BE1020393A3 - PACKAGING MACHINE UNDER PACKAGING HULL AND PACKAGING HULL. - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a packaging machine in blister pack for packaging objects in a blister pack and a blister pack.

Such packagings are known in many embodiments. In addition to toothbrushes, interdental brushes, mascara brushes or other cosmetic and hygienic articles, a multitude of other very different objects such as electronic devices, memory cards, toys, medical products or also foodstuffs , in particular confectionery articles, may be packaged therein.

In general, the object to be packaged is disposed in a shell which is closed by a cardboard cover layer. It is also possible to provide a folding hull in which the hull packaging material is folded at 180 ° and the hull is thus closed by the hull packaging material.

The problem with all previously known shell packs however lies in the fact that they are difficult to open. Most often, it is necessary to do this scissors to cut the blister pack in the hull area along the entire length. It is complicated and there is a high risk of injury as the shell-cut packaging material is sharp-edged. When trying to pull the hull out of a layer of cardboard cover, a layer of cardboard usually remains on the hull. Hulls are also known in which the cardboard covering layer has a perforation which can be pressed to open the blister pack but it is also relatively complicated, since the perforated part of the covering layer must first time to be squeezed into the shell, which can also damage the packed object.

Document DE 10 2007 041 948 A1 discloses a device with which plastic material can be sprayed onto the blister pack. This plastic material fills in the first line a decorative purpose. A simplified opening of the blister pack manufactured with such a device is not possible and is not provided either.

Therefore, the problem is in particular to provide a blister packaging machine of the type mentioned at the beginning with which hulls easier to open can be made. The problem further consists in providing a corresponding simple open-shell package.

The solution according to the invention to this problem consists, as regards the packaging machine in blister pack, in that at least one spray station is provided for spraying an opening zone of the blister pack. with plastic and for spraying a plastic tear-off tongue or for connecting a tear-off tab to the plastic material when spraying the plastic material. The aforementioned pull tab serves as a plug and can be easily grasped to open the blister pack. By pulling on the pull tab, the plastic material sprayed is removed, the opening area is released and the blister pack is opened. In this case, no scissors or other tools are required to open the blister pack and no sharp edges are formed so that there is no risk of injury.

If it is actually written in DE 10 2007 041 948 A1 that recesses in the film or the covering layer can be covered by plastic spraying, it is however in this case only small recesses, for example to be able to operate to test the keys of a remote control packaged in the blister pack. These recesses do not form an opening zone through which the packaged object can be removed.

It is appropriate that a device for practicing in the blister pack a recess, a perforation or a cut line serving as an opening zone is disposed upstream of the spraying station. The opening area can be adapted, in terms of size, to the object in the blister pack and the shell packaging material. In the case of a perforation, it can suitably be made with two perforation lines which extend parallel to each other at a distance of a few millimeters and which run along a side of the hull or all around the hull. The plastic material sprayed over the perforation binds, during spraying, to the blister pack material between the perforation lines so that, when the sprayed plastic is removed, the material of Shell packaging lying between the perforation lines is removed at the same time and the blister package is opened. The hull can then be raised or folded or completely removed to take the packed object.

For many blister packs, a shell is formed, which is connected after insertion of the object to be wrapped in the shell to a cover layer cardboard or Tyvek® film and thus being closed.

For such hulls, it is appropriate that a sealing station for connecting a hull to a cover layer is placed upstream of the spray station.

In order to manufacture a flap shell which is closed by folding the shell packaging material and connecting the oriented sides towards each other, it is appropriate that a device for folding a shell portion forming a blister pack is placed in upstream of the spray station.

The contact areas of the sides adjacent to each other during folding form, in this case, the opening zone which is surrounded by plastic spraying. It may be the edge zone in the case of an identical outer contour of the sides facing towards each other or it may be a contact zone on one of the flat sides in the case of differently designed sides.

It is also possible to cut on one of the sides a cutting line or perforation which is then covered by plastic spraying as the opening zone, while the outer edges of the blister packaging material are permanently connected to one another. the other and remain so after the opening of the blister pack.

An idea of the invention going further provides that the spray station is designed to cover at least partly by spraying additional elements disposed in the opening area. It may be for example RFID transponders for the protection of products. When the sprayed plastic is removed when the blister package is opened, these additional elements can then be removed at the same time and / or destroyed.

Other functional elements can also be formed by plastic spraying, for example membranes for a pressure compensation between the interior space of the shell and the environment, which can be useful for example for the transport of larger packages hulled in an airplane, or valves for gassing an object in the hull or for an exchange of liquid. Supports or placement elements for blister packaging are also possible. Insulating films which are arranged between the contacts of a battery-operated object and which, when spraying the plastic material, are connected thereto are also conceivable. When opening the blister pack, the insulating film is removed when the plastic material is torn, and the object's stack is brought into contact and the object is ready for use, whereas before , the battery was not in contact and was not electrically solicited in the packaged state.

On the other hand, contacts can be made from the outside to be able to contact externally a packaged object without a battery, for example by contacts connected to a voltage source on a display to be able to test and test the object. packaged without removing it from the packaging.

Snaps or magnets may also be provided to close the blister pack.

These functional elements can be applied in the opening zone or in other areas of the blister pack, for example a placement element on the lower edge of the blister pack.

For spraying the plastic on different sides of the blister pack, several spray stations can be provided.

Plastic of different colors can also be sprayed. In this case, the plastic material may, for example, be adapted to the object to be packaged.

A seal of integrity, a seal of freshness with a date of preservation, Braille markings, logos, inscriptions or similar distinguishing marks may be applied on or at the level of the plastic material sprayed with a downstream treatment device.

A device for breaching the blister pack can be placed upstream of the spray station. This allows for spray application through the gap on both sides of the blister pack with a single spray station.

It may be appropriate for the spraying station to be designed to spray the plastic onto the object to be packaged or onto parts of the object. For example, an interdental brush wrapped in the shell may be placed in such a way that its handle is disposed at or near the opening area and is connected to the plastic material when spraying the plastic material. . When the package is opened and the plastic is torn, the interdental brush remains connected to the plastic material at first so that it can be removed directly from the shell without having to be seized separately. In this case, the opening zone can be as large as the outer contour of the handle of the interdental brush, which can then be removed from the blister pack in the longitudinal direction by the opening zone. After using the interdental brush, it can be introduced again by its handle in the opening area to dry. In this case, the blister pack is also used, after removal of the interdental brush, support for the interdental brush. After drying, the interdental brush can be inserted back into the shell with the bristle area first, with a portion of the handle still protruding from the opening area to be able to grasp the interdental brush later and remove it from the bristles. the shell packaging.

The spray station can also be designed to inject plastic into the interior space of the blister pack. As a result, the packaged object can be held in a defined position and / or the blister pack can be protected against damage due to the packaged object, for example, a scalpel, in that plastic is injected between the material of the blister pack and the object.

It is also possible that the spray station is designed to connect together several shell packages. The hull wraps thus connected together may be presented in a sales display and a customer may take one of the blister packs by removing the plastic applied by spraying between two blister packs.

On the other hand, it is also possible to provide on a single hull package several hulls independent of each other each having an opening area, for example to pack an interchangeable head toothbrush and several brush heads that can be removed. individually.

With such a device for separating the individual shells from each other and / or a band of shells, it is possible to apply by spraying the plastic onto two neighboring shells in a spraying operation with a single Spraying station and then separating the blister packs in the area of the plastic applied by spraying so that there remains plastic on the two blister packs. It is also possible to cut areas in a blister pack so that areas separated from each other are formed with the plastic material, for example an area for opening the blister pack and a separate area thereof that is purely decorative. .

The separation of the shells from each other or from a band of shells may take place in different ways, for example a roller cut, a steel strip cut, a full cut or perforations on one side or on both sides or some of these techniques combined.

It may be advantageous, in particular for the manufacture of reclosable shell packages, that a device for applying to the opening area a covering strip which can be covered by plastic spraying is placed upstream of the spray station. Such a cover strip prevents the plastic material from directly contacting, when spraying, the cutting edges of the shell material in the opening area. The plastic adheres only to areas of the blister material at a distance from the cutting edges, in accordance with the dimensions of the cover strip, so that when the blister pack is opened and the shrinkage is removed of the plastic material, the cutting edges are not or only slightly drawn outwards and damage to the hull material is avoided. This further reduces the risk of injury.

An idea of the invention going further provides that another spray station intended to produce a plastic cover layer is placed upstream of the spray station for spraying the opening area of the blister pack. of plastic material. The entire covering layer may thus consist of pulverized plastic material instead of cardboard for example.

A soft TPE is usually used as a plastic so that it can be easily bent and deformed during tearing. To stabilize the blister pack and / or for optical reasons, however, it is also possible to use a harder plastic material.

With regard to the blister pack, the solution according to the invention consists in that there is provided an opening zone closed by a plastic material applied by spraying and in that the plastic material has a pull tab or is connected to a pull tab. As described above, it is thus possible to simply open the blister pack without scissors and without tools and there is no risk of injury by opening the blister pack.

The opening zone may be formed in particular by a recess, a perforation or a cutting line.

In addition to the possibility of a cardboard, film or Tyvek® cover layer, the latter being used in particular in the medical field, the blister pack can also be designed as a foldable shell and the cover layer can be formed by a hull section folded, covering the opening area of the hull. The hull section folded can in this case be flat and or may have on its side a shell which forms with the hull of the other hull section a larger receiving area for the object to be packaged.

It is further possible that the cover layer is made of pulverized plastics material. It may be designed as a flat element or may also have a deformation zone enlarging the receiving area for the object. A plastic embodiment is also possible as a support for the object. The plastics material of the covering layer is for example connected to the shell by a spray coating, the plastic material of the covering layer and that of the spray coating may be the same or different, in particular of different color.

It is advantageous that the cover layer has at least one folding edge opposite the opening area. After removing the plastic closing the opening area, the package can be folded at this fold edge and the shell having the opening area can be further opened to release the packaged object and be able to remove it easier. In this case, it is also possible to place the object, without grasping it, on a surface, in that the package is rotated with the opening side downwards. This can be particularly useful in the medical field for depositing, for example, a sterile packaged scalpel on an instrument table.

When two fold edges are provided spaced apart from one another, a support zone for the packaged object is formed between the fold edges so that the object also rests after opening the package and folding the cover layer at the fold edges securely on the package and can still be transported.

It is advantageous to provide a covering strip which covers the opening area and which is covered by plastic spraying. Such a cover strip prevents the plastic material from directly contacting the cutting edges of the blister pack material in the opening area. The plastic adheres only to areas of the blister material at a distance from the cutting edges, in accordance with the dimensions of the cover strip, so that when the blister pack is opened and the shrinkage is removed of the plastic material, the cutting edges are not or only slightly drawn outwards and damage to the hull material is avoided. This further reduces the risk of injury. One end of the cover strip may also form the pull tab so that removal of the plastic occurs indirectly through the underlying cover strip.

It may further be appropriate that the opening area is formed by a zipper or has a zipper. The blister pack can thus serve as a resealable container, for example as a carrying case for electronic tools. The use of the blister pack as a return package is also conceivable, for example for sterile packaged surgical instruments that can be returned to the manufacturer after use in the resealable blister pack for evacuation or for treatment and new sterilization.

The blister pack according to the invention may have individual characteristics or several characteristics explained in the description of the blister packaging machine according to the invention, for example a magnet or a snap to close the packaging or other additional elements.

The plastic material sprayed on the packaging can also be used as a flavor preservative, in that an odorant which is preferably volatile and does not adhere to the packaged object is introduced into the shell and is released. when opening the blister pack so that the person opening the blister pack experiences a corresponding olfactory perception.

The plastic material sprayed on the packaging can serve as visual protection. For example, a software license code or an activation code may be printed below the plastic material, preferably on the cover layer, this code only becomes visible when the blister pack is opened. removing the plastic material. The plastic material can also serve as optical protection for the packaged object, for example for photosensors which are protected from light by the plastic material.

Exemplary embodiments of the in-shell packaging machine according to the invention and the blister package will be described in more detail below on the basis of the drawings.

It is shown on

Fig. 1 a very schematic representation of a packaging machine in a blister pack according to the invention comprising several processing stations,

Fig. 2 a side view and a top view of a cover layer of a blister pack,

Fig. 3 a side view and a top view of a hull,

Fig. 4 a side view and a top view of a blister pack with a toothbrush packed therein,

Fig. A side view and a top view of the blister pack of FIG. 4 with spray-applied plastic,

Fig. 6 a side view and a top view of the blister pack of Figure 5 after eliminating edge areas by cutting them,

Fig. 7 a longitudinal section of a blister pack with a spray-coated cover strip,

Fig. 8 a plan view of the blister pack of Figure 7,

Fig. 9 a cross section of the blister pack of Figure 7,

Fig. An enlargement of a detail of the cross-section of FIG. 9,

Fig. 11 a longitudinal sectional view of the blister pack with spray coating removed,

Fig. 12 a view from above of the blister pack of FIG. 11,

Fig. 13 a front view of the blister pack of Figure 11 and 12,

Fig. 14 a longitudinal sectional view of the open blister pack,

Fig. 15 a view from above of the open blister pack,

Fig. 16 front view of the open blister pack,

Fig. 17 a blister pack designed as a foldable shell when wrapping an article,

Fig. 18 the blister pack of Figure 17 in the closed state and

Fig. 19 the blister pack of Figure 17 and 18 after opening.

A packaging machine in blister pack, designated in its entirety by 1, intended to pack objects, has, according to FIG. 1, a roll of film 2 from which the film material 3 is unwound for the shells and conveyed to the various processing stations. . After having traveled a heating device 4 to heat the film material 3, the film material 3 is brought into the desired shape in a forming device. The forming device 5 may, in this case, be arranged in a manner known per se and have a forming tool which receives in places the film material 3 and in which a forming punch enters and stretches the heated film in the desired shape. .

A first device 6a for making a recess, a perforation or a cutting line in the film material 3 as an opening zone is placed downstream of the forming device 5. This opening zone can be covered by material spraying. plastic in a first downstream spray station, a pull tab not shown in Figure 1 being formed or being connected at the same time as a separate element to the plastic applied material. Functional elements, decorations or similar elements may be produced by application, spraying or injection. Plastic material may also be injected into the interior cavity of the film portion formed as a support member and to further secure the object to be packaged in the shell.

The spraying station 7a need not necessarily be arranged in the direction shown but it can also be arranged for example below the film material 3 to spray the opposite side of the film material 3.

After having sprayed the film portion with plastic, an object to be wrapped, for example a toothbrush, is placed in the interior cavity of the shell-shaped part in a placement station 8 and the shell is provided with a cover layer and connected thereto in other processing stations 9, 10 and the shell package is thus closed.

The cover material 11 for the cover layer is fed from a roll of material 12 via a deflection pulley 13. A recess, a perforation or a cutting line may be made by means of another device 6b in the cover layer and can be covered with plastic material in another spray station 7b. This may take place in addition or alternatively to the device 6a and the spray station 7a previously described. An opening zone can thus be provided in the shell-pack material and / or in the cover layer.

In addition or alternatively, it can also be provided, after the treatment station 10 for connecting the shell to the cover layer, a device 6c for introducing an opening zone and a spray station for spraying this zone. opening.

The hulls still attached to each other at this stage in the form of a band of shells are then separated into individual shells in a separating station 14 and then expelled from the device 1. In the following sequence of production, the Individual shells can be fed to a further treatment device 15, for example an outer packaging device.

The succession of individual processing stations of the device 1 can be modified depending on the use. Individual processing stations may also be omitted or others may be added. The arrangement of the device 1 according to the invention is therefore not limited to the embodiment shown.

Various steps in the manufacture of a blister pack 16 are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. FIG. 2 shows a cover layer 17 and FIG. 3 a film portion 19 with a shell 18 intended to receive the object 20 to be packaged (Figs 4 to 6).

As can be seen in the views of FIGS. 3 and 4, a perforation on two lines is practiced as an opening zone in the film portion 19 parallel to the longitudinal side of the shell 18. The film portion 19 and the cover layer 17 are connected to each other, for example bonded or welded, this connection was made only in the region around the shell 18 and the opening zone 21. The region of the film portion 19 presenting the zone 21 and the region between the opening zone 21 and the shell 18 are not connected to the cover layer 17.

In Figure 5, the opening zone 21 is covered by spraying plastics material 22, the plastics material 22 having at one end a tear tab 23 protruding. The plastics material 22 is also sprayed over through-holes 31a, 31b in the film portion 19 and the cover layer 17 so that the plastic 22 also reaches the cover layer side of the blister pack 16 according to the side views of Figures 5 and 6. To highlight the sizing and arrangement of the plastics material 22 applied by spraying, the perforation is also indicated in broken lines in Figures 5 and 6.

Fig. 6 shows the die-cut finished shell package 16, the excess edge areas of which have been cut and wherein a suspension tongue 24 is formed by a corresponding notch. The plastic material 22 covering the opening zone 21 is separated by this notch of the plastic material 22 in the region of the suspension tongue 24. Two regions with plastic material 22 applied by spraying are thus formed, which can be in a spraying operation by a single spraying point 25 (FIG 5) and thus with a single spraying station.

To open the blister pack 16, the plastic material 22 on the tear tab 23 protruding can be grasped and removed. In doing so, the film material between the perforation lines adhered to the plastic material 22 is lifted with the plastic material 22 and torn off. Through the opening thus formed, the object 20, here a toothbrush, can be removed from the blister pack 16.

FIGS. 7 to 16 show another embodiment of a blister pack 16. This blister pack 16 also has a blister 18 in which an article 20 is placed and a cover layer 17. The opening zone 21 is formed by a section line that extends over the entire length of the shell 18 (Figures 10, 12, 13).

As can be seen in the representation of a detail according to FIG. 10, the section line of the opening zone 21 is covered by a covering strip 26 so that the plastic material 22 sprayed onto it does not reach not between the front sides facing each other of the material of the shell, but is connected to the shell 18 only on the upper side. As a result, the edges of the shell 18 are not pulled outwards when the plastic 22 covering the opening zone 21 is removed when the blister pack 16 is opened, so that it no sharp edges are formed which could present a risk of injury. In addition, the removal of the plastic material 22 is thus facilitated.

In FIG. 7, it can be seen that there are inside the shell 18 plastic support elements 27 which hold the object 20 in position and protect the shell 18 from damage due to the object ( Here is a scalpel These support members 27 are connected to the plastic material 22 closing the opening zone 21 so that they are also removed when the plastic material 22 is removed.

Figures 7 to 10 show the blister pack 16 closed.

In the representations according to Figs. 11 to 13, the plastic material 22 has been removed together with the cover strip 26 and the opening area has been released.

To remove the object 20, the cover layer 17 can be folded at a folding edge 28 (Fig. 16). The halves of the shell 18 separated on the cutting line of the opening zone 21 can be folded laterally and the inside of the shell 18 can thus be released. Figs. 15 and 16 show the area around the fold edge 28 in a proportionally enlarged manner for better understanding.

With this type of blister pack 16, it is possible to remove the object 20 from the blister pack 16 without touching it, in that the opening zone 21 is oriented downwards towards a surface of deposit and the cover layer 17 is then folded on the folding edge so that the object 20 falls from the blister pack 16.

Figures 17 to 19 show a blister pack 16 designed as a foldable shell. In this case, the film portion 19 has two protuberances 29 which, when they are folded over one another, form the shell 18 (FIG 18) intended to receive the object 20. A perforation or a cutting line 30 is formed in the portion of the film portion 19 forming the upper side of the blister pack 16, this perforation or cutting line being covered with the outer side by plastic spraying 22 (Figure 18). In this case, the plastics material 22 has a projecting tear-off tab 23.

The contact surfaces on the edge side of the folded film portion are connected to each other, for example glued or welded, outside the cutting line 30 to close the blister pack 16. The contact surfaces located at however, the closed shell package 16 (FIG. 18) can be opened (FIG. 19), in that the pulling tab 23 is pulled on the part forming the upper side and that in doing so, the plastics material 22 is torn from the edge-side film area outside the cutting line 30, which zone is firmly connected to the lower part of the film portion 19, and the remaining area of the upper film area is unfolded together with the plastic material 22.

Claims (20)

1. Packaging machine in blister pack (1) for packaging objects (20) in a blister pack (16), characterized in that at least one spray station (7a, 7b, 7c) is provided to cover by spraying an opening area (21) of the blister pack (16) of plastic material (22) or for spraying a plastic tear-off tab (23) or connecting a tab of tearing the plastic (22) during the spraying of this plastic material (22). 2. Packaging machine in blister pack according to claim 1, characterized in that a device (6a, 6b, 6c) for practicing a recess, a perforation or a cutting line in the blister pack (16) as a zone opening (21) is disposed downstream of the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c). 3. Packaging machine in blister pack according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a device for folding a film portion (19) forming a blister pack (16) is disposed downstream of the spray station (7a, 7b). , 7c). Packaging machine in blister pack according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c) is designed to cover, at least partly by spraying, additional elements arranged in the opening area (21). 5. Packing machine in blister pack according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a sealing station (9, 10) for connecting a film portion (19) to the cover layer (17) is located downstream of the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c). 6. Packaging machine in blister pack according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that another spray station for spraying a cover layer (17) of plastic material is disposed downstream of the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c) for spray-coating the opening area (21) of the blister pack (16) of plastic material (22). Shell packaging machine according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a plurality of spray stations (7a, 7b, 7c) are provided for spraying the plastics material (22) onto different sides of the blister pack (16). Packaging machine in blister pack according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a device for breaching the blister pack (16) is arranged downstream of the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c). Packing machine in blister pack according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c) is adapted for spraying the plastic material (22) onto the container. object (20) to be wrapped or parts of the article (20). Packaging machine in blister pack according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c) is adapted to inject plastic material (22) into the container cavity. the blister pack (16). 11. Packaging machine in blister pack according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c) is designed to connect together several blister packs (16). Packaging machine in blister pack according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a device (14) is provided for separating the individual blister packs (16) from one another and / or a band of hulls. Packaging machine according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a device for applying to the opening area (21) a covering strip (26) which can be spray-coated with the plastic material (22) is disposed downstream of the spray station (7a, 7b, 7c). 14. Shell package (16) comprising a shell (18) for receiving an object (20) and a cover layer (17) closing the shell (18), characterized in that an opening area (21) is provided ) closed by a plastic material (22) sprayed thereon, and in that the plastics material (22) has a tear-off tab (23) or is connected to a tear-off tab (23). 15. A blister pack according to claim 14, characterized in that the opening area (21) is formed by a recess, a perforation or a cutting line (30). 16. A blister pack according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the blister pack (16) is designed as a foldable shell and the cover layer is formed by a foldable shell section covering the opening area (21). of the blister pack (16). Shell package according to one of Claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the cover layer (17) has at least one folding edge (28) opposite to the opening region (21). 18. A blister pack according to any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that there is provided a cover strip (26) which covers the opening area (21) and which is covered by spraying by the plastics material (22). 19. A blister pack according to any of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that the opening area (21) is formed by a zipper or has a zipper. 20. Shell package according to any one of claims 14 to 19, characterized in that the cover layer (17) is made of pulverized plastic material.