Method and apparatus for making a structurally resilient package

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840346-B2
Application number	US-201414528692-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Nov 1, 2013
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making a structurally resilient package with a desired shape on a vertical form, fill, and seal machine. The method comprises sealing a film to form a back seal; forming a first end seal to form a partially formed first package; flattening a first side of the partially formed first package to form a flat first side; filling the partially formed first package with product; forming a second end seal on the partially formed first package to form a first package from the partially formed first package; flattening the second side of the first package to form a flat second side, wherein the flattening the first side and the flattening the second side occur on a first machine.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for making a structurally resilient first package with a desired shape on a vertical form, fill, and seal machine, the method comprising the steps:
b. sealing a film to form a back seal;
c. forming a first end seal to form a partially formed first package, wherein the first end seal is approximately perpendicular to the back seal and wherein the first end seal is located on a first side of the partially formed first package;
d. flattening the first side of the partially formed first package to form a flat first side;
e. filling the partially formed first package with product;
f. forming a second end seal on the partially formed first package to form a first package from the partially formed first package, wherein the second end seal is located on a second side of the first package;
g. flattening the second side of the first package to form a flat second side, wherein flattening the second side comprises using top gusseters to press the second side of the first package near seal jaws, wherein the flattening the first side and the flattening the second side occur on a first machine; wherein the first machine comprises the top gusseters and tuckers; wherein the tuckers are configured to move between an engaged position of the tuckers and a disengaged position of the tuckers; wherein, in the engaged position of the tuckers, the tuckers contact the first package and are adjacent to the top gusseters; wherein in the disengaged position, the tuckers do not contact the first package; wherein the top gusseters each comprise two portions rotatable along an axis of rotation to form a folded configuration and a flat configuration; and wherein, when the top gusseters engage the first package and the top gusseters are in the folded configuration, a first side of the top gusseters presses the second side of the first package against the tuckers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first machine is a vertical form, fill, and seal machine and the steps b-g take place on the first machine.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the seal jaws move into contact with the film to form the first end seal on the first package.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein bottom gusseters move into contact with the first package to form gussets adjacent to the first side of the first package.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein bottom gusseters press the first side of the first package against seal jaws to flatten the first side of the first package.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the seal jaws move into contact with the film to form the second end seal on the first package.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a lifter lifts the first package while the top gusseters move into contact with the first package to form gussets adjacent to the second side of the first package.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the tuckers move into contact with the first package and apply pressure to the gussets adjacent to the second side of the first package.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the two portions of each of the top gusseters rotate to press the second side of the first package against the tuckers.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the two portions of each of the top gusseters rotate to press the second side of the first package against the seal jaws.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first package moves along the first machine while the seal jaws, a lifter, and the top gusseters are engaged with the first package.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the seal jaws, the lifter, and the top gusseters disengage the first package before the first package exits the first machine.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the film has a thickness between 2 and 4 mil.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first package comprises a re-sealable opening.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the re-sealable opening comprises score lines and a pull tab.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the first machine is a vertical form, fill, and seal machine; and wherein the first package exits the vertical form, fill, and seal machine with a desired shape, said shape comprising the flat first side and the flat second side.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step:
a. forming at least one hem seal on the film.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein step a takes place prior to the film being introduced to the first machine.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first package comprises:
a front face;
a back face;
a top face and a bottom face connecting the front and back faces;
a first side and a second side connecting the front and back faces, wherein the first and second sides are perpendicular to the front and back faces, and wherein the first side comprises the first end seal, and the second side comprises the second end seal;
a first upper hem seal located at the approximate intersection of the front face and the top face;
a first lower hem seal located at the approximate intersection of the front face and the bottom face.

20. An apparatus comprising an improved vertical form, fill, and seal machine for making a first package with a desired shape, said vertical form, fill, and seal machine comprising a product conduit, a conveyor, bottom gusseters, and seal jaws; wherein the conveyor is positioned to contact a package film that is wrapped around the product conduit; wherein the conveyor moves the package film along the product conduit; wherein the seal jaws are positioned adjacent to opposite sides of the package film to form a first end seal on the package film thereby forming a first side of the first package and thereby forming the first end seal of the first package when the seal jaws move together and the package film is pressed between the seal jaws; wherein the bottom gusseters are positioned to form gussets adjacent to the first end seal of the first package; wherein the product conduit is positioned so that a product passing through the product conduit will enter the first package after exiting the product conduit; wherein the product conduit is positioned above the bottom gusseters; wherein the bottom gusseters are positioned above the seal jaws; and wherein the bottom gusseters are adjacent to a first side of the seal jaws; wherein the improvement comprises:
tuckers and top gusseters;
wherein the tuckers are configured to move between an engaged position of the tuckers and a disengaged position of the tuckers;
wherein, in the engaged position of the tuckers, the tuckers contact the first package and are adjacent to the top gusseters; and
wherein in the disengaged position, the tuckers do not contact the first package;
wherein the top gusseters each comprise two portions rotatable along an axis of rotation to form a folded configuration and a flat configuration of the top gusseters;
wherein, when the top gusseters engage the first package and the top gusseters are in the folded configuration, a first side of the top gusseters presses a second side of the first package against the tuckers;
wherein the seal jaws are positioned above the top gusseters, wherein the first side of the top gusseters is adjacent to a second side of the seal jaws, wherein the second side of the seal jaws is opposite the first side of the seal jaws, and wherein a second side of the top gusseters is opposite the first side of the top gusseters.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 :
wherein the seal jaws move between an engaged position of the seal jaws and a disengaged position of the seal jaws;
wherein, in the

Assignees

• Frito Lay North America Inc
• Douglas Machine Inc

Inventors

• Bierschenk Patrick Joseph
• Brenkus Frank Mathew
• Gust Ronald M
• Tucker Steven Kenneth

Classifications

• B65B9/213 Primary

  the web having intermittent motion (B65B9/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65B9/2042

  Means for altering the cross-section of the tube filling opening prior to transversal sealing, e.g. tube spreading devices (subdividing filled tubes to form two or more packages by sealing involving displacement of contents B65B9/12) · CPC title

• B65B61/24

  for shaping or reshaping completed packages · CPC title

• B65B51/303

  reciprocating along only one axis · CPC title

• B29C65/18

  using heated tools · CPC title