Apparatus and process for packaging products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021122513-A1
Application number	US-201816605833-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 18, 2018
Priority date	Apr 19, 2017
Publication date	Apr 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention refers to an apparatus and process for packaging a product wherein a plastic film is tightly applied to a support. The plastic film is positioned above the support by means of a transport system; moreover, a stop structure or plate is active on the film portion present in the packaging station for enabling to efficiently hold the same.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for packaging a product disposed on a support, comprising:
a supporting frame, a conveyor, engaged with the supporting frame and configured for to move one or more supports along a predetermined advancement direction, a packaging station having:
a lower tool configured to receive one or more supports,
an upper tool configured to receive a film portion to be engaged with said one or more supports,
a stop element configured to cooperate with the upper tool and to hold the film portion,
a suctioning device and/or a gas injection device,
wherein the upper tool and lower tool are movable with respect to each other between at least one distanced condition, at which the lower tool and upper tool enable the film portion and the at least one support enter the packaging station, and at least one approached condition, at which at least one packaging chamber, wherein the stop element and upper tool are movable with respect to each other between at least one released condition, wherein the stop element is spaced from the upper tool, and a gripped condition, wherein the stop element is approached with respect to the upper tool, and is capable to block a peripheral area of the film portion against an abutment surface of the upper tool, and wherein the stop element exhibits at least one channel configured—at least in the approached condition of the upper tool and lower tool—to put in fluid communication the packaging chamber with the suctioning device and/or the gas injection device.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
at least one main actuator active on at least one of said lower tool and upper tool, and configured to selectively position said tools in said distanced condition or in said approached condition, at least one blocking actuator active on at least one between said stop element and upper tool, the blocking actuator being configured to selectively position the upper tool and stop element in the released condition or in the gripped condition; and a control unit active in command on the main actuator and on the blocking actuator, the control unit being configured to:
command the main actuator to position the upper and lower tools in at least one between the distanced condition and the approached condition, and
command the blocking actuator to position the stop element and upper tool in at least one between the released condition and the gripped condition.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to command the blocking actuator independently to the main actuator.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to command the blocking actuator to position the stop element and the upper tool in the gripped condition at least when the upper and lower tools are in the distanced condition.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper tool defines inside at least one cavity downwardly opened, and exhibiting an active surface, and wherein each active surface is perimetrally delimited by an abutment surface defined below the upper tool and exhibiting an annular shape, said abutment surface being configured to block the film portion cooperatively with the stop element during the gripped condition of this latter.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the upper tool comprises a base body and a wall emerging from the base body and defining with this latter said at least one cavity, the abutment surface being defined below the wall of the upper tool.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the upper tool comprises:
at least one heater configured to heat at least said active surface; and an attracting device configured to attract at least part of the film portion in contact with said active surface of the upper tool, the attracting device comprising a plurality of suctioning openings ( 52 ) distributed at the active surface and put in fluid communication with said suctioning device or with a further suctioning device.

8 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said stop element comprises a perimetral frame having:
at least one upper surface destined to cooperate with the abutment surface of the upper tool to block at least the perimetral area of the film portion when the upper tool and stop element are in said gripped condition,
at least one through opening configured to enable to deposit the film portion on the underlying support,
a predetermined number of vents communicating with said channel which developing along at least one portion of the perimetral frame locating—at least in the approached condition of the tools—in fluid communication with said suctioning device and/or said gas injection device.

9 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the upper tool comprises a plurality of cavities, the stop element comprises a perimetral frame and one or more bars to form a number of through openings equal to the number of cavities present in the upper tool, and at least the upper tool and stop element are configured to dispose each cavity of the upper tool, aligned and above the respective opening of the stop element.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a movement device configured to receive a continuous film from a supplying source ( 20 ) and positioning said film portion at and below the upper tool.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the control unit is active in command on the conveyor and the movement device, the control unit being configured to:
command the main actuator to position the upper and lower tool in the distanced condition, command the conveyor to perform a loading step comprising moving a predetermined number of supports inside said packaging station when the upper tool and lower tool are in said distanced condition, command the blocking actuator to position the stop element and the upper tool in released condition, command the movement device to take the film portion between the upper tool and stop element when these latter are in said released condition, and after taking the film portion below the upper tool, command the blocking actuator to position the stop element and upper tool in gripped condition by blocking the perimetral area of the film portion.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the control unit is active in command on the attracting device and the heater, the control unit being configured to:
command the heater to determine the heating at least of the active surface of the upper tool, and command the attracting device to attract against the active surface of the upper tool at least part of the film portion, particularly at least part of the film portion radially inside the abutment surface, when the stop element and upper tool are in a gripped condition, wherein the control unit is configured to command the heater and the attracting device to perform a heating of the film portion before and/or during said attraction exerted by the attracting device.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stop element is configured to move relatively to the upper tool from the released condition to the position to the gripped position at least in the condition wherein said lower and upper tools are in the distanced condition.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the movement device exhibits:
at least one first gripping member capable of moving between a respective closed condition, wherein such first gripping member grippingly acts on said film, and a respective open condition, wherein such first gripping member does not act on said film, at least one second gripping member also capable of moving between a respective closed condition, wherein such second member grippingly acts on said film, an

Assignees

• Cryovac Llc

Inventors

• Rizzi Jvanhoe
• Benedetti Giulio
• Cerani Luca

Classifications

• B29C66/72328

  Paper · CPC title

• B29C66/8242

  Pneumatic or hydraulic drives (using fluid pressure directly acting on the parts to be joined B29C66/8266) · CPC title

• B65B41/04

  by grippers · CPC title

• B65B41/14

  by grippers · CPC title

• B65B61/06

  by cutting · CPC title