EP0912327A1

EP0912327A1 - Method and device for making packaging bags and resulting bags

Info

Publication number: EP0912327A1
Application number: EP98904223A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Henri Georges Bois
Original assignee: Flexico France SARL
Current assignee: Flexico France SARL
Priority date: 1997-01-29
Filing date: 1998-01-27
Publication date: 1999-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 2018-01-27
Also published as: ATE263021T1; JP2000508595A; FR2758761B1; US6343455B2; NZ332093A; BR9805961A; AU6218698A; US6261000B1; CA2250365C; DE69822755D1; AU725034B2; US20010023569A1; FR2758761A1; DK0912327T3; CA2250365A1; WO1998032593A1; US20010023571A1; US6339911B2; JP4473347B2; DE69822755T2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing packaging bags having lateral bellows, the method being characterized by the fact that it comprises the steps of forming respective cutouts (150, 160) in each of the two lateral, bellows-forming zones of a packaging bag sheet (100) so that the bag has only two thicknesses superposed at the mouth of said bellows, at least over a portion of its width; and heat-sealing (184, 186) the adjacent edges of the sheet to the peripheries of the cutouts (150, 160) to close the bag. The invention also provides apparatus for implementing the method and bags obtained thereby.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING PACKAGING BAGS AND BAGS OBTAINED

The present invention relates to the field of packaging bags. Many packaging bags and many systems for the manufacture of these have already been proposed.

For thin bags, generally flat, in the filled state, the known means are generally satisfactory. In this case, the bags are most often formed from two flat sheets welded together on three sides and provided with closing means, for example complementary male / female profiles at the mouth of the bags.

However, so far the production of sachets intended to receive thick content, whatever its nature, has not been entirely satisfactory, although much research has been conducted in this very particular field.

In particular, such bags often require delicate side gussets to produce.

Illustrated in FIG. 1 appended, in a schematic manner, a known technique for producing bags with lateral bellows by introduction of bellows 10 precut between two sheets 12 and 14 constituting the two main faces of the bags, at 90 ° from the direction of travel S of these leaves. Said sheets 12, 14 are provided with longitudinal male / female closure sections 13, 15. Preferably the bellows

10 have a variable width, increasing away from the closure sections 13, 15 to allow the bags to be inflated. This known technique certainly makes it possible to produce packaging bags with side gussets. However, it turns out to be quite complex. In particular, the need to introduce the bellows 10 at 90 ° from the direction of travel of the sheets 12, 14 does not allow high production rates and requires perfect synchronism between the travel of the sheets 12, 14 and the introduction of the bellows 10 .

Document FR-A-2 686 063 describes another technique for manufacturing bellows packaging bags which consists in preforming a bag with side gussets, split the bag over part of its length along the outer fold lines of the bellows, fold down on the outside of the bag, flaps thus delimited, deposit closure profiles on these flaps, reform the bag and weld the closing profiles on said flaps put in place This technique is not however entirely satisfactory, given its complexity

The Applicant has also described several alternative solutions for manufacturing packaging bags with side gussets in its French patent application No. 96 02389 filed on February 27, 1996 The present invention now aims to improve the means of manufacturing packaging bags. known side bellows packaging

This object is achieved in the context of the present invention by a method of manufacturing packaging bags characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in - forming a notch respectively in each of the two zones forming lateral bellows of a sheet of packaging bag so that the bag has only two thicknesses superimposed at the mouth of said bellows, at least over part of its width, and

- weld the contiguous edges of the sheet on the periphery of the notches to close the bag

The present invention also relates to a device for implementing this method, as well as the sachets obtained.

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, and with reference to the appended drawings, given by way of nonlimiting example and in which

- The figure, 1 previously described schematically represents a conventional technique for manufacturing packaging bags with side gussets, - Figure 2 represents a first step of a process according to the present invention consisting in making two Z-folds on a film ,

FIG. 3 represents a cross-sectional view of the same film, FIG. 4 represents a view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrates the portion of film removed to form notches,

FIG. 5 represents a flat view of the same film provided with notches,

FIG. 5a represents a similar flat view of a variant of film according to the present invention provided with notches,

- And Figures 6 to 9 shows four successive steps of the bag formation process according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a film 100 provided with two Z-folds, 110, 120, parallel to the longitudinal direction D of the film 100. The two Z-folds 110 and 120 can be formed by any suitable means.

Preferably, they are each formed by two blades 200 and 202, respectively 200 and 204, partially overlapping in overlap as illustrated in FIG. 3 to form a baffle in which the film 100 is engaged.

The folds 110 and 120 are intended to form the side bellows of the bag once it is finished.

Thus, after completion of the folds 110 and 120, the film illustrated in FIG. 2 has a flat main face 130, intended to form a main face of the bag after its completion. This main face 130 is extended on either side, on its longitudinal edges, by first longitudinal flaps 112 and 122 themselves extended by second longitudinal flaps 114 and 124. The flaps 112 and 114 form the fold 110. The flaps 122 and 124 form the fold '120. The flaps 112 and 122 are connected to the main face 130 by fold lines 111 and 121. The flaps 112 and 122 are folded towards the middle of the face 130 from the lines of folding 111 and 121 so that they are underlying the main face 130. The flaps 114 and 124 are connected to the flaps 112 and 122 by fold lines 113 and 123. The flaps 114 and 124 extend towards the exterior from the fold lines 113 and 123. The flaps 114 and 124 also have widths identical to the flaps 1 12 and 122 so that they are respectively underlying and superimposed thereon. Finally, each of the flaps 114 and 124 is extended outwards by sections auxiliaries 140 and 142. These auxiliary sections 140 and 142 are intended to form in combination the second main face of the sachets. Preferably as shown in FIG. 2, the two sections 140 and 142 have identical widths. However, this condition is not imperative. The main thing is that the sections 140 and 142 have a cumulative width slightly greater than the face 130 to form the second face of the bag after having been connected by their free external longitudinal edge, as will be seen below with reference to the figure. 8.

At the end of the step of forming the folds 110 and 120 illustrated in FIG. 2, the flaps 114 and 124 are substantially coplanar with the sections 140 and 142. The flaps 114 and 124 are connected to the sections 140 and 142 by lines 115 and 125

As indicated above according to an essential characteristic of the present invention, the bag-forming method comprises a step of cutting at regular intervals two notches 150, 160 in each of the zones intended to form the side bellows

The surfaces of material removed to form these notches 150 and 160 are shown hatched in Figure 4

These notches 150 and 160 appear in the deployed state in FIG. 5

Finally the notches 150 and 160 appear in their real configuration within the folds 110 and 120 in FIG. 6

The notches 150 and 160 can be formed in the film 100 before the pleats 110 and 120 are produced. In this case, they initially have the geometry illustrated in FIG. 5.

However preferably the notches 150 and 160 are formed after completion of the folds 110 and 120. The notches 150 and 160 can be made in the film 100 by any suitable means. Preferably the notches 150 and 160 are produced using the blade 200 as an anvil for the cutting punch, in order to preserve the face 130 of the film.

The configuration of the notches 150 and 160 can be the subject of various variants Preferably the notches 150 and 160 extend between the lines

111 and 115 on the one hand and 121 and 125 on the other hand as illustrated in the figure

5 However, as a variant, as illustrated in FIG. 5b, the notches

150 and 160 can be formed back from the lines 111 and 115, 121 and 125 above, as illustrated in Figure 5bιs

More precisely still as illustrated in the appended figures preferably each notch 150 and 160 is delimited by two longitudinal edges 152, 154 and 162, 164 and two transverse edges 156, 158 and 166, 168 The longitudinal edges 152, 154 and 162, 164 are rectilinear and coincide respectively with the lines 11 1, 115, 121 and 125 according to FIG. 5, which themselves correspond to the final external generators of the side bellows In the folded state illustrated in FIG. 6, the two edges 152 and 154, 162 and 164 respectively are superimposed The transverse edge 156, 166 closest to the mouth of the bags is preferably straight and transverse to the longitudinal direction D of the film 100

The second transverse edge 158, 168 closest to the bottom of the sachets is preferably non-rectilinear, concave towards the mouth of the sachets. More precisely still, this second transverse edge 158, 168 is preferably formed by a dihedron composed of two sections. rectilinear 158a and 158b, 168a and 168b The two aforementioned sections 158a and 158b, 168a and 168b respectively constituting one of the second transverse edges 158 and 168 are preferably of identical length They extend respectively on one of the flaps 112 and 114, 122 and 124 Thus the sections 158a and 158b, 168a and 168b intersect on the center fold line 113, 123

By way of nonlimiting example, the inclination of the sections 158a and 158b, 168a and 168b with respect to a line transverse to the longitudinal direction D is of the order of 15 °, so that the angle of the dihedron formed by the sections 158a and 158b, 168a and 168b is around 150 °

The generally flat film 100, provided with the two Z folds 110, 120 and equipped with the two notches 150 160 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5bιs is preferably directed to a conventional "filling, filling and closing" machine for the production of sachets

Such machines are often called FFS, corresponding to the initials of the English expression "Form, Fill and Seal machine". Many machines of this type have already been proposed.

Most of these machines include a forming neck which receives the film in the flat state as input and provides the film shaped tube as an outlet, a filling chute which opens into this forming neck and consequently into said tube, longitudinal welding means for closing the tube longitudinally and means capable of sequentially generating a first transverse weld before a product is introduced into the tube by the filler neck, then a second transverse weld when the product has been introduced into the tube, to close a bag around the latter The general structure of these machines being well known to those skilled in the art, this structure will not be described in detail later

It will be noted that preferably in the context of the present invention, complementary closure profiles 170 male / female are deposited on the film 100 at the mouth of a bag, transverse to the longitudinal direction D, before the film 100 is not routed on the forming neck of the FFS machine as illustrated in FIG. 7

More precisely still the closure sections 170 are placed against the main face 130, opposite the notches 150 and 160, that is to say between the transverse edges 156 and 158, respectively 166 and 168

The length of the closure sections 170 is preferably equal to the width of the main face 130, i.e. the distance separating the fold lines 111 and 121

After their installation on the film 100, the profiles 170 are immobilized in position on the film 100 by any appropriate means. Preferably after their installation, the profiles 170 are only initially fixed by their ends on the film 100 by means of a weld by points The fixing of the profiles 170 over their entire length on the internal face of the faces principal of the bag is ensured subsequently, preferably during the production of transverse welds which will be described below with reference to FIG. 9 The fixing of the sections 170 by spot welding at their ends can moreover be accompanied of a spot weld of the lateral edges of the sachet, facing the folds 110, 120, at the level of the future transverse weld zones illustrated in FIG. 9, to fix the aforementioned folds and avoid their deformation during the subsequent routing from the film 100

However, as a variant, it is possible to envisage welding at least one of the sections 170 on the film 100 over its entire length as soon as it is installed.

The aforementioned spot welding means are preferably adjustable over the length of the film 100 in order to allow them to be precisely adjusted with respect to the zones corresponding subsequently to the transverse welds and to the length of the sachets sought. Of course it is also necessary to synchronize with the instants for controlling these spot welding means with the movement of the film 100 are careful, since the instants for controlling these spot welding means control both the location of the corresponding welding zones and the pitch of these zones. closure profiles 170 at their ends and, where appropriate, the point fixing of the folds 110 and 120 makes it possible to facilitate the subsequent routing of the film 100 and also makes it possible to facilitate the subsequent production of the welds illustrated in FIG. 9, in particular thanks to the crushing resulting from the ends of the profiles 170 The pre spot welding means cited may be broadly consistent with the means described in document FR-A-2 638 419

As a variant, the fixing of the closure profiles 170 and the temporary fixing by points of the folds 110 and 120 can be carried out not by thermal welding, but by any equivalent means, such as for example by static discharge or partial bonding. The means designed to deposit the closure profiles 170 on the film 100 transversely to the longitudinal direction D of the film 100 can be the subject of numerous embodiments.

By way of nonlimiting examples, these means may comply with the means described in documents US-A-4617683, US-A- 4655862, US-A-4666536, US-A-4701361, US-A-4709398, US -A-4878987, US-A-4844759, US-A-4929225, US-A-4 909017 and US-A-5111643

Once the folds 110, 120 have been made and the closure profiles 170 have been placed and at least provisionally fixed, the entire film 100 illustrated in FIG. 7 is directed towards the forming neck of an FFS machine, as indicated above.

Where appropriate, specific means can be provided at this forming neck to facilitate its crossing, in particular by the folds 110, 120 To this end, it is possible, for example, to provide additional windows on the forming neck to receive the folds 110 and 120

At the exit from the forming neck, the film 100 is conformed to the tubular state as illustrated in FIG. 8 The external free edges 141 and 143 of the sections 140 and 142 are then joined and welded in a conventional manner per se, using the means of the aforementioned longitudinal welding of the FFS machine

The tubular film is then filled with its content thanks to the filling chute provided for this purpose.

Then the tubular film is conveyed opposite the welding means provided to ensure the welds illustrated in FIG. 9 It is thus produced at the level of these welding means preferably

- two transverse welds parallel to each other 180, 182 on the one hand and

- a weld 184, 186 on the periphery of the notches 150, 160

One of the transverse welds 180 coincides with the transverse edge 156, 166 of the notches This transverse weld 180 is intended to form the bottom of a sachet It ensures the connection of four thicknesses of film at the level of the lateral bellows (the two faces and the side bellows) and two thicknesses of film between these bellows (corresponding to the main faces)

The other transverse weld 182 is produced between the transverse edges 156 and 158, respectively 166 and 168 of the notches. This transverse weld 182 is intended to form the mouth of a bag.

It connects the two main faces

Once the welds 180 and 182 have been made, a transverse rectilinear cutting line 181 can be made between them to separate two adjacent bags. The welds 184 and 186 are each formed by two sections.

184a and 184b, 186a and 186b, which respectively cover the longitudinal edges 152, 154 and 162, 164 on the one hand and the transverse edges 158 and 168 on the other hand of the notches

Thus the welds 184, 182 and 186 which intersect make it possible to ensure a perfect seal on the mouth of the bags. More precisely, the sections 184a and 186a ensure the connection of the outer edges of the two main faces of the bag while the sections

184b and 186b provide the connection between the edges 158a, 158b on the one hand and

168a, 168b on the other hand The method according to the present invention has the fundamental advantage of limiting the welds 184, 182 and 186 to two thicknesses of film, in particular at the place of fixing of the closure sections 170, while the most conventional methods must perform the welds on four film thicknesses at the side bellows Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described, but extends to all variants conforming to its mind

For example, sachets can be produced using a film of the type illustrated in FIG. 7 comprising notches 150, 160 and closure profiles 170, without directing this film on a forming, filling and closing machine as indicated previously The film is then conformed to the tubular state by any suitable conventional means In the context of the present invention, the film 100 can be the subject of numerous variants. It is preferably a thermoplastic film. However, the invention can extend to any flexible film capable of constituting a packaging sachet. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that if in the case illustrated in FIG. 5 where the longitudinal edges 152, 154, 162, 164 of the notches 150 and 160 coincide with the fold lines 111, 115, 121 and 125 , the welds 184a and 186a are produced on two thicknesses of film, on the other hand when the longitudinal edges 152, 154, 162, 164 of the notches 150 and 160 are formed back from the fold lines 111, 115, 121, 125, the welds 184a, 186a are produced at least in part in four superimposed thicknesses of film. It is the same for an end portion of the transverse welds 180, 182. The welds 184a, 186a can moreover be produced at least partially behind the fold lines 111, 115, 121, 125 as illustrated in the figure. 9. The variant embodiment of the notches illustrated in FIG. 5a makes it possible to improve the lateral tightness of the bags.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing packaging bags with lateral bellows characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in - forming a notch (150, 160) respectively in each of the two zones forming lateral bellows of a sheet (100) of a packaging bag so that the bag has only two thicknesses superimposed at the mouth of said bellows, at least over part of its width, and - welding (184, 186) the contiguous edges of the sheet on the periphery notches (150, 160) to close the bag

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the step of making two Z-folds (1 10, 120) parallel to the longitudinal direction (D) of the film (100)

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the Z-folds (110, 120) are each formed by two blades (200, 202, 200, 204) partially superimposed overlapping to form a baffle in which is engaged the film (100)

4. Method according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the notches (150, 160) are made after the folds (110, 120)

5. Method according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the notches (150, 160) are made before the folds (110, 120)

6. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the notches (150 and 160) are produced by using a blade (200) for forming a pleat as an anvil for a cutting punch, in order to preserve a face (130) of the movie

7. Method according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that after completion of the folds (110, 120), the film has a flat main face (130) extended on either side, on its longitudinal edges , by first longitudinal flaps (112, 122) themselves extended by second longitudinal flaps (114, 124) in turn extended outwards by auxiliary sections (140, 142)

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each notch (150, 160) is delimited by two longitudinal edges (152, 154 and 162, 164) rectilinear and coinciding respectively with the external generatrices of the bellows lateral, a transverse edge (156, 166) straight and transverse to the longitudinal direction (D) of the film (100) and a second transverse edge (158, 168) non-rectilinear, concave towards the mouth of the sachets.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each notch (150, 160) is delimited by two longitudinal edges (152, 154 and 162, 164) rectilinear located respectively set back from the external generators of the bellows lateral, a transverse edge (156, 166) straight and transverse to the longitudinal direction (D) of the film (100) and a second transverse edge (158, 168) non-rectilinear, concave towards the mouth of the sachets.

10. Method according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the second transverse edge (158, 168) is formed by a dihedral composed of two rectilinear sections (158a and 158b, 168a and 168b).

11. Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the film (100), provided with two Z-folds (110, 120) and equipped with two notches (150, 160) is shaped on a machine training, filling and closing.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the forming, filling and closing machine comprises a forming neck which receives the film (100) in the planar state and provides the film-shaped tube as output, a filling chute which opens into this forming neck and therefore into said tube, longitudinal welding means for closing the tube longitudinally and means capable of sequentially generating transverse welds to close a bag.

13. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises the step of depositing closure profiles (170) complementary male / female on the film (100) at from the mouth area of a bag, transverse to the longitudinal direction D, opposite the notches (150 and 160).

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the profiles (170) are initially immobilized in position on the film (100) by spot welding at their ends.

15. The method of claim 2, characterized in that the folds (110, 120) are fixed by a spot weld at the future areas of transverse welds.

16. Method according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it comprises the step consisting in carrying out:

- two transverse welds parallel to each other (180, 182), one which coincides with a transverse edge (156, 166) of the notches to form the bottom of a bag, the other carried out between the transverse edges (156 and 158 , 166 and 168) notches to form the mouth of a sachet and - additional welds (184, 186) each formed of two sections (184a and 184b, 186a and 186b), which respectively cover longitudinal edges (152, 154 and 162, 164) on the one hand and transverse edges (158 and 168) on the other hand of the notches.

17. The method of claim 16, characterized in that a straight cutting line (181) is formed between the two transverse welds (156, 166) to separate two adjacent sachets.

18. Machine for manufacturing packaging bags with side gussets for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that it comprises: - means capable of forming a notch (150, 160) respectively in each of the two zones forming lateral bellows of a sheet (100) of packaging bag so that the bag has only two thicknesses superimposed at the mouth of said bellows, at least over part of its width , and - means capable of welding (184, 186) the contiguous edges of the sheet on the periphery of the notches (150, 160) to close the bag.

19. Machine according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises means capable of producing two Z-folds (110, 120) parallel to the longitudinal direction (D) of the film (100).

20. Machine according to claim 19, characterized in that it comprises two _ blades (200, 202, 200, 204) partially superimposed in overlap to form a baffle in which the film (100) is engaged to form the folds ( 110, 120).

21. Machine according to claim 20, characterized in that an anvil-shaped fold-forming blade (200) for a cutting punch when producing the notches (150, 160), in order to preserve a face (130) of the film.

22. Machine according to one of claims 18 to 21 characterized in that each notch (150, 160) is delimited by two longitudinal edges (152, 154 and 162, 164) rectilinear and coinciding respectively with the external generators of the side bellows , a transverse edge (156, 166) rectilinear and transverse to the longitudinal direction (D) of the film (100) and a second transverse edge (158, 168) non-rectilinear, concave towards the mouth of the sachets.

23. Machine according to one of claims 18 to 21 characterized in that each notch (150, 160) is delimited by two longitudinal edges (152, 154 and 162, 164) rectilinear located respectively set back from the external generators of the side bellows , a transverse edge (156, 166) rectilinear and transverse to the longitudinal direction (D) of the film (100) and a second transverse edge (158, 168) non-rectilinear, concave towards the mouth of the sachets.

24. Machine according to one of claims 22 or 23, characterized in that the second transverse edge (158, 168) is formed by a dihedral composed of two rectilinear sections (158a and 158b, 168a and 168b).

25. Machine according to one of claims 18 to 24, characterized in that it constitutes a forming, filling and closing machine.

26. Machine according to one of claims 18 to 25, characterized in that it comprises a forming neck which receives the film as input (100) in the planar state and provides at the output the film shaped into a tube, a filling chute which opens into this forming neck and consequently into said tube, longitudinal welding means for closing the longitudinal tube _. alement and means capable of sequentially generating transverse welds to close a bag.

27. Machine according to one of claims 18 to 26, characterized in that it further comprises means capable of depositing closure profiles (170) complementary male / female on the film (100) at the area mouth of a bag, transverse to the longitudinal direction D, opposite the notches (150 and 160).

28. Machine according to claim 27, characterized in that it comprises means capable of initially immobilizing the profiles (170) in position on the film (100) by spot welding at their ends.

29. Machine according to one of claims 18 to 28, characterized in that it comprises means capable of fixing the folds (110, 120) by spot welding at the level of future areas of transverse welds.

30. Machine according to one of claims 18 to 29, characterized in that it comprises welding means capable of producing:

31. Machine according to claim 30, characterized in that it comprises means capable of producing a rectilinear cutting line (181) between the two transverse welds (156, 166) to separate two adjacent sachets.

32. Packaging bag with side gussets produced by implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 17.

33. Bag according to claim 32 characterized in that it comprises a notch (150, 160) respectively in each of the two zones forming lateral bellows and a weld (184, 186) on the periphery of the notches (150, 160) for close the bag.