EP0188832B1 - Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung poröser Beutel, gefüllt mit einem granularen Gut - Google Patents

Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung poröser Beutel, gefüllt mit einem granularen Gut Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0188832B1
EP0188832B1 EP85201973A EP85201973A EP0188832B1 EP 0188832 B1 EP0188832 B1 EP 0188832B1 EP 85201973 A EP85201973 A EP 85201973A EP 85201973 A EP85201973 A EP 85201973A EP 0188832 B1 EP0188832 B1 EP 0188832B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
product
web
compartment
porous
land areas
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP85201973A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0188832A2 (de
EP0188832A3 (en
Inventor
Sattar Bahrani Abdul
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Procter and Gamble Co
Original Assignee
Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/675,804 external-priority patent/US4638907A/en
Priority claimed from US06/728,070 external-priority patent/US4571924A/en
Application filed by Procter and Gamble Co filed Critical Procter and Gamble Co
Priority to AT85201973T priority Critical patent/ATE46673T1/de
Publication of EP0188832A2 publication Critical patent/EP0188832A2/de
Publication of EP0188832A3 publication Critical patent/EP0188832A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0188832B1 publication Critical patent/EP0188832B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
    • C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
    • C11D17/04—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties combined with or containing other objects
    • C11D17/041—Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
    • C11D17/046—Insoluble free body dispenser
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
    • A47L13/16—Cloths; Pads; Sponges
    • A47L13/17—Cloths; Pads; Sponges containing cleaning agents
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B29/00—Packaging of materials presenting special problems
    • B65B29/02—Packaging of substances, e.g. tea, which are intended to be infused in the package
    • B65B29/028—Packaging of substances, e.g. tea, which are intended to be infused in the package packaging infusion material into filter bags
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/02—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs
    • B65B9/04—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material
    • B65B9/042—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material for fluent material
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
    • D06F39/02—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
    • D06F39/024—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents mounted on the agitator or the rotating drum; Free body dispensers

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a porous laminated sheet product having at least one compartment formed therein containing an inner product, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus of manufacturing laminated porous pouches containing granular product and featuring fluid pressure granular product placement.
  • U.S. Patent 3,498,019 which issued to J. M. Rait on March 3, 1970, also discloses a method and apparatus for forming sealed packages.
  • the Rait sealed packages are formed from thermoplastic material wherein predetermined amounts of product are dosed onto the upper surface of a lower thermoplastic sheet in a predetermined pattern. Thereafter, a second thermoplastic sheet is brought in parallel to the first sheet and the two sheets are heat sealed together by a heated compartmentalized rotating cylinder.
  • the movement of the upper and lower plastic sheets is synchronized with the rotational movement of the heated compartmentalized cylinder such that the compartments on the surface of the cylinder are positioned over the deposited product as the sheets are moved below the rotating cylinder.
  • a method of packaging predetermined volumes of incoherent product is disclosed in U.S. 3,813,848, which issued on June 4, 1974 to Andrea Romagnoli.
  • the Romagnoli process utilizes a rotary dispensing drum having batching recesses formed therein to deposit predetermined doses of incoherent material onto the upper surface of a moving web of packaging material.
  • a second band of wrapping material is thereafter bonded to the upper surface of the first sheet of material to cover the heaps of product deposited thereon.
  • U.S. Patent 4,437,294 which also issued to Andrea Romagnoli on March 20, 1984.
  • U.S. Patent 4,404,787 which issued to G.
  • Hazelwood on September 20, 1983 similarly discloses a machine for packaging tea which includes a rotary dispensing drum which deposits tea in predetermined piles on a lower web and, thereafter, seals an upper web of packaging material onto the upper surface of the lower web about the perimeter of each pile. Individual tea bags are then separated from one another by a cutter.
  • U.S. Patent 2,571,138 which issued to H. O. Irmscher on October 16, 1951.
  • the Irmscher method includes folding a porous sheet of web material in half, then clamping the two parallel open sides by a pair of pincher jaws thereby creating a bag-like structure having an open top.
  • a measured quantity of infusion product is then placed in the bag through its open top, and, thereafter, the top opening and the transversely extending side portions are heat sealed to form a closed pouch.
  • a tag and string handle are then added to each bag by a separate operation.
  • a soap powder package heat selaed about its periphery and including additional heat seals delineating predetermined compartments in such package is shown in U.S. Patent 4,433,783, which issued to R. H. Dickinson on February 28, 1984.
  • the Dickinson package includes a pair of cooperating front and rear heat sealable panels arranged on opposite sides of the soap powder which is spread out as a layer therebetween. The panels are heat sealed along their peripheral edges to form a storage compartment for the soap, and, thereafter, a plurality of additional heat seals are made to divide the storage compartment into a series of subcompartments to minimize shifting of the powder stored therewithin during handling.
  • Dickinson teaches that the additional heat seals within the storage compartment can be made despite the presence of soap powder interposed between the heat sealable panels.
  • a method and apparatus for making sanitary napkins or the like is disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,073,329, which issued to C. P. Winter on March 9, 1937.
  • a rotatable wheel having screened inlets connected to a source of suction collects cotton fibers in a predetermined pattern and deposits those cotton fibers on a gauze web moving along the bottom edge of the first rotating wheel.
  • the gauze web is then moved to a second rotating wheel, and as the gauze web is rotated about the periphery of the second rotating wheel, additional loose absorbent material is forced in a predetermined pattern onto the previously deposited loose cotton patches to selectively build up a wad or pad on the web.
  • the gauze web is thereafter forwarded with its built up pads for further processing.
  • an apparatus for making a porous laminated sheet product having upper and lower web members connected about their periphery and having at least one compartment formed therein, and containing a predetermined quantity of inner product within said compartment, at least one of said web members being porous, and said apparatus being characterized by
  • a process for making a porous laminated sheet product having at least one compartment formed therein and containing a predetermined quantity of inner product within said compartment is characterized by the following steps:
  • Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the details of a method and apparatus for making a porous laminated sheet product having upper and lower web members connected about their periphery and having at least one compartment formed therein.
  • the compartment formed within the porous laminated sheet product contains a predetermined quantity of inner product therewithin.
  • Figure 1 schematically illustrates a continuous process 10 for forming laminated sheet product 18 wherein upper web member 16 and lower web member 15 are continuously fed to a compartment-forming apparatus 50.
  • Compartment-forming apparatus 50 further comprises a mold-depositing core 51, and an outer rotatable mold-depositing drum 52 having an inner portion 54 and an outer compartment-forming surface 53.
  • Outer compartment-forming surface 53 is shown as having at least one inner product loading area 55 formed therein comprising a cavity 56 surrounded by peripheral land areas 57.
  • a plurality of cavities 56 are illustrated as being substantially square in configuration although the shape of cavities 56 and peripheral land areas 57 could be formed in any desired shape to correspond to the shape of the compartment of compartments required in the laminated sheet product.
  • a passageway 58 is adapted to place the inner product loading area 55 in fluid communication with a source of vacuum (not shown) such that suction can be selectively applied to cavity 56, as will be discussed in greater detail below.
  • Passageway 58 is shown as a single bore although any number of passageways can be utilized to place the inner product loading area 55 in fluid communication with a source of vacuum.
  • the peripheral land areas 57 are illustrated as having one or more apertures 59 formed therethrough adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid, whereby outward fluid flow can emanate from at least a portion of the peripheral land areas 57, as will be described in greater detail below.
  • a source of pressurized fluid can comprise any appropriate fluid but preferably comprises a gas such as air.
  • Passageways 58 are illustrated as extending into the interior of mold-depositing core 51 wherein there may be various ducts and channels which lead to a source of vacuum.
  • the manner in which the inner product loading area 55 is placed in fluid communication with a source of vacuum is not critical, and the structure shown and described is meant to simply illustrate a preferred embodiment of such structure.
  • apertures 59 may be connected to a series of duct-like channels 61 designed to connect apertures 59 to one or more sources of pressurized fluid. Such internal channels 61 may also be routed through the mold-depositing core 51.
  • channels 61 can be designed to selectively place certain apertures 59 or passageway 58 individually in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid or vacuum, respectively, as the outer rotatable mold-depositing drum 52 is rotated about mold-depositing core 51 during the product forming procedures.
  • Compartment-forming surface 53 is preferably designed for rotatable movement about the stationary mold depositing drum 51.
  • Compartment-forming surface 53 may be formed from any reasonably rigid material such that it retains its structural shape after machining, casting or molding. Examples of materials from which a compartment-forming surface 53 may be formed are polyurethane, aluminum, hard rubber, various steel alloys and the like. A large range of dimensions for cavities 56 may also be utilized. For example, if substantially rectangular compartments are desired (as shown) the individual inner product loading areas 55 can have outer side dimensions ranging from 0.5 to 3 inches (between 13 mm and 76 mm) or more square. The dimensions of the peripheral land areas 57 may also be varied according to the particular application, depending upon overall compartment size and desired land area requirements.
  • peripheral land areas 57 having a width of approximately .125 inches (3.17 mm) can be utilized.
  • the depth of cavities 56 . may also vary according to specific compartment dimension requirements.
  • the overall diameter of mold-depositing core 51 and outer compartment-forming surface 53 can also be varied widely in accordance with desired production speeds, individual compartment sizes, overall laminated product dimensions, and the like.
  • compartment-forming surface 53 could also be a substantially flat surface designed for use in a reciprocating- type apparatus or in a manual forming process.
  • compartment-forming surface 53 could be formed as a stationary structure or as a portable structure, as desired.
  • the compartment-forming surface 53 be formed as a substantially tubular-shaped structure having a plurality of inner product loading areas 55 located adjacent one another and being completely surrounded and separated from adjacent loading areas by the peripheral land areas 57, it is also contemplated that an individual inner product loading area 55 surrounded by land areas 57 could equally facilitate the manufacture of porous laminated sheet products having a single compartment formed therein containing a predetermined quantity of inner product.
  • a compartment-forming surface comprising a plurality of inner product loading areas 55 formed about a substantially tubular shaped structure to create a rotatable continuous pattern compartment-forming surface is preferred.
  • a first web of porous material 15 is supplied from an unwind roll 21, and tension on web 15 is maintained by a simple dancer-type tension control system common to the industry.
  • An example of such a tension control system is illustrated as including tension rolls 22 through 24, and continuous web 15 weaves through these rolls as it is moved toward compartment-forming apparatus 50.
  • Web 15 can be a variety of foraminous materials commonly available in the industry such as paper, perforated thermoplastic material, cloth, and the like; however, the web must be relatively porous and it is preferred that it have multidirectional strength and stretch in order to allow the product to be formed on the apparatus without web failure.
  • Various paper webs which can be utilized in the subject process are described in the commonly assigned European Patent Application Publication No. 0184261.
  • First porous web 15 is brought into contact with the upper surface of compartment-forming surface 53. Because compartment-forming surface 53 is to be formed with one or more cavities 56, it is preferred that first porous web 15 be deformed in a manner corresponding to the contours of compartment-forming surface 53. Such deformation may take place prior to, simultaneous with, or after first porous web 15 is brought into contact with compartment-forming surface 53.
  • Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment wherein first porous web 15 is embossed by a male embossing roll 75 after it is brought into contact with the compartment-forming surface 53. Embossing roll 75 may be knobbed in a manner corresponding to the contours of compartment-forming surface 53, or alternatively may simply be a soft rubber roll which forces web 15 into the relieved areas of surface 53.
  • deforming web 15 is not critical, and in some circumstances might be accomplished simply by applying a surfficient vacuum force to the web 15 after it is brought into contact with surface 53 to pull portions of web 15 into the relieved areas thereof. Weight of deposited product in relieved areas may also help to complete this embossing process.
  • Turning roll 25 is illustrated only as an example of a means for bringing the first porous web 15 into contact with compartment-forming surface 53.
  • web gathering equipment might advantageously be incorporated to provide "slack" in the web in the machine and/or cross-machine direction.
  • Such web gathering equipment is commonly available in the industry and may be more desirable when porous web 15 is not easily deformable otherwise, or if web 15 if relatively easily punctured or perforated.
  • compartment-forming surface 53 will be continuously rotated in a clockwise direction so that, as illustrated in Figure 1, web 15 will be rotated beneath the feeder device 84 where a predetermined quantity of inner product P can be deposited on the upper surface thereof.
  • cavity 56 of inner product loading area 55 be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source prior to the deposition of inner product P.
  • Product P can be any product which is desired to be placed within a laminate sheet product and which can free-fall or be entrained in air or fluidized so that it behaves much like a liquid during deposition procedures (such free-falling product shall be hereinafter referred to as "fluidized" product for simplicity).
  • product P can behave like a liquid or fluid so that the combination vacuum and fluid pressure deposition control system of the subject invention can be most advantageously utilized.
  • product P is preferably a fibrous material or a comminuted or granular material.
  • Another advantage of the present invention is that granular material having a "sticky" or adhesive nature can conveniently be handled by this unique vacuum and fluid pressure deposition control system.
  • product P is supplied to compartment-forming apparatus 50 from hopper 80.
  • product P may be uniformly transported to a feeder device 84 via a conveying or metering device 82.
  • Conveying device 82 can be any of a number of commonly available conveying devices such as a vibrating conveyor, conveyor belt, or the like. Conveying device 82 may help prepare product P (e.g. by separating individual fibers or granules) so that it can behave substantially like fluid within feeder device 84 prior to its deposition on the upper surface of porous web 15. The fluidized product P falls through feeder device 84 and is deposited on the upper surface of the web 15. During such deposi- .
  • cavities 56 must be in fluid communication with a vacuum source, and apertures 59 must be placed in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid.
  • the porous web 15 acts as a filter to collect the fluidized product as the vacuum pulls it into cavity 56.
  • Product P builds up as a substantially uniform layer within a cavity 56 as best shown in Figure 5.
  • passageways 58 should be of sufficient size to enable a larger volume of air to pass inwardly therethrough than the total volume of air passing outwardly through apertures 59. This relationship is important because when the net force through the system is in an inward direction, the net force on the web 15 will be inwardly, thereby holding the web against compartment-forming surface 53 during the product deposition and lamination procedures, as described herein. Additionally, this inward net air flow helps to ensure that the product deposition proceudre is performed in a slight vacuum thereby controlling product P dust and minimizing potential waste of product P which might result therefrom if product P dust were to escape from the system into the ambient air.
  • the fluidized or airborne product P is "rained” or sprinkled onto the upper surface of web 15 at a predetermined rate via feeder device 82 and entry chute 84, and the vacuum source tends to attract the airborne product P to cavities 56 while the pressurized fluid (e.g. air) emanating from apertures 59 tends to repel the airborne product from peripheral land areas 57.
  • the pressurized fluid e.g. air
  • the exact pressures of the vacuum and pressurized fluid sources are not critical and may vary according to the physical characteristics of product P being deposited, amount of product to be deposited, rotational speed of compartment-forming surfacing 53, and other related factors. It is important to remember that the vacuum and gravity must create sufficient holding power through web 15 to attract and hold the deposited product P against its upper surface, and to overcome the resultant centrifugal forces created by the rotational movement of the forming surface 53 and the deposited product P. Fluid pressure emanating from land areas 57 must be sufficient to overcome gravity forces and adhesive characteristics of product P which is deposited over such land areas from entry chute 84. For example, it has been found that for square cavities which are nominally 1.5 inches (approx.
  • passageways 58 should be approximately 9.5 mm in diameter, and fluid and vacuum pressures can preferably range between 12 and 20 inches (between 305 and 508 mm) of water.
  • the stream of product P can be continuously and uniformly deposited via a feeder device 84. It is contemplated that product P might be dosed through feeder device 84 in either a gravimetric or volumetric manner (e.g. feedback monitoring systems might be used to control product deposition by weight). Additionally, if more than one product P is to be supplied, such individual products may be independently controlled and synchronized with either the rotational speed of forming surface 53 or the desired weight of finished product 18.
  • product P may be deposited uniformly over compartment-forming surface 53 in applications where a single product P is being deposited. This fact facilitates product deposition because no fancy patterns or method of precisely depositing the product in particular areas is needed. Fluid pressure emanating from apertures 59 continuously and automatically maintains peripheral land areas 57 substantially free of deposited product. It has been found, however, that if the cross-machine direction width of product P streams being deposited within product loading areas 55 is limited to a width less than the cross-machine width of cavities 56 into which product P is being deposited, fluid pressure emanating from apertures 59 located along the machine-direction land areas 57 can be minimized or even eliminated.
  • land areas 57 may be varied according to the particular forming surface details (as mentioned above), it has been found that maintenance of substantially deposit-free lands during deposition of product is best assured by making lands 57 at least .125 inches (3.17 mm) in width. This minimum width allows the outwardly flowing fluid pressure to create a "tunnel" along the length of the land areas 57 and insures sufficient outward flow of pressurized fluid through web 15 therealong to maintain the lands substantially free of deposited product.
  • inner product P may comprise granulated tea or coffee particles, granulated soap particles, cotton or paper fibers, super absorbent materials, or any other product which can behave substantially like a fluid, as described above.
  • Products having lesser densities may require additional vacuum flow to ensure the prompt settling and compaction of such product within cavities 56 during the product deposition procedure, and to overcome centrifical forces resulting from the rotational movement of the apparatus and deposited product P.
  • This unique combination of vacuum and fluid pressure deposition enables the continuous manufacture of porous laminated sheet products having one or more compartments containing a predetermined quantity of inner product therewithin at speeds much faster than were possible heretofore.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of compartment-forming surface 53 after first porous web 15 has been brought into contact therewith and deformed in a manner corresponding to cavities 56 thereof.
  • Figure 5 illustrates the same portion of compartment-forming surface 53 as illustrated in Figure 4, after product P has been deposited on the upper surface of web 15.
  • the vacuum communicating with cavities 56 via passageways 58 has attracted product P to the cavities 56, while pressurized fluid emanating from apertures 59 has tended to prevent product P from being deposited on the upper surfaces of web 15 over peripheral land areas 57.
  • the deposited product P within cavities 56 extends upwardly slightly in the areas adjacent peripheral land areas 57 forming peripheral high spots 90.
  • peripheral high spots 90 generally do not interfere with further manufacturing procedures, it is preferred that they be reduced somewhat prior to lamination procedures, especially where the upper laminate is to be a flat and/or non-stretchable sheet.
  • the web and its filled cavities are rotated beneath a doctoring mechanism 70 to reduce the peripheral high spots 90 prior to lamination of the second web to the upper surface of web 15.
  • Figure 6 illustrates the portion of compartment-forming surface 53 as shown in Figure 5 after peripheral high spots 90 have been substantially eliminated by the doctoring mechanism.
  • Doctoring mechanism 70 can comprise any means which could perform the necessary doctoring function; for example a blade, brush or air knife. It has been found that a substantially soft brush structure which need not necessarily touch the upper surface of web 15 over the peripheral land 57 performs adequately. This doctoring step should be completed while the vacuum is communicating with cavities 56 and pressurized fluid is emanating from apertures 59 to facilitate confining product P to cavities 56 as desired.
  • compartment-forming surface 53 continues to rotate in a clockwise direction and a second web of material is supplied and laminated to the upper surface of porous web 15 along the peripheral land areas 57 thereby forming one or more porous compartments sealed about their periphery.
  • upperweb 16 is supplied from an unwind roll 31 and moves through a standard dancer-type tension control system (rolls 32 through 34).
  • Figure 1 illustrates an adhesive printing system comprising an adhesive print roll 41, a corresponding pressure roll 42, an adhesive supply reservoir 44, and adhesive 43. It is contemplated that such adhesive 43 may be pattern printed (such as by a gravure type adhesive printing system) or generally applied to the surface of web 16 which is to be laminated to the upper surface of lower porous web 15.
  • the method of laminating upper web 16 to lower web 15 is not critical and may be accomplished by any of the various laminating methods known in the industry.
  • lamination can be achieved by adhesives (as illustrated), heat seal bonding, pressure sensitive bonding, high pressure bonding such as knurling, and the like.
  • the pressurized fluid emanating from the peripheral land areas 57 might be heated or include steam or the like to facilitate a heat seal or knurling bonding process.
  • FIG. 1 shows lamination roll 36 as an example of a means to accomplish such lamination.
  • Lamination roll 36 might be a male embossing-type laminator, or simply a soft pressure roll. It has been found that upper web 16 should be brought into a path tangential to forming surface 53 at some distance from surface 53 to minimize extraneous air currents which might be established if web 16 were turned around a turning roll near surface 53.
  • Figure 1 shows turning roll 35 as being located somewhat remotely from forming surface 53 to insure that any such extraneous air currents will not affect product deposited on the upper surface of web 15 prior to lamination with web 16.
  • the vacuum and pressurized fluid can be eliminated from acting upon the laminated sheet product.
  • the finished laminated sheet product 18 is removed from the compartment-forming apparatus (e.g. by turning roll 37) for further processing and/or packaging, as desired.
  • Figure 7 illustrates a plan view of an embodiment of a finished laminated sheet product 18 which has been partially broken away to show the detail of upper web 16, product P held within the discrete compartments of product 18, and lower porous web 15.
  • Figure 7 also illustrates laminated sheet product 18 as including more than one product P (P, and P 2 ) discretely compartmentalized therewithin.
  • Figure 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of the finished laminated sheet product 18 of Figure 7 which might be manufactured from the process and on the apparatus of the subject invention.
  • Height H of product 18 substantially corresponds to the depth of the forming cavity in the forming surface, as described.
  • Figure 9 illustrates a portion of an embodiment of another laminated sheet product 218 illustrating an alternate shape of the individual compartments therewithin.
  • Figure 9 illustrates a contemplated pouch product which might be used to form individual tea bags and the like on a high speed process and apparatus of the subject invention.
  • peripheral land areas formed in a pouch forming surface of the subject apparatus and method can be utilized to provide not only substantially deposit-free peripheral areas for connecting the upper and lower webs about the deposited product, but also to similarly provide predesignated areas free of deposited product which can be used for other pouch features such as simulating a tea leaf stem 258.
  • Tea leaf stem 258 could be conveniently created by pattern printing of appropriate adhesive as part of the lamination procedure for sheet product 218 to form a relatively rigid handle or "stirrer" for tea bags.
  • Perforations 259 might also be provided in laminated sheet product 218 to facilitate the separation of individual tea leaf pouches.
  • Figure 3 illustrates a pictorial perspective view of a particularly preferred example of the process and apparatus described herein for manufacturing pouches having upper and lower web members connected about their periphery and containing a predetermined dose of granular product.
  • the apparatus of Figure 3 includes the deposition of three separate products (P1, P2 and P3, respectively) into three rows of pouches to be formed in seriatim within a single laminated sheet product.
  • a porous lower web 115 is brought into contact with the outer periphery of pouch-forming surface 153.
  • a male embossing drum 125 embosses lower porous web 115 as it is brought into contact with pouch-forming surface 153.
  • a male embossing roll is not critical, and use of a soft rubber roll could equally be utilized, or lower web 115 could be formed in a manner corresponding to the contours of pouch-forming surface 153 prior to being brought into contact therewith.
  • Pouch-forming surface 153 is formed in a manner substantially identical to compartment-forming surface 53 illustrated in Figure 2 and described above. It is preferred that the vacuum and pressurized fluid sources (shown as 163 and 164, respectively) be brought into fluid communication with the cavities and apertures of pouch-forming surface 153 as lower web 115 is brought into contact therewith to facilitate holding the web against surface 153 as it is rotated.
  • hopper 180 includes two product dividers 185 which separate the respective products P1, P2 and P3 as they are conveyed toward the feeder chute 184 for deposition on the upper surface of lower web 115.
  • Rotating fluidizer 186 is shown as an example of a way in which the respective products might be made "airborne” or fluidized as they are fed into feeder chute 184. It is contemplated that dividers 185 might extend throughout hopper 180, fluidizier 186 and feeder chute 184 to maintain the separation of the products throughout the deposition procedure. It is also contemplated that fluidizer 186 might combine features of standard volumetric and/or gravimetric feeders to precisely and accurately control independently the deposited quantity of products P1, P2 and P3, respectively, during the deposition process.
  • Feeder chute 184 is shown as having a slight curve corresponding to the outer surface of pouch-forming surface 153 in order to provide the free-falling or fluidized products with a velocity component similar to that of rotating pouch-forming surface 153. Overall velocity of products to be deposited may be varied by precisely designing the vertical height and shape of feeder chute 184.
  • dividers 185 may be used to maintain separation of the individual products prior to deposition on the upper surface of lower web 115 in a predetermined pattern, if several of the products are incompatible with one another, it might also be desirable to increase the width of the peripheral land areas of pouch-forming surface 153 in the machine direction and/or add additional apertures and/or increase the fluid pressure emanating therefrom. Any of these variables may be adjusted to insure that such incompatible products remain isolated from one another.
  • the lowermost edge of feeder chute 184 may be formed as a doctor mechanism 170 to reduce peripheral high spots in the product deposited within the individual cavities of pouch-forming surface 153, as described above.
  • a second web 116 of pouch-forming material is supplied via unwind roll 131 and pattern printed with an appropriate adhesive 143 as it passes between the gravure-type adhesive printing roll 141 and pressure roll 142. Second web 116 is then tangentially brought into contact with the upper surface of first porous web 115 and laminated thereto along the peripheral land areas, thereby forming a laminated sheet product 118 comprising a plurality of pouches containing products P1, P2 and P3. The laminated sheet product 118 may thereafter be cut into individual products 119, as desired.
  • the number and size of individual compartments within a laminated sheet product made in accordance herewith may be varied as desired to accommodate a number of different products and/or different product volumes within a single compartmentalized laminated sheet product. Additionally, a plurality of similar vacuum and pressurized fluid product deposition systems, as described, could be combined in the process to achieve multi-stage or successive product deposition prior to lamination procedures.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
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Claims (25)

1. Vorrichtung zur Herstellung eines porösen, laminierten, bahnförmigen Produktes (18, 118) mit einem oberen und einem unteren, jeweils aus einer Bahn bestehenden Teil (15, 16, 115, 116), welche Teile längs ihres Umfanges miteinander verbunden sind, und wobei in diesem bahnförmigen Produkt wenigstens ein Fach ausgebildet ist, und wobei dieses bahnförmige Produkt in diesem Fach eine vorbestimmte Menge an innerem Produkt enthält, und wobei wenigstens einer dieser aus einer Bahn bestehenden Teile porös ist, welche Vorrichtung gekennzeichnet ist durch:
(a) eine fächerbildende Oberfläche (53, 153), welche wenigstens einen darin geformten Bereich (55) zum Beladen mit innerem Produkt aufweist, und welche weiterhin eine von Randstegbereichen (57) umgebene Kavität (56) umfaßt;
(b) einen Durchgang (58), der geeignet ist, die Kavität des Bereiches zum Beladen mit innerem Produkt mit einer Vakuumquelle derart in Fluidkommunikation zu bringen, daß an diese Kavität eine Saugkraft selektiv angelegt werden kann; und wobei
(c) in diesen Rangstegbereichen eine oder mehrere, durchgehende Öffnungen (59) ausgebildet sind, wobei diese Öffnungen geeignet sind, mit einer Quelle für unter Druck gesetztes Fluid selektiv in Fluidkommunikation gebracht zu werden, wodurch aus wenigstens einem Teil dieser Randstegbereiche eine nach außen gerichtete Fluidströmung ausströmen kann.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, worin die fächerbildende Oberfläche (53, 153) eine Mehrzahl von nebeneinander angeordneten Bereichen (55) zum Beladen mit innerem Produkt umfaßt, wobei jeder Bereich zum Beladen mit Produkt von den Randstegbereichen (57) umgeben und durch dieselben von benachbarten Bereichen zum Beladen mit innerem Produkt getrennt ist.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, worin die fächerbildende Oberfläche eine im wesentlichen rohrförmige Struktur (52) umfaßt, auf deren Außenseite die Bereiche (55) zum Beladen mit innerem Produkt und die Randstegbereiche (57) ausgebildet sind, wodurch rund um diese rohrförmige Struktur herum eine drehbare, fächerbildende Oberfläche (53) mit kontinuierlichem Muster geschaffen wird.
4. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, worin die Kavitäten zum Beladen mit Produkt für diese Fluidkommunikation mit einer üblichen Vakuumquelle geeignet sind.
5. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 4, worin die Öffnungen (59) der Randstegbereiche (57) für diese Fluidkommunikation mit einer üblichen Quelle für unter Druck gesetztes Fluid geeignet sind.
6. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 5, wobei in den Randstegbereichen (57) eine Mehrzahl dieser durchgehenden Öffnungen (59) ausgebildet ist, welche Öffnungen geeignet sind, mit einer Quelle für unter Druck gesetztes Fluid selektiv derart in Fluidkommunikation gebracht zu werden, daß aus diesen Öffnungen längs im wesentlichen der gesamten Längenerstreckung der Randstegbereiche eine nach außen gerichtete Fluidströmung ausströmen kann.
7. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 5, sofern dieser letztere von Anspruch 3 oder Anspruch 4 abhängig ist, wobei in den Randstegbereichen (57) eine Mehrzahl dieser durchgehenden Öffnungen ausgebildet ist, welche Öffnungen dazu geeignet sind, mit einer Quelle für unter Druck gesetztes Fluid selektiv derart in Fluidkommunikation gebracht zu werden, daß aus diesen Öffnungen eine nach außen gerichtete Fluidströmung nur längs jener Randstegbereiche ausströmen kann, welche in bezug auf die Drehung der beutelbildenden Oberfläche in der quer zur Laufrichtung verlaufenden Richtung ausgerichtet sind.
8. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, zur Herstellung von porösen Beuteln, welche geeignet sind, eine vorbestimmte Dosis eines körnigen Produktes aufzunehmen, in welcher Vorrichtung der Durchgang (58), der mit jeder der Kavitäten in Fluidkommunikation steht, jeweils mit dem Unterteil dieser Kavität verbunden ist.
9. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 8, worin dieser Durchgang (58) einen einzigen, mit einer Vakuumquelle verbundenen Vakuumkanal umfaßt.
10. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 9, worin dieser einzige Durchgang (58) zentral im Boden dieser Kavität angeordnet ist.
11. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 3 bis 10, für die kontinuierliche Herstellung dieses Produktes, welches eine vorbestimmte Menge an körnigem Produkt enthält, welche Vorrichtung umfaßt:
(a) Einrichtungen für die kontinuierliche Zufuhr der oberen und unteren, jeweils aus einer Bahn bestehenden Teile (21, 121, 31, 131);
(b) Einrichtungen für die Zufuhr von körnigem Produkt (P) für dessen selektive Ablagerung auf dem unteren, aus einer Bahn bestehenden Teil (21,121), wenn sich dieser untere, aus einer Bahn bestehende Teil mit der ein kontinuierliches Muster darstellenden, fächerbildenden Oberfläche (53, 153) in Berührung befindet; und
(c) Einrichtungen (41-44, 141-143) zum Laminieren des oberen, aus einer Bahn bestehenden Teiles (21, 121) mit dem unteren, aus einer Bahn bestehenden Teil (31, 131).
12. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 11, welche eine Abstreifeinrichtung (70) umfaßt, um eine übermäßige Ablagerung von Produkt in den neben den Randstegbereichen befindlichen Kavitäten zu verhindern.
13. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 12, worin die Abstreifeinrichtung (70) eine sich drehende, bürstenartige Struktur umfaßt.
14. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines porösen, laminierten, bahnförmigen Produktes, in welchem wenigstens ein Fach ausgebildet ist, und welches eine vorbestimmte Menge an innerem Produkt in diesem Fach enthält, welches Verfahren durch die folgenden Stufen gekennzeichnet ist:
(a) daß man eine erste, poröse Bahn (15) aus Material in Berührung mit einer fächerbildenden Oberfläche (53) bringt, wobei diese fächerbildende Oberfläche wenigstens eine Kavität (56) aufweist, welche geeignet ist, selektiv in Fluidkommunikation mit einer Vakuumquelle gebracht zu werden, wobei diese Kavität von Randstegbereichen (57) umgeben ist, in denen wenigstens eine Öffnung (59) ausgebildet ist, welche geeignet ist, selektiv in Fluidkommunikation mit einer Quelle für unter Druck gesetztes Fluid gebracht zu werden, wodurch aus wenigstens einem Teil dieser Randstegbereiche eine nach außen gerichtete Fluidströmung ausströmen kann;
(b) daß man eine Menge von innerem Produkt auf der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn derart ablagert, daß die Vakuumquelle die Tendenz zeigt, dieses innere Produkt gegen die Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn in der Kavität zu halten, während das unter Druck gesetzte Fluid die Tendenz zeigt, eine Ablagerung dieses inneren Produktes auf der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn in den Randstegbereichen zu verhindern; und
(c) daß man eine zweite Bahn (16) aus Material zuführt und die Unterseite dieser zweiten Bahn mit der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn längs der Randstegbereiche laminiert, so daß ein oder mehrere, poröse Fächer gebildet werden, die um ihren Rand herum dicht verschlossen sind.
15. Verfahren nach Anspruch 14, welches die zusätzliche Stufe des Verformens der ersten, porösen Bahn aus Material auf eine Art und Weise umfaßt, welche den Konturen der fächerbildenden Oberfläche entspricht, wobei diese Formgebungsstufe abgeschlossen ist, noch bevor das körnige Produkt auf der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn abgelagert wird.
16. Verfahren nach Anspruch 14 oder 15, wobei dieses Verfahren kontinuierlich ist, und wobei die erste Bahn und die zweite Bahn von kontinuierlichen Vorratswalzen abgezogen werden.
17. Verfahren nach Anspruch 16, wobei die fächerbildende Oberfläche auf einer drehbaren, im wesentlichen rohrförmigeh Struktur geformt wird, so daß eine kontinuierliche Formgebung auf dieser rohrförmigen Struktur ermöglicht wird, wobei die erste, poröse Bahn mit dieser Formgebungsoberfläche längs eines Teiles einer solchen kontinuierlichen Drehung in Berührung gebracht wird, und wobei das innere Produkt auf einem nachfolgenden Punkt innerhalb einer solchen Drehung abgelagert wird.
18. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 14 bis 17, bei welchem eine Mehrzahl von inneren Produkten auf der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn derart abgelagert wird, daß die Vakuumquelle die Tendenz zeigt, die betreffenden Produkte in der Kavität gegen die erste, poröse Bahn zu halten.
19. Verfahren nach Anspruch 18, bei welchem die fächerbildende Oberfläche eine Mehrzahl von nebeneinander angeordneten Kavitäten umfaßt, wobei jede Kavität von den Randstegbereichen umgeben und durch dieselben von benachbarten Kavitäten getrennt ist, und bei welchem die inneren Produkte auf der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn in einem vorbestimmten Muster derart abgelagert werden, daß sie von der Vakuumquelle gegen die Oberseite der Bahn in vorbestimmten Kavitäten gehalten werden.
20. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 15 bis 19, bei welchem die Stufe des Verformens der ersten, porösen Bahn aus Material gleichzeitig mit dem Inberührungbringen der ersten, porösen Bahn mit der fächerbildenden Oberfläche abgeschlossen wird.
21. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 14 bis 19, bei welchem wenigstens ein Fach einen Beutel umfaßt, und das innere Produkt körnig ist.
22. Verfahren nach Anspruch 21, welches weiterhin die Stufe des Eliminierens von Erhöhungen aus dem auf der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn in der Kavität neben den Randstegbereichen abgelagerten Produkt umfaßt.
23. Verfahren nach Anspruch 22, wobei das unter Druck gesetzte Fluid ein Gas ist, und wobei die dicht verschlossenen, laminierten Beutel gewünschtenfalls voneinander getrennt werden.
24. Verfahren nach Anspruch 23, bei welchem die Mehrzahl der körnigen Produkte in dem vorbestimmten Muster auf der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn gleichzeitig abgelagert wird.
25. Verfahren nach Anspruch 23, bei welchem die Mehrzahl der körnigen Produkte in einem vorbestimmten Muster nacheinander, und der Reihe nach, auf der Oberseite der ersten, porösen Bahn abgelagert wird.
EP85201973A 1984-11-28 1985-11-26 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung poröser Beutel, gefüllt mit einem granularen Gut Expired EP0188832B1 (de)

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US675804 1984-11-28
US06/675,804 US4638907A (en) 1984-11-28 1984-11-28 Laminated laundry product
US728070 1985-04-29
US06/728,070 US4571924A (en) 1985-04-29 1985-04-29 Method and apparatus of manufacturing porous pouches containing granular product

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JP2863714B2 (ja) * 1995-03-15 1999-03-03 シーケーディ株式会社 カバーフィルム供給装置
EP1360110B2 (de) 2001-01-31 2022-07-27 The Procter & Gamble Company Verfahren zur herstellung von beuteln
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DE10162647A1 (de) * 2001-12-20 2003-07-10 Henkel Kgaa Detergenz-haltige Portion
DE202004006442U1 (de) * 2004-04-23 2004-07-01 Hackforth Gmbh Membrankupplung in kompakter Bauweise
DE102005060179A1 (de) * 2005-12-14 2007-06-21 Henkel Kgaa Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Folientaschen
US10702894B2 (en) 2016-06-24 2020-07-07 The Procter & Gamble Company Seal cleaner and process for soluble unit dose pouches containing granular composition
MX2020010992A (es) * 2018-04-19 2021-01-29 Church & Dwight Co Inc Aparato, sistema y metodo para llenar un paquete con camaras.
CN113316509B (zh) * 2019-01-22 2023-09-29 雷克特本克斯尔菲尼施公司 形成自动洗碗袋的方法、真空形成系统以及袋
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EP0220904A2 (de) 1985-10-21 1987-05-06 The Procter & Gamble Company Produkt aus orientiertem Verbundpapier zur besseren Weichmachung von Geweben

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EP0188832A3 (en) 1987-07-01
DE3573243D1 (en) 1989-11-02
CA1299994C (en) 1992-05-05
JPH0794241B2 (ja) 1995-10-11
JPS61190406A (ja) 1986-08-25

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