Sealing cardboard blanks by placement onto conveyor belt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020198817-A1
Application number	US-201916723577-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging machine and a method for the production of individual packagings. Each package may include a planar product carrier and a top film which encloses a product disposed on the product carrier in a gas-tight manner. The packaging machine may include a sealing station with a tool upper part having an outer frame and at least one sealing tool movably mounted for a sealing operation, and a tool lower part that comprises a belt conveying module with at least one conveyor belt mounted thereon. The tool upper part and the tool lower part are moved toward each other to form a sealing chamber in a closed position of the sealing station. In the closed position, the sealing tool may be lowered within the sealing chamber from a resting position to a sealing position to seal the package.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A packaging machine for the production of a plurality of individual packagings, each packaging having a planar product carrier, and a top film which encloses a product positioned on said product carrier in a gas-tight manner, the packaging machine comprising:
a sealing station with a tool upper part which comprises an outer frame as well as at least one sealing tool mounted movable therein for a sealing operation, and with a tool lower part that comprises a belt conveying module with at least one conveyor belt mounted thereon; wherein said sealing station has a closed position in which said tool upper part and said tool lower part are moved toward each other in such a way that said outer frame together with said belt conveying module form a sealing chamber; and wherein in the closed position of said sealing station, said sealing tool mounted in said sealing chamber can be lowered for the sealing operation from a resting position, in which it is mounted spaced from said conveyor belt, to a sealing position that is moved closer to said conveyor belt, in which said conveyor belt absorbs, at least in sections, a sealing force exerted by said sealing tool as a counter-pressure support.

2 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said belt conveying module with said sealing station open can preferably be raised from a transport position in a direction of said outer frame arranged thereabove in order to form said sealing chamber, wherein said respective product carriers having products supported thereon are fed from outside said sealing station to said conveyor belt.

3 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said tool lower part comprises a lifting mechanism to raise said belt conveying module.

4 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said sealing tool and said belt conveying module are disposed to be lowered together to a cutting position for performing a cutting operation.

5 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said tool upper part comprises a clamping frame for securing said top film, and wherein when said tool upper part is in said closed position, said clamping frame is disposed between said outer frame and said belt conveying module for the formation of said sealing chamber.

6 . The packaging machine according to claim 5 , wherein at least one ventilation and/or venting duct is formed in said closed position by way of said outer frame and said clamping frame, wherein the at least one ventilation and/or venting duct may create a desired packaging atmosphere.

7 . The packaging machine according to claim 5 , further comprising at least one support unit for said clamping frame provided on said belt conveying module, and said clamping frame rests on said at least one support unit at least temporarily in a predetermined position during a working cycle of said packaging machine.

8 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a top film transport unit and/or at least one separately actuatable feeding belt which is positioned in a direction of transport upstream of said belt conveying module of said sealing station.

9 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said conveyor belt comprises at least one guide for said product carriers and/or a conveyor belt section of said conveyor belt facing said sealing tool is arranged at least in part on a sliding plate of said conveyor belt formed as an abutment for the sealing operation.

10 . The packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein said sealing tool and said belt conveying module are disposed to seal packagings according to a machine cycle in multiple lanes and/or in multiple rows.

11 . A method for operating a packaging machine for the production of individual packagings, the method comprising the steps of:
adjusting a sealing station to a closed position for a sealing operation; moving a tool lower part and a tool upper part of said sealing station toward each other such that an outer frame of said tool upper part and a belt conveying module of said tool lower part form a sealing chamber; lowering at least one sealing tool that is mounted in said sealing chamber from a resting position to a sealing position for the sealing operation, wherein the at least one sealing tool is disposed a first distance away from said belt conveying module in the resting position, and the at least one sealing tool is disposed a second distance away from said belt conveying module in the sealing position, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance; absorbing a sealing force exerted by said sealing tool on said belt conveying module, wherein said belt conveying module acts as a counter-pressure support; and enclosing a product positioned on a product carrier with a top film in a gas-tight manner when said at least one sealing tool is in said sealing position.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
providing said belt conveying module in a transport position when said sealing station is in an open position; loading said belt conveying module with one or more of the product carrier, each of the one or more product carriers loaded with the product; feeding the one or more of the product carrier loaded with products from outside said sealing station to said belt conveyor module; and moving the belt conveying module in the direction of said outer frame arranged above the belt conveying module in order to form the sealing chamber.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the step of lowering said sealing tool and said belt conveying module together to a cutting position for performing a cutting operation after said enclosing the product positioned on a product carrier step.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
forming at least one ventilation duct and/or at least one venting duct into the sealing chamber when said sealing station is in the closed position using one or more of the outer frame or a clamping frame, wherein the clamping frame is movable and disposed for clamping said top film; and creating a desired packaging atmosphere in the packagings using the at least one ventilation and/or venting duct.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the step of sealing the packagings using said sealing tool on said belt conveying module during the sealing operation in the working direction in multiple lanes and/or in multiple rows transverse to the working direction.

16 . A packaging machine for the production of an individual packaging for a product comprising:
the individual packaging comprising a planar product carrier, the product positioned on the planar product carrier, a top film that encloses the product on the planar product carrier in a gas-tight manner; a sealing station with a tool upper part, the tool upper part comprising an outer frame and at least one sealing tool disposed for movement within the tool upper part for a sealing operation between a resting position and a sealing position; and a tool lower part that comprises a belt conveying module having at least one conveyor belt mounted on the belt conveying module; wherein in a closed position of said sealing station said tool upper part and said tool lower part are disposed such that said outer frame and said belt conveying module define a sealing chamber, and wherein in the closed position of said sealing station, said sealing tool is moveable from said resting position to said sealing position for the sealing operation, and wherein at least

Assignees

• Multivac Haggenmueller Kg

Inventors

• Ickert Lars

Classifications

• 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

• B29C66/849

  Packaging machines · CPC title

• B65B31/028 Primary

  closed by a lid sealed to the upper rim of the container, e.g. tray-like container · CPC title

• B65B41/14

  by grippers · CPC title

• B29C66/112

  Single lapped joints · CPC title