the first arm ( 42 a ) and the second arm ( 42 b ), the joining portion ( 42 c ) being arranged between, and joining, the first arm ( 42 a ) and the second arm ( 42 b ), said housing ( 43 ) and said heating cartridge ( 44 ) being located at the first arm ( 42 a ) and/or the second arm ( 42 b ),
the sealing belt ( 18 ) facing or being in contact with the pre-heating body ( 42 ) at least at a portion of an outer surface of the pre-heating body ( 42 ) defined at the first and/or second arm ( 42 a , 42 b ) comprising said housing ( 43 ) and said heating cartridge ( 44 ).

7. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat sealer ( 13 ) comprises at least one pulley ( 20 , 21 ) configured for engaging the sealing belt ( 18 ), the pre-heating body ( 42 ) being configured for heating the at least one pulley ( 20 , 21 ), the pre-heating body ( 42 ) being built-in in the pulley ( 20 , 21 ) or being configured for conveying heat to the pulley ( 20 , 21 ) or being separate from the at least one pulley ( 20 , 21 ).

8. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat sealer ( 13 ) comprises a tensioning device ( 38 ) configured for tensioning the sealing belt ( 18 ).

9. A packaging apparatus ( 1 ) comprising:
a vacuum chamber ( 4 ) having an elongated opening ( 5 ) extending along or parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the vacuum chamber ( 4 ),
a conveyor ( 8 ) configured for receiving semi-sealed packages (P), each one of the semi-sealed packages (P) having a terminal portion (TP) with at least one opening and a main portion (MP) housing one or more products, the conveyor ( 8 ) being further configured for moving the semi-sealed packages (P) relative to the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) along a main movement direction (M) such that each semi-sealed package (P) positioned on the conveyor ( 8 ) may have, during the relative movement of the semi-sealed package (P) with respect to the vacuum chamber ( 4 ), the terminal portion (TP) passing through the elongated opening ( 5 ) with its opening relatively moving within the vacuum chamber ( 4 ), while the main portion (MP) relatively moves outside the vacuum chamber ( 4 ),
evacuation means ( 9 ) fluidly communicating with the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) and configured for providing the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) with an internal vacuum pressure that is lower than an ambient pressure outside the vacuum chamber ( 4 ) thereby evacuating gas present in the semi-sealed packages (P) and forming evacuated semi-sealed packages (P);
a heat sealer ( 13 ) arranged along the main movement direction (M) and configured for receiving the evacuated semi-sealed packages (P), the heat sealer ( 13 ) comprising a heat sealing station ( 14 ) configured for heat sealing the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P) thereby forming heat sealed packages (P),
at least one pre-heating unit ( 39 , 40 ) arranged along the main movement direction (M) upstream of the heat sealing station ( 14 ) and configured for pre-heating at least a band (TP 2 ) of the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P),

further comprising

Assignees

• Cryovac Llc

Inventors

• Landolt Stefan
• Schnurrenberger Peter
• Müller Peter

Classifications

• B65B2051/105

  Heat seal temperature control · CPC title

• B65B51/32

  Cooling, or cooling and pressing, package closures after heat-sealing · CPC title

• B65B31/048 Primary

  specially adapted for wrappers or bags · CPC title

• B65B7/02 Primary

  Closing containers or receptacles deformed by, or taking-up shape, of, contents, e.g. bags, sacks · CPC title

• B65B51/30

  Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes · CPC title