Heat shrink apparatus and device for packaging, and packaging line and process using said heat shrink apparatus and device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12409995-B2
Application number	US-202218568062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2022
Priority date	Jun 9, 2021
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

Heat shrink apparatuses and devices can heat shrink selected portions of containers made from heat shrinkable plastic film. The apparatuses and devices selectively heat shrink a main portion of the container where a product is housed, or a terminal portion of the same container. A packaging line including one or more of the heat shrink apparatuses and devices.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat shrink apparatus for processing containers that include heat shrinkable plastic film, each of the containers having a main portion in which a product is housed, a terminal portion that is not occupied by the product, and an intermediate portion connecting the main portion and the terminal portion, wherein the apparatus comprises:
an inlet configured to receive containers to be processed;
an outlet configured to deliver processed containers;
a heat treatment zone between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the heat treatment zone is configured to heat shrink the main portion of each container; and
a heat protected zone extending adjacent to the heat treatment zone, wherein the heat protected zone is configured to receive the terminal portion of each container;
wherein the heat shrink apparatus is configured to:
maintain a temperature in the heat treatment zone at or above a shrink temperature, and maintain a temperature in the heat protected zone below the shrink temperature;
wherein the heat protected zone comprises a cooling structure defining an elongated seat; and wherein the elongated seat is configured to receive the terminal portion of each container.

2. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat protected zone is coupled to the heat treatment zone via one or more openings extending between the heat treatment zone and the heat protected zone.

3. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat shrink apparatus is configured to maintain the temperature in the heat protected zone at least 30° C. below the shrink temperature.

4. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shrink temperature is in a range between 130° C. and 180° C.

5. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment zone comprises a plurality of independently controllable heaters along the heat treatment zone, wherein the plurality of independently controllable heaters define a plurality of independent heat controllable longitudinal sections in the heat treatment zone.

6. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment zone comprises a temperature sensor and a control unit communicatively connected with the temperature sensor and with a controllable heater, wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive temperature signals from the temperature sensor, and control the controllable heater based on the temperature signals and a reference value.

7. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat shrink apparatus is configured to maintain the temperature in the heat protected zone less than or equal to 100° C.

8. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat protected zone includes one or more heat insulators positioned at a periphery of the heat treatment zone, and wherein the one or more heat insulators include at least one heat insulating wall interposed between the heat protected zone and the heat treatment zone.

9. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat protected zone comprises an active cooler configured to cool the cooling structure to keep the elongated seat of the heat protected zone at a temperature at least 30° C. below the shrink temperature.

10. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the heat protected zone comprises an auxiliary temperature sensor and a control unit communicatively connected with the auxiliary temperature sensor, wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive auxiliary temperature signals from the auxiliary temperature sensor, and control the active cooler based on the auxiliary temperature signals and a reference value.

11. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tunnel delimiting or containing the heat treatment zone.

12. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment zone extends horizontally.

13. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the heat protected zone extends horizontally and is adjacent to the heat treatment zone.

14. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment zone comprises a support structure configured to support the main portion of each processed container during motion from the inlet to the outlet of the heat shrink apparatus.

15. The heat shrink apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the support structure has through apertures or passages at intervals to allow passage of hot air from one or more heaters in the heat treatment zone, wherein the one or more heaters are located below the support structure and configured to direct the hot air towards the processed containers from below the support structure such that the hot air impinges on an inferior side of the processed containers.

Assignees

• Cryovac Llc

Inventors

• Palumbo Riccardo
• Benedetti Giulio
• Bottini Silvia
• Landolt Stefan
• Thurig Peter

Classifications

• B65B57/00

  Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices (registering wrapping or container-forming material fed from rolls B65B41/18) · CPC title

• B65D75/326

  and forming one compartment · CPC title

• B65D75/002 Primary

  in shrink films (B65D71/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65B53/02

  by heat · CPC title

• B65B51/18

  by endless bands or chains · CPC title