EP2015996B2 - Packing machine, in particular encompassing a deep drawing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Proposed is a packing machine (1), in particular a roller or deep drawing machine, tray sealing machine or the like with components which have to be cleaned regularly, in which machine the cleaning of the components to be cleaned is improved. This object is achieved in that the packing machine (1) comprises a fluid supply unit (16) for providing at least one cleaning fluid.

Description

The invention relates to a packaging machine for packaging packaged goods, in particular comprising a thermoforming machine, according to the preamble of claim 1.

State of the art

Packaging machines, such as in the EP 1 403 187 A1 are often used in the packaging of food in use and then have to meet high hygienic requirements. In particular, such machines are regularly cleaned and disinfected to reliably prevent contamination of the language to be packaged by residues or germs from the packaging machine.

An essential element of the packaging machine is a thermoforming or shell molding machine by means of which e.g. From film webs and a corresponding mold containers are formed, which are then filled with the packaged goods to be packaged and sealed. Such machines or devices may consist of several parts. For example, an upper and a lower forming tool, between which the usually withdrawn from a roll film is pulled in the transport direction and formed with them to a cup-shaped receptacle for the packaged packaged, preferably in clamping position.

To carry out such a thermoforming or shaping operation, the thermoforming or shaping device may comprise further elements, such as one or more heat sources to preheat the deep-drawn film for the molding process, a lower and an upper, the shell-shaped container to be molded Mold-forming die, fluid line connections for applying the molding device with negative pressure and / or overpressure, for example, to bring the film as well as possible with a die to the plant, especially in the corner areas, and optionally one or more ports for loading the molded container with a matched to the packaged packaged fluid for positive effects on its durability and / or its optical appearance in the packaged state. Optionally, the matrices can also be designed as insert elements which can be connected to corresponding receptacles in order to be able to form, for example, a plurality of differently shaped packaging containers by simply exchanging such insert elements with a set consisting of an upper and a lower part of the thermoforming machine.

Overall, such a thermoforming or shaping device in the usual way a variety of edges, wells, holes and the like, in which impurities and in particular residues can be deposited by the packaged goods to be packaged.

Furthermore, such a packaging machine can also comprise a sealing station or sealing device by means of which the packages filled with packaged goods can be closed. For this purpose, the filled containers are usually coated with a so-called cover film and in the surrounding the packaging recesses edge firmly and airtight connected to the packaging. Depending on the embodiment, this can take place in a manner which closes once or can also be opened and closed again several times. If appropriate, the packaging can subsequently be singulated in a cutting station from a packaging composite.

Even such sealing and cutting stations must be cleaned again and again to avoid any contamination.

Purpose and advantages of the invention

The invention has for its object to improve a packaging machine, comprising a sealing device, according to the introductory type.

The solution of this object is based on the preamble of claim 1 by its characterizing features. In the subclaims expedient and advantageous developments are given.

Accordingly, a packaging machine according to the preamble of claim 1 characterized in that a cleaning device is provided for the sealing device. This has the advantage that the respective sealing station can be specifically cleaned with a cover film for sealing cup-shaped, filled plastic containers, filled packaging containers.

The cup-shaped packaging containers can be produced both directly from a unit of the packaging machine, in particular a forming device for forming cup-shaped packaging containers from a correspondingly shaped plastic film, but they can also be already prefabricated the packaging machine in the form of so-called tray sealer for filling and subsequent sealing and optionally be supplied subsequent separation.

The inventively provided cleaning device may in principle be assigned to the packaging machine as the upper unit. To control this cleaning device is both an independent control unit for the cleaning device, possibly with connection to a higher-level control unit of the packaging machine conceivable, as well as a direct control by such a higher-level control unit.

For special embodiments, it may well be advantageous if the inventively provided cleaning device is designed either as a separate, preferably even movable unit, with all correspondingly associated central and peripheral components, which will be described in more detail below. In a modification of the other embodiment, however, it may also be advantageous if the cleaning unit provided according to the invention is directly associated with the sealing station to be cleaned. Because the sealing station to be cleaned directly comprises a cleaning device provided according to the invention, it can be optimally tuned both in its structure and with respect to the fluids required for cleaning the sealing station, so that optionally for other work units to be cleaned (eg shaping station or cutting station). required cleaning fluids and the necessary components can be omitted at individual stations, or vice versa in more expensive to be cleaned workstations additional funds can be provided, which may not be required in other workstations. This results, for example, in the advantage that the packaging machine can be constructed like a block, whereby it is completely open which individual working units should be provided.

A trained as a separate unit cleaning device could have the advantage that in particular storage containers for different cleaning media only once must be provided, and supply lines to the individual work stations to be cleaned in each case only if necessary via appropriate connections are to be coupled. Such an autonomous cleaning device would possibly even be used for several existing packaging machines as a basic cleaning station.

For the purposes of the invention, the term forming tool is understood to mean all the shaping of a film-like packaging material to be shaped according to the prior art described by way of example by way of example. In particular, all of these elements formed and arranged in the interior of the thermoforming or shaping device should be encompassed, which contribute to the shaping of the packaging material to be formed, for example, into a shell. But also all external to the mold attacking or connected units such as lifting and / or lowering tools, lines, connections, collecting trays and / or gutters, support and / or support elements, an optionally existing housing and the like, should be included ,

For the purposes of the invention, the sealing tool is understood to mean all those units which cooperate for closing the packages filled with packaged goods. For example, an optionally consisting of several parts support or receiving element for the packaging containers to be closed, if any, a pressure plate, e.g. for pressing a cover film, lifting and / or lowering and / or pivoting means for generating a relative movement between the aforementioned units in order to allow opening or closing of the sealing tools, and further carrying and / or holding elements, an optionally existing housing and more.

For the purposes of the invention, a cleaning device is understood to mean a device which is suitable for providing a cleaning fluid at the packaging station to be cleaned and in particular in its interior, e.g. consisting of a central unit with corresponding peripheral components.

Cleaning fluid means both gaseous and liquid media, such as e.g. pressurized air and / or negative pressure air, optionally special, e.g. suitable for germ killing gases, water in pure and / or with cleaning and / or disinfecting and / or sterilizing agents and the like more offset form.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cleaning device comprises a metering and / or mixing unit for metering and / or mixing at least one cleaning fluid from at least one cleaner and / or disinfectant and / or sterilizing agent to the water available via the water connection.

The central unit of the cleaning device may include, for example, a control unit for the individual components, which in turn optionally with one or more further control units of the packaging machine for data exchange may be connected to various peripheral components associated control elements such as valves and / or other control elements, sensors and the like, and optionally an optical signal unit, for example in the form of a signal lamp, a simple display or even a monitor and / or an acoustic signal unit, eg in the form of a horn or the like.

The peripheral components may be on the external supply side e.g. a water connection, optionally one or more additive reservoirs, e.g. in the form of tanks, optionally replaceable canisters or the like, connections for compressed air and vacuum (vacuum) and optionally for special cleaning gases on the supply side and the like more. At the side of the cleaning device supplying the components to be cleaned, exemplary connections and corresponding supply lines, optionally nozzles, further valves and / or other control units and optionally also sensors with corresponding connection means should be mentioned. Further features of the cleaning device will be described below.

Thus, it is provided in particular that the cleaning device comprises a cleaning fluid supply line and / or a cleaning fluid drain line for connection to the sealing tool. Via the supply line, which may optionally be formed separately for each individual cleaning fluid and / or for the two packaging stations to be cleaned, the respective device to be cleaned can be supplied specifically in the area with cleaning fluid, which is to be cleaned with it.

By providing a cleaning fluid drain line, the cleaning fluid exiting again during and after the cleaning process of the device in question can advantageously be collected in a collected manner without contamination of further elements of the packaging machine, in particular the device itself to be cleaned, and an optional collecting and / or Buffer be supplied for a possible treatment.

In order to be able to purify the device to be cleaned with the cleaning fluid in the interior in a targeted manner, it is further advantageous if the cleaning device comprises one, but preferably a plurality of cleaning agent inlet openings or openings opening in the interior of the sealing tool. It is particularly preferred if these detergent inlet openings are designed and arranged such that they allow the cleaning agent to flow out in a targeted manner in areas that are critical with regard to contamination of the device in question, in particular injection, for example in edges, corners, undercuts, depressions, bores, Channels or other wells, and more particularly in channels for other resources, but also in Betriebseineinöffnungenöffnungen, eg for air and / or the packaged packaged in packaged condition surrounding fluid, such as inert gas, a gas mixture with special oxygen content or the like.

A particularly high, local cleaning effect can be brought about by the formation of nozzles in the region of the detergent inlet opening. Cleaning agent inlet openings with a comparatively large cross-section can in turn advantageously be provided outstandingly for large-area or large-volume flushing of the relevant device areas, in particular their interior space.

In order to be able to discharge the cleaning agent supplied from the device again to the device in question, the cleaning device can advantageously comprise a cleaning agent discharge opening, which can be arranged or formed in a lower section or part of the relevant device.

In a particularly preferred manner, the cleaning device can also have direct connections to a resource supply channel and / or to a resource disposal channel, so that they can also be flushed through directly.

In a further preferred manner, the cleaning device may also include a connection to a suction device, so that independently non-effluent cleaning fluid can thus be sucked out of the area of the device in question at least for the most part, optionally further assisted by the supply of pressurized gas, e.g. Compressed air, so that after sufficient Durchströmungsdauer the device is also cleaned of residues of the cleaning fluid in addition to be removed contamination.

In order to be able to protect a heat source located in the device to be cleaned, in particular a heater, from defective influence by the cleaning fluid or contaminants removed therefrom, a cover for such a heat source can furthermore advantageously be provided. Such a protection device for electric heaters is particularly recommended since they are excessively susceptible to damage when exposed to detergents, in particular under increased pressurization.

Therefore, it is considered to be particularly advantageous if a corresponding sealing region is provided between the cover or protective device and a complementary abutment region surrounding the heater for the sealing tool, so that the heater remains reliably protected under treatment with cleaning fluid and elevated pressure. In the case of an arrangement of a seal on a cover that can be removed again from the heater, the seal may even be made of a temperature-sensitive, but particularly well-sealing material.

The operation or attachment of the heating cover can be provided manually operable or automated depending on the embodiment.

As a further advantageous, it is proposed that the packaging machine comprises a cleaning device for the area of the packaging machine, which is formed below the transport plane of the packaging film and between the sides of the packaging machine. As a result, all work units arranged in this area can be cleaned of impurities. Be it that these impurities come from packaged goods to be packaged, such as e.g. liquid or solid residues, or from the packaging material, e.g. in the form of sections or other partially particulate residues.

The cleaning device itself may in turn comprise appropriate supply and / or disposal lines and supply or disposal openings according to the features described above, so that both specific targeted areas can be sprayed and cleaned, as well as a large-area flushing or cleaning is possible.

embodiment

Fig. 1

beispielhaft eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Verpackungsmaschine mit einer Tiefziehmaschine und einer Siegelvorrichtung,

Fig. 2

beispielhaft eine schematische Darstellung einer Tiefziehvorrichtung und

Fig. 3

beispielhaft eine schematische Darstellung einer Siegelvorrichtung,

Fig. 4

schematisch eine perspektivische Ansicht auf eine mit einer Reinigungsvorrichtung versehenen Verpackungsmaschine.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings and the description below. Show it:

Fig. 1

by way of example a schematic representation of a packaging machine according to the invention with a thermoforming machine and a sealing device,

Fig. 2

by way of example a schematic representation of a thermoforming device and

Fig. 3

by way of example a schematic representation of a sealing device,

Fig. 4

schematically a perspective view of a provided with a cleaning device packaging machine.

The packaging machine 1 is a so-called roller or thermoforming machine, which forms from a withdrawn from a supply roll 2 film in a forming station 3 Packungsmulden 4. The packing troughs 4 are filled and then in a sealing station 5 sealed by means of a withdrawn from another supply roll 6 lid film 7.

In a cutting station 8, the individual packages are cut out of the overall composite and then transferred to a discharge belt 9 for discharge from the packaging machine. The transport of the film 10 and thus also the packing tray 4 takes place e.g. via a transport chain 11 which is formed circumferentially about deflection rollers 12, 13, 14, 15.

According to a cleaning device 16 is now provided, in particular for cleaning the sealing tool in the Fig. 3 Sealing station 5 shown in more detail.

The cleaning device 16 comprises as shown in FIG Fig. 1 to its basic supply a compressed air connection 17, a water connection 18 and further exemplified ports 19, 20 preferably replaceable storage tanks for cleaning agents 21, 22 representatively possibly further connection options for the supply of the devices to be cleaned 3 and 5. The cleaning agent can in this case, for example cleaner , Disinfectants or sterilizing agent be diluted depending on the concentration by means of a metering and / or mixing unit 45 or undiluted for performing the respective cleaning operation of the device concerned 3, 5, monitored by the control unit 46, the device or station to be cleaned can be.

A line 23 is shown here symbolically and by way of example for several supply and / or disposal lines to individual devices of the packaging machine, in particular to the forming station 3 and the sealing station 5. The lines 24 and 25 symbolically represent the connections to the forming station 3 and to the sealing station 5. The lines 26, 27, 28 represent further symbolic line connections to other components of the packaging machine.

In the exemplary, schematic representation of Fig. 2 a thermoforming machine or molding station 3 comprising an upper mold 30 and a lower mold 31 in a housing 29 is shown.

The upper molding tool 30 comprises a base body 32, which is here adjustable by way of example along the two directions of the arrow 33 by means of a positioning device 34 with respect to the film 10, from which the packing cavities 4 are formed by the forming station 3.

The positioning device 34 may comprise, for example, a drive 35 and an actuator 36, e.g. in the form of a motor and a corresponding spindle, in the form of cylinder and piston elements or the like more.

For the lower mold 31, depending on the embodiment of the forming station 3, the same elements can be provided mutatis mutandis. By way of example, therefore, a basic body 37 which is position-adjustable, in particular height-adjustable, by means of a positioning device 39 along the two directions of the arrow 38 by means of the drive 40 and the adjusting element 41 with respect to the film 10 to be deformed.

Both to the upper and to the lower mold 30, 31 are here again representative of optionally a plurality of differently provided molding tools connections connected to cleaning fluid supply lines 23. These cleaning fluid supply lines 23 are exemplary both for supply lines for liquid and gaseous cleaning fluids. Thus, for example, liquid fluids from a supply unit 42 and gaseous fluids from a supply unit 43 may be supplied to the device to be cleaned, and pure water may be supplied via a supply unit 44.

By way of the connections 45, 46, 47, the forming station 3 can be supplied, for example, with appropriate cleaning fluids in the interior, via the connections 48, 49, 50 an external supply of the upper forming tool 30 is possible. For both areas, both inside and outside, it holds that the cleaning fluid can be supplied both at specifically selected areas and applied over a large area, e.g. for pre-cleaning and / or after-cleaning, but also for the main cleaning.

In order to be able to lead the cleaning fluid away from the forming station 3 without additionally contaminating it, a cleaning fluid drain line 51 is shown by way of example, which opens into a container 52, also shown by way of example, in order to subsequently treat and / or to clean the cleaning fluid to dispose.

For the connection of the upper mold 30 to the cleaning fluid drain line 51, detergent discharge openings 54 are provided. By this both liquid and gaseous cleaning fluids can be led away from the mold, preferably to the example optionally for several, different, liquid cleaning agent provided intermediate memory 52 or for the Wiederauffangen of optionally recyclable gaseous cleaning fluids to the latch 53, again by way of example for possibly several, different memory, controlled by a corresponding actuator 58th

In the interior of the upper mold 30, lines 59 are shown in phantom for distribution of the cleaning fluids, in part with corresponding branches, to the individual, also exemplarily for several shown inlet openings 60, 61 and 62. The positions 61 and 62 include both the arrow-shaped in dashed Illustrated inlet ports, as well as symbolically also dashed, arrow-shaped inlets shown in corresponding connecting lines 59 for each other exemplary cleaning fluid.

For the shaping of the packing tray 4 in the film 10, a die 63 is also shown in the interior of the upper mold 30 by way of example, within or above which a heater 64 and above a cover 65 are shown. The die 63, depending on its embodiment, may also function as a cover to protect the heater. A likewise exemplified gasket 66 may be provided prior to penetration of the cleaning fluid into the region of the heater, e.g. in pressure system against a correspondingly complementary, the heating area edging investment area in the interior of the upper mold 30th

Below the moving in the direction of transport 67 film 10 31 further elements of the cleaning device 16 are shown as an example associated with the lower mold 31. These include terminals 70, 71, 72 for the internal supply of the lower mold 31 and outlets 73, 74 and 75 for the external supply. For removal of the cleaning fluid, the detergent outlet openings 55, 56 and 57 are provided as connections to the cleaning fluid drain line 51. In order to be able to lead away dripping cleaning liquid or impurities from the forming station 3, a collecting trough 76 is further exemplified below, with a recessed area in which the detergent outlet opening 57 is arranged and connected to the cleaning fluid drain line 51.

In the interior of the lower molding tool 31 of the molding station 3, conduits 77 to inlet openings 78, 79 and 80 are shown by way of example in correspondence with the representation and description of the upper molding tool 30. Furthermore, by way of example, a die 81 complementary to the upper die 63 for forming the packing trough 4 and also, by way of example, a heater 82 are shown. For the sake of clarity, the illustration of further possibly still existing elements for the forming station and / or the cleaning device 16 has been made waived. For the sake of completeness, it should be pointed out that the die 81, for example, can also act as a cover for the heater 82 in the lower mold 31, preferably also by a seal (not shown here) against the ingress of cleaning liquid toward the heater.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the cleaning fluid drain opening 56 is formed at a particularly low point of the forming station, here for example at a downwardly converging region of the lower mold at its lowest point. In this regard too, it is true that, for reasons of clarity, the guidance of corresponding channels, bores or lines in the interior of the molding tool has been dispensed with. Only one outlet 83 is shown symbolically for possibly further processes to the collecting trough 76 in order to be able to collect any escaping cleaning liquid therefrom.

In addition to the internal or external cleaning possibility by the cleaning device 16, a cleaning and / or backwashing for the respective supply lines 23 is possible in particular by their connections via the lines 59 and 77, if there is a need for this.

The Fig. 3 shows a sealing station 5 with an upper sealing tool 84 and a lower sealing tool 85th

The upper sealing tool 84 comprises, in a manner corresponding to the forming station 3, a positioning device 86 consisting of a drive 87 and an adjusting element 88 which can move the tool 90 up and down in accordance with the two directions of the arrow 89 for closing the packing tray with a cover film 91. The arrow 92 indicates the direction of movement of the cover film 91, which deflects via a deflection roller 93 over the film 10 and the packing cavities formed and filled therein.

The tool 90 provided for sealing here comprises by way of example a plate 95 for pressing the cover film 91 against the film 10, so that the packing cavities 4 formed therein and packed with packaged goods can be closed. For possibly necessary heating of the plate 95, a heater 96 is shown by way of example, which is formed at least in the region in which the lid film comes to overlap with the lower film 10 for closing the packing troughs.

To supply the sealing station with cleaning fluid are here again exemplary of optionally more provided lines for both the upper and the lower Forming tool 84, 85 each shown a line 23 as a connection to the cleaning device 16. For the upper sealing tool 84, this line 23 has a connection 97 to an inlet opening 98 and an inner line 99 fed therewith, as well as outlet openings 100 connected thereto and preferably distributed over the underside of the plate 95.

For the external supply of the upper sealing tool 84 with cleaning fluid, an outlet 101 is shown by way of example. This can be formed, for example, in the form of a spray nozzle, a surge opening or the like more to either quite deliberately abzuspritzen certain areas or simply rinse off larger areas, and thus stands representative of appropriately provided cleaning elements, as in the rest of the Fig. 2 Forming station described applies.

For the lower sealing tool 85 is also a positioning device 102 with drive 103 and actuator 104 is provided to move the tool 105 according to the two directions of the arrow 106 for receiving or re-enabling a packing tray 4 up and down.

In order to also be able to clean the lower, preferably trough-shaped tool 105, a connection 107 to an inlet opening 108 for supplying the interior with cleaning fluid is also shown here. A connection 109 is in turn represented as representative of the upper sealing tool for the external supply of the lower sealing tool.

A connection 110 of the cleaning fluid discharge line 51 is connected to a cleaning fluid outlet opening 111, again preferably at a point which is as low as possible, in particular the lowest point in the interior of the sealing tool, so that cleaning agent introduced at this point can run out of the tool without additional assistance. In order to be able to absorb cleaning liquid applied on the outside, a collection trough is shown below, which in turn is in connection with the cleaning fluid drainage line 51.

Support members 113 and a housing 114 are representative of even more elements, in particular mechanical components, this sealing station exemplified.

The Fig. 4 Finally, schematically shows a perspective view of a packaging machine 1 and an associated cleaning unit 16 for cleaning the area the packaging machine, which is formed below the sheet 10 provided for the formation of the cup-shaped packing troughs 4 and between the side walls 115 and 116 associated with the packaging machine 1. The position 117 indicates the film plane in which the film 10, if provided, is advanced to form the packing troughs, for filling, for closing and for finally separating. For this purpose, by way of example only, a workstation 3 as a forming station is shown by dashed lines, followed by a sealing station 5 and subsequently a cutting station 8. Depending on the application or embodiment, however, other compositions of the individual workstations may well be provided. For example, in the filling of so-called tray sealers and the molding station could be omitted. The presentation in the Fig. 4 Accordingly, it is only representative of a large number of different possible embodiments of a corresponding packaging machine with a cleaning unit 16 provided according to the invention.

Claims (12)

1. Packing machine (1) for the packing of packed goods in a trough-shaped packing produced from a plastics film, having a sealing device (5) with a sealing instrument (84, 85), a cleaning device (16) being provided for the sealing device (5) for the purpose of removing impurities by means of a cleaning liquid, characterized in that the cleaning device (16) comprises a cleaning agent inlet opening (108) that opens inside the sealing instrument (84, 85) and a collection tray for the cleaning liquid, connected to a cleaning fluid outlet line (51) of the sealing instrument (84, 85).
2. Packing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning device (16) is designed as an independent unit.
3. Packing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning device (16) is contained in the sealing device (5).
4. Packing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning device (16) comprises a cleaning fluid supply line (23) to be connected to the sealing instrument (84, 85).
5. Packing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning device comprises a cleaning agent outlet opening which leads out of the sealing instrument (84, 85).
6. Packing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that an outlet opening for the cleaning fluid is formed in a lower part of the sealing instrument (84, 85).
7. Packing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning device is connected to a resource supply channel and/or to a resource disposal channel of the sealing instrument.
8. Packing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning device is connected to a suction device.
9. Packing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a heating unit is provided for the sealing instrument.
10. Packing machine according to claim 9, characterized in that a cover is provided for the heating unit.
11. Packing machine according to either claim 9 or claim 10, characterized in that a seal is provided for the heating unit and is located between the cover and a complementary region of a contact surface surrounding the heating unit.
12. Packing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a cleaning device (16) is provided for the region of the packing machine (1) and is formed below the transport level of the packing film (10) and between side walls of the packing machine (1).

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