Classifications

• • 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
  • B65B11/00—Wrapping, e.g. partially or wholly enclosing, articles or quantities of material, in strips, sheets or blanks, of flexible material
  • B65B11/54—Wrapping by causing the wrapper to embrace one end and all sides of the contents, and closing the wrapper onto the opposite end by forming regular or irregular pleats

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a novel method for wrapping horticultural products, specifically horticultural products of round shapes tending to a spherical configuration, such as, for example, Iceberg-type lettuces, which packaging is achieved with a plastic sheet such as, for example, a sheet of polypropylene or polyethylene which is preferably perforated.
• the method recommended aims to achieve mechanisation of the covering operation such as is known from US-A-4 525 983 and GB-A-2 214 154 and, consequently, with a high operating rate, to achieve such packaging under conditions of intimate adaptation of the cover sheet to the horticultural product in question without the product suffering damage, due to the actual wrapping operation, which may become apparent immediately or after a period of time.
• sheet-type plastic wrapper which, as stated previously, is generally perforated polypropylene and forms an integral covering for each product unit.
• wrapping of these products is currently performed manually, specifically by using bags of a volume size suitable for the type of product in question, which bags, after receiving the product in their inside, are manually adapted to the product by their opening being closed with the collaboration of adhesive strips suitably fastened to the bag after folding over thereof.
• phase of shrinking which is valid in certain cases, but in others, such as, for example, in the case of lettuces, a field to which the method of the invention is especially applicable, such a phase of shrinking cannot be applied since this would damage the product, whose outer leaves blacken after a very short period of time and as a result of the heat applied thereto during heat shrinkage, and this would occur before they reached the consumer, who would reject them.
• the method proposed by the invention provides a completely satisfactory solution to the problem set forth above such that, permitting optimum mechanisation of the method, the plastic wrapper sheet is perfectly adapted to the horticultural product in question and is perfectly fastened to the latter without the product suffering the least damage.
• said method begins with the use of a plastic sheet, preferably of perforated polypropylene, preferably of quadrangular configuration and also preferably obtained by cutting from a reel or continuous web, said plastic sheet being applied aver the product via the centre point of the sheet and opposite the stalk of said product, it being adapted immediately and progressively to the entire surface of said product until said sheet is drawn aver or is folded over on itself in the zone corresponding to the stalk and beyond the latter.
• a plastic sheet preferably of perforated polypropylene, preferably of quadrangular configuration and also preferably obtained by cutting from a reel or continuous web, said plastic sheet being applied aver the product via the centre point of the sheet and opposite the stalk of said product, it being adapted immediately and progressively to the entire surface of said product until said sheet is drawn aver or is folded over on itself in the zone corresponding to the stalk and beyond the latter.
• the folding-over of the plastic sheet is temporarily kept in this zone by any means such as, for example, with the collaboration of a diaphragm-type jaw, and immediately afterwards the excess material of the plastic sheet is removed by means of a blade, shears or by any other suitable means, with simultaneous supply of heat, that is to say the cutting element being suitably heated.
• the horticultural products such as, for example, Iceberg-type lettuces
• a conveyor belt where they will be individually and uniformly distributed and via which they will be fed, also individually and sequentially, to a work zone to which the plastic sheet of polypropylene, polyethylene or any other suitable product in question will simultaneously gain access in the form of a continuous web.
• the product unit will be pushed against the corresponding sector of plastic film which, in turn, will be suitably cut so that as product and plastic sheet pass via the annular brush said plastic sheet is progressively and perfectly adapted to the surface of the product until the zone close to the edges of the plastic sheet is drawn over a paint of the periphery of the product, specifically the zone corresponding to the stalk thereof, at which moment a jaw, preferably of the diaphragm type, which temporarily and suitably stabilises the plastic sheet with respect to the product, acts on this zone.
• a jaw preferably of the diaphragm type
• the elements which are acting on the product may be displaced to a second work zone, for example by means of a rotation through 180°, and in this second work zone the cutting/welding operation will take place by means of a heated cutting element, so that, in this second work zone, the excess plastic sheet is removed while a wide central sector forming the greater part thereof is perfectly adapted to the product and fastened to the latter they actual self-fastening via the folding edges thereof defined on the cutting plane.
• the product will be released in order, via the corresponding collection ramp, to gain access to any type of collector or the packaging boxes, where the product is ready for transportation or distribution.
• the materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements may be varied.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packaging Of Special Articles (AREA)
• Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
• Thermotherapy And Cooling Therapy Devices (AREA)
• Details Of Cutting Devices (AREA)
• Wrappers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=8273717

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1991
  • 1991-10-03 ES ES9102187A patent/ES2049595B1/es not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1992
  • 1992-10-02 EP EP19920500126 patent/EP0536079B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-10-02 DE DE1992600227 patent/DE69200227T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1992-10-05 MX MX9205695A patent/MX9205695A/es unknown

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