JP6593999B2 - Apparatus and method for thermoforming a filter for single-part packaging, particularly having at least one container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing a thermoformed filter for single-packing, particularly with at least one container, as described in the preamble of the independent claim.

  According to Patent Document 1, a single-person package for producing a hot beverage is already known. The single package has a housing filled with an aroma carrier such as coffee or tea, which has a side wall, a bottom and a lid. The lid is at least partly permeable and the bottom part is at least partly configured as a filter. The side walls and the bottom, like the lid, are manufactured by a deep drawing method from an integral filter plastic fleece or a mixture of plastic and paper. The lid is compressed in a water resistant manner at its annular edge region, so that the lid is hermetically sealed and bonded to the upper edge of the side wall. In this case, the sidewall region is likewise compressed to be water resistant.

European Published Patent No. 12221418

  The object of the present invention is to propose a simple and inexpensive manufacture of a filter for single-person packaging.

  This problem is solved by the features of the independent claims.

  In contrast, the device and method according to the features of the independent claims have the advantage that a particularly simple and inexpensive production of the filter and the corresponding single-piece package is obtained. Thus, the filter is produced by thermoforming in a particularly simple manner. This is done according to the invention by first supplying a filter material, which is heated at least in the form of dots and then formed by a forming tool, for example a push punch. This eliminates the relatively expensive devices of the prior art that require a father or mother mold. This is because it is not necessary to create a water-resistant edge region. Moreover, the apparatus and method according to the invention are particularly suitable for mass production. This is because the filter material can be processed in roll form and fed to a heating device. Each heating tool can preferably be arranged interchangeably. This further increases the degree of freedom of the device, so that the forming tool can be particularly easily adapted to the various requirements for filter profiles for various single-person packages. Furthermore, since the forming tool itself is not heated, this allows a quick and reliable processing. Further, a cutting means for separating the thermoformed filter from the roll-shaped filter material is provided. Preferably, this is done at the same work station where the forming tool thermoforms the heated filter material. Thereby, a particularly inexpensive production is obtained.

  According to a preferred embodiment, aluminum is preferably used as the material for forming the forming tool.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the conveying means are arranged below the forming tool and / or the cutting means. Thereby, after punching and molding the thermoformed filter from the filter material, the filter is directly transferred into the transport means waiting in advance. This simplifies further handling of the thermoformed filter. The thermoformed filter is transferred directly into a pre-waiting container where the filter is placed and / or sealed.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the device for thermoforming the filter is a component of the device for thermoforming the container. Thus, only the thermoformed and stamped filter is transferred directly into a pre-thermoformed and waiting container, so that the filter is not further transported individually in the preferred form. .

  According to a preferred embodiment, the device further comprises at least one sealing means. For this purpose, the thermoformed filter preferably has an edge protruding outwards. The container likewise has a protruding edge on the upper side as a housing or sealing surface for a thermoformed filter. The sealing tool seals the filter with the container at the protruding edge, possibly based on ultrasound. This helps in a positionally accurate arrangement that is not lost and ensures a high quality of the hot beverage. Alternatively, sealing or welding may be performed on the side wall of the container.

  Preferably, the sealing is performed by ultrasonic waves. For this purpose, a corresponding energy director is provided on the sealing tool and / or the container edge. This provides a positionally accurate seal of the two components.

  In a further step, the container with the filter is filled with a product such as coffee, tea or other water-soluble beverage.

  The filled container or filled filter is then sealed with a lid. For example, an aluminum lid or bonding film is sealed to the edge region of the container.

  Other preferred embodiments are described in the other dependent claims as well as in the description.

1 is a side view of an apparatus for manufacturing a thermoformed filter. FIG. It is a side view which shows roughly the thermoforming process by the component part which belongs to this apparatus. It is the schematic which shows the seal | sticker with the thermoformed filter and a container. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a thermoformed filter having holes.

  One embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention for producing a thermoformed filter is shown in the drawing and is described in detail below.

  Filter material 20 is wound on roll block 12. From the roll block 12, the filter material 20 reaches the heating device 14. The heating device 14 surrounds the filter material 20, preferably on both sides. The filter material 20 passes through the heating device 14, preferably in the vertical direction. The filter material 20 is then turned 90 ° to reach the detection area of the forming tool 16. The forming tool 16 is configured as a father mold. The forming tool 16 is movable in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the forming tool 16 is lowered downward to form the heated filter material 20 into a thermoformed filter 22. A container 26 is arranged under the forming tool 16 in which the molded and separated filter 22 reaches. For this purpose, a cutting means 18 is provided, which cuts the molded filter 22 from the remaining filter material 20. Since the filter 22 is preferably configured in a circular shape, correspondingly, holes remain in the remaining filter material 20. The remaining filter material 20 can be taken up again on the roll block 13 and discarded accordingly.

  The container 26 may be formed near the device 10 as a thermoformed and deep drawn container. For this purpose, the thermoformable container material likewise reaches the detection area of the corresponding forming tool, whereby a long material 27 containing a plurality of containers 26 is formed. A corresponding thermoformed filter 22 is supplied to the thermoformed container 26. The filter 22 and the container 26 are then joined together by a seal by suitable sealing means 30. The filter 22 present in the container 26 is then filled by the filling station 40 with a product 42, such as coffee, tea, chocolate or the like. The filled container 26 then reaches into the detection area of the sealing station 44. The sealing station 44 seals the lid 46 to the edge of the container 26. Next, a separating device 48 for separating the containers 26 connected in the long material 27 from each other in a desired format may be optionally provided.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 2, it is shown how the filter material 20 heated by the heating device 14 reaches the detection area of the forming tool 16. The forming tool 16 is arranged to be movable up and down. When the heated area of the filter material 20 is at a position below the forming tool 16, the forming tool 16 is lowered to form the filter material 20 in the form indicated by the dashed line. The cutting means 18 is then lowered, thereby separating the thermoformed filter 22 from the remaining filter material 20. The filter 22 separated in this way falls downward into the notch 25 of the conveying means 24. The forming tool 16 has a corresponding mold that is shaped to obtain the desired shape of the thermoformed filter 22. Accordingly, the thermoformed filter 22 has, for example, a filter edge 23 protruding upward. The filter 22 is then fed to the container 26 in the desired form via the conveying means 24 for coupling to the container 26 by a seal.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of how the prepared container 26 accommodates the filter 22. For this purpose, the container 26 has a corresponding container edge 28. In this case, the container edge 28 and the filter edge 23 are adapted to each other in view of their corresponding connection later. For this purpose, a sealing means 30 is provided. The sealing means 30 may be an ultrasonic seal, for example. In this case, the corresponding sonotrode 32 has an energy director 34 at the seal location. The container edge 28 also has such an energy director 34. This allows for proper ultrasonic input and thus a positionally accurate seal. Other sealing methods such as heat sealing or cold sealing are also conceivable. What is important is that the filter 22 and the container 26 are connected to each other through the sealing means 30.

  According to FIG. 4, various configurations of the filter 22 and of the forming tool 16 are possible. In this case, the filter 22 may additionally have a corresponding plurality of holes 38, which ensures that the extracted beverage can flow out. In order to properly attach or separate the filter 22 to the forming tool 16, the forming tool 16 may have a corresponding opening so that compressed air or vacuum can be supplied.

  With the thermoformed filter 22, the desired transit time of the product 42 to be extracted, such as coffee, is obtained on the basis of a large filter surface that can be easily adapted to the respective state of the product 42 or the container 26 individually. . In this case, various geometries of the thermoformed filter 22 can be produced by the same device 10 in a particularly simple manner. This is because the corresponding forming tool 16 can be changed particularly easily on the basis of the desired filter shape.

  Preferably, a round filter shape with a filter edge 23 is used. Depending on the various states of the container 26, the filter 22 may protrude downward in various shapes. Therefore, a filter tapered in a step shape may be provided. Further, the bottom of the filter 22 may extend substantially flat in parallel to the lid region. Alternatively, only the central region of the bottom portion may protrude in a liquid state. Alternatively, the filter 22 may have a round outline and taper continuously. Instead of various outflow portions of the filter 22, the side surfaces may be variously configured.

  The filter material 20 is preferably made of a fleece mixed with PP or PET to obtain thermoformability. Furthermore, the filter material 20 is preferably ultrasonically weldable. In that case, the filter material 20 may be heat-sealable depending on the seal type used. Moreover, the filter material 20 is configured to be food resistant and heat resistant. This ensures a proper extraction process.

  The heating device 14 ensures local heating of the appropriate filter material 20 where the forming tool 16 later brings the filter 20 into the desired shape. As the heating device 16, for example, a contact type hot plate, a radiator, hot air, or induction heating is used.

  The forming tool 16 is preferably made of aluminum.

  The apparatus 10 for thermoforming the filter 22 is a component of a thermoforming machine for the container 26, or is located in the vicinity of such a thermoforming machine, and the thermoformed filter 22 is placed in the container. Directly to the thermoforming machine for H.26.

The manufacture of a filter for single-packing is characterized by the following steps.
Supplying the filter material 20 to the heating device 14;
The filter material 20 is heated by the heating device 14,
Supplying heated filter material 20 to forming tool 16;
Thermoforming the filter material 20 heated by the molding means 16,
Separating the thermoformed filter 22 from the filter material 20;
Supplying thermoformed filter 22 to container 26;
The filter 22 is sealed with the container 26, preferably using a sonotrode 32 for ultrasonic coupling.

This device is at least partly further step, i.e.
A product 42 is supplied to the filter 22 by a filling station 40;
Sealing the filled filter 22 or container 26 by means of a sealing station 44 with a lid 46;
Can be implemented.

Other steps are performed either sequentially or in parallel as follows:
After separation, the remaining filter material 20 is wound up,
In some cases, the separation device 48 is used to separate the individual containers 26 from the elongated material 27.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Apparatus 12 Roll block 13 Roll block 14 Heating device 16 Forming tool 18 Cutting means 20 Filter material 22 Filter 23 Filter edge 24 Conveying means 25 Notch 26 Container 27 Long material 28 Container edge 30 Sealing means 32 Sonotrode 34 Energy director 40 Filling station 42 Product 44 Sealing station 46 Lid 48 Separating device

Claims (9)

In an apparatus for manufacturing a filter (22) for single packaging,
You heated supplied filter material (20) heating devices (14),
A forming tool (16) that moves vertically to form a heated filter material (20) into a thermoformed filter (22) ;
Cutting means (18) provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the forming tool and moving in the vertical direction to separate the thermoformed filter (22) from the filter material (20);
With
When the said filter material heated in the detection area of the forming tool (16) (20) reaches at least from the heated region of the forming tool (16) is lowered the filter material (20) 1 one of the thermoformed filter (22) is molded, the filter thermoformed (22), characterized in that it is separated from said filter material (20) by said cutting means, a filter for one person packaging Equipment for manufacturing .   Sealing means (30) for coupling the filter (22) to the container (26);
  The sealing means (30) couples the edge (23) of the filter (22) separated by the cutting means (18) to the inner peripheral surface of the container (26).
  The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the forming tool (16) is made of aluminum. The filter (22) which is the thermoforming, characterized in that at least one sealing means for sealing the container (26) by the ultrasonic (30) are provided, of claims 1 to 3 The apparatus of any one of Claims . Characterized in that at least one filling station (40) and / or sealing station (44) is provided, apparatus according to any one of claims 1 4. Characterized in that at least one conveying means (24) is provided for supplying the filter (22) to the container (26), Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5. In a method of manufacturing a thermoformed filter for use in single-packing,
Supplying the filter material (20) to the heating device (14);
Heating the filter material (20) by the heating device (14);
Feeding the heated filter material (20) to a forming tool (16) that moves vertically to form the heated filter material (20) into a thermoformed filter (22) ;
The heated filter material (20) is formed into a thermoformed filter (22) by the forming tool (16),
Wherein provided to surround the outer periphery of the forming tool, by moving in the vertical direction, the cutting means for separating the filter which is thermoformed (22) from the filter material (20) (18), said thermoformed A method for producing a thermoformed filter, characterized in that the filter (22) is separated from the filter material (20). Method according to claim 7 , characterized in that the edge (23 ) of the filter (22) separated by the cutting means (18) is joined to the inner peripheral surface of the container (26). Method according to claim 7 or 8 , characterized in that the filter (22) is filled with a product (42) and sealed with a lid (46) by means of a sealing station (44).

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