EP2582583B1 - Apparatus and methods for wrapping food products - Google Patents
Apparatus and methods for wrapping food products Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2582583B1 EP2582583B1 EP11728136.0A EP11728136A EP2582583B1 EP 2582583 B1 EP2582583 B1 EP 2582583B1 EP 11728136 A EP11728136 A EP 11728136A EP 2582583 B1 EP2582583 B1 EP 2582583B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- food product
- film
- bar
- leading
- sealing
- 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.)
- Active
Links
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 title claims description 196
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 30
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 88
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 73
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 claims description 73
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims description 24
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 13
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 18
- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 description 9
- 239000012945 sealing adhesive Substances 0.000 description 9
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 5
- 244000299461 Theobroma cacao Species 0.000 description 4
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 4
- 235000019219 chocolate Nutrition 0.000 description 4
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Chemical compound O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000428 dust Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 229920001903 high density polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000004700 high-density polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920001684 low density polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000004702 low-density polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 2
- RRHGJUQNOFWUDK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Isoprene Chemical compound CC(=C)C=C RRHGJUQNOFWUDK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 208000007811 Latex Hypersensitivity Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 239000004743 Polypropylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004820 Pressure-sensitive adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004826 Synthetic adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004809 Teflon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920006362 TeflonĀ® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002313 adhesive film Substances 0.000 description 1
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920006378 biaxially oriented polypropylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000011127 biaxially oriented polypropylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000009508 confectionery Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000003851 corona treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000806 elastomer Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011888 foil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000011086 high cleaning Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001788 irregular Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920000126 latex Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009832 plasma treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920006267 polyester film Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- -1 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920001155 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000003825 pressing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001228 spectrum Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004381 surface treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010998 test method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000001993 wax Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
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
- B65B11/06—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths
- B65B11/38—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a combination of straight and curved paths
- B65B11/40—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a combination of straight and curved paths to fold the wrappers in tubular form about contents
- B65B11/44—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a combination of straight and curved paths to fold the wrappers in tubular form about contents the ends of the tube being subsequently twisted
-
- 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
- B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
- B65B25/005—Packaging other articles presenting special problems packaging of confectionery
-
- 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
- B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
- B65B51/02—Applying adhesives or sealing liquids
-
- 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
- B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
- B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
- B65B51/14—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by reciprocating or oscillating members
-
- 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
- B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
- B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
- B65B51/14—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by reciprocating or oscillating members
- B65B51/146—Closing bags
Definitions
- Apparatus and methods for wrapping food products are described herein and, in particular, apparatus and methods for wrapping food products in films that are at least partially sealed about the food product.
- One type of packaging for a food product such as a chocolate, bonbon or other confectionary, is made by wrapping a sheet of film about the food product to form a tube and then twisting the open ends of the tube closed.
- this type of packaging is adequate and acceptable.
- this type of package is not sealed. Instead, it relies upon the twisting of the ends to keep the package closed.
- one type of machinery used for forming this type of unsealed packaging for the food product includes a feed wheel for moving a food product into position beneath a sheet of film.
- An elevator is provided for lifting the food product and hence the film past a stationary downstream folding bar and a stationary upstream folding bar to fold the film into a U-shaped configuration about the food product.
- a counter elevator is also provided for supporting the film on the food product during the lifting by the elevator.
- a pair of grippers can grasp the food product from the top to enable the elevator to retract.
- a moveable upstream folding bar can be moved toward the stationary downstream folding bar and beneath the food product to cause the depending leading and trailing edge portions of the film to overlap beneath the food product and form an unsecured tube.
- the grippers can then rotate to advance the food product to where a pair of twisting devices grasp the open ends of the tube and twist the film to enclose the food product.
- a pair of twisting devices grasp the open ends of the tube and twist the film to enclose the food product.
- CMY55CD Model No. CMY55CD, available from Carle & Montanari S.p.A., Rozzano, Italy.
- a pre-applied adhesive pattern can be applied to the sheet of film prior to wrapping about the food product.
- the pre-applied adhesive pattern can have one or more adhesive deposits positioned such that opposing edge portions of the film can be pressed together to form a fin seal during the course of forming the tube about the food product.
- the same or different adhesive deposits can cooperate to form a seal during the twisting of the ends of the food product.
- suitable adhesive patterns are described in U.S. Appl. No. 12/408,513, filed March 23, 2009 . While the above-described machinery is suitable for forming the unsealed packaging for food products described above, it is not configured for forming the sealed packages using the sheets of film having pre-applied adhesives in high speed commercial production.
- a bonbon may be generally round, but having a flattened bottom and an irregular surface. This shape can make the bonbon difficult to consistently maintain in proper orientation during packaging. Furthermore, the manipulation of the bonbon and contact with surfaces of the equipment can generate chocolate dust, which can impede packaging equipment operation.
- a method of wrapping a food product includes positioning a sheet of film over the food product.
- the method further includes lifting the food product and the film and folding leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product using a downstream folding bar and upstream folding bar during the step of lifting the food product and the film, supporting the food product by gripping the food product between an upstream and downstream gripper and moving a sealing bar against the downstream folding bar to seal the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product wherein the step of moving the sealing bar against the downstream folding bar includes biasing the sealing bar relative to the support for the sealing bar to accommodate variations in the size and orientation of the food product during sealing of the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product.
- the method may-further include twisting open ends of the tube to enclose the tube.
- the method may include supporting the bottom of the food product to lift both the food product and the film.
- the method may also include supporting the sides of the food product prior to the step of moving the sealing bar against the leading folding bar to seal the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product.
- the method may include passing the sealing bar beneath at least a portion of the food product during the sealing of the edge portions of the film.
- the method may also include removing support for the bottom of the food product prior to the step of passing the sealing bar beneath at least a portion of the food product.
- the method may also include advancing the food product in a downstream direction using the upstream and downstream grippers after the step of moving a sealing bar against the leading folding bar to seal the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product.
- the method may also include the step of folding lateral sides of the film about the food product when the sealing bar is advancing.
- the method may also include, biasing the sealing bar relative to a support for the sealing bar to accommodate variations in the size of the food product and/or orientation of the food product during sealing of the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product.
- Equipment for wrapping a food product includes a retractable lift for contacting a bottom of the food product and lifting the food product from a first position to a second position. Also included is a pair of lateral supports for supporting a sheet of film above the food product in the first position and having a gap between the supports for the food product to pass through. An upstream folding bar and a downstream folding bar are positioned to fold leading and trailing portions of the film about the food product when the food product is lifted from the first position to the second position.
- the equipment also includes a pair of grippers for contacting sides of the food product with the film thereabout to support the food product in the second position, when the lift is retracted.
- a sealing bar is provided that is movable against the downstream folding bar and beneath the food product in the second position for sealing the leading and trailing portions of the film together to form a tube about the food product.
- the sealing bar can optionally be spring-biased relative to a sealing bar support and the sealing bar support can be rotatable about a pivot axis to move the sealing bar against the downstream folding member.
- the grippers can be mounted to arms that are rotatable about the same pivot axis to move the food product with the film thereabout from the second position to a third position whereby a twisting mechanism twists opposing open ends of the tube to enclose the food product in the film.
- a segmented feed roller can be positioned upstream of the lateral supports for feeding the film to the lateral supports.
- the lateral supports may be coated with a friction-reducing material to facilitate movement of the film thereover.
- the film may have a pre-applied adhesive pattern in the leading and trailing edge portions such that the adhesive pattern cooperates to form a fin seal following the step of moving the sealing bar against the leading folding bar to seal the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product.
- the pre-applied adhesive pattern can surround an adhesive- free space that is sized to accommodate the food product and the adhesive pattern does not extend to at least one edge of the film.
- the film may be twisted on opposite sides of the food product in areas that include the adhesive pattern to form end seals.
- Apparatus and methods are provided for forming a sealed package about a food product. While any suitable type of food product can be contained in the sealed package, the apparatus and methods are particularly suitable for use with confectionaries, such as candies, chocolates and bonbons, including generally round confectionaries. Unlike conventional apparatus and methods, described above, for wrapping a film around a food product, a sheet of film having a pre-applied adhesive is wrapped around the food product. The adhesive is positioned on the film so that a fin seal is formed between leading and trailing edge portions of the film in the course of forming a tube about the food product.
- a sealing bar is pressed against a downstream one of a pair of folding bars when the film is partially wrapped around the food product in an inverted U-shape to press opposing sealing zones of the film together between the sealing bar and the downstream folding bar.
- Adhesive is also positioned on the film so that during the twisting of the open ends of the tube to enclose the food product a seal is formed at each end.
- a sheet of film 10 is cut from a spool of film (not shown), as is conventional in the art.
- the cut sheet of film 10 is advanced through a sheet in-feed until it is disposed above the food product 12 in a first position.
- the food product 12 is moved into its first position using a food product wheel (not shown), as is known in the art.
- the food product 12 is then lifted to a second position, elevated from the first position. By virtue of lifting the food product 12, the overlying sheet of film 10 is also lifted.
- leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b of the film 10 are folded downwardly about the food product 12 such that the film 10 is in an inverted U-shape.
- the leading and trailing edge potions 10a and 10b of the film 10 are pressed together while the food product is in the second position. Due to the pre-applied adhesive pattern on the film 10, pressing together the leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b of the film 10 forms a tube 10c having a fin seal 10d and disposed about the food product 12. As the tube 10c is advanced, this fin seal 10d folds against the portion of the tube 10c beneath the food product 12.
- a sealing station generally includes a pair of lateral supports 32 for supporting the cut sheet of film 10 above the food product 12 in its first position, as illustrated in FIGURE 1 .
- a lifting device 14, such as an elevator, is disposed beneath the food product 12 and can move upward to lift the food product 12 and hence the film 10 overlying the food product.
- a counter-elevator 15, illustrated in FIGURE 8 and as provided with the aforementioned Carle & Montanari machinery, can be brought into contact with the top of the food product 12, with the film 10 therebetween, to support the food product 12 and the film 10 as they are being lifted by the lifting device 14.
- the use of the lifting device 14 on the bottom of the food product 12 and the counter-elevator 15 on the top of the food product 12 can hold the food product 12 therebetween in a secure manner.
- Securely holding the food product 12 and film 10 is particularly advantageous when the food product 12 is rounded in shape, as the film 10 can tend to slide off of a preferred orientation on the food product 12 unless sufficiently held in place, which is particularly important when the food product 12 is to be aligned with an adhesive pattern on the film 10.
- the sealing station also includes a stationary upstream folding bar 16 and a stationary downstream folding bar 18.
- the folding bars 16 and 18 include portions that are positioned to contact the leading and trailing 10a and 10b edge portions of the film 10 when the film 10 is lifted upwardly during the course of moving the food product 10 from the first position to the elevated second position, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 .
- the folding bars 16 and 18 are preferably formed from a material and have a configuration that permits ready sliding of the film 10 there past during the folding of the film 10.
- the folding bars 16 and 18 preferably lack any sort of vacuum device which could become increasingly blocked during use and necessitate a high cleaning frequency due to the material of the food product 12, such as chocolate dust from a bonbon.
- the lifting device 14 lifts the food product 12 by contacting the underside of the food product 12. Because the film 10 is disposed above the food product 12 and initially supported on the lateral supports 32, upward movement of the food product 12 from its first position toward its second position will cause the overlying film 10 to also move upwardly. During upward movement of the food product 12 using the lifting device 14, the trailing edge portion 10b of the film 10 contacts the upstream folding bar 16 and the leading edge portion 10a of the film 10 contacts the downstream folding bar 18 to cause the film 10 to fold about the food product into an inverted U-shape, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 , with the leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b of the film 10 depending on the upstream and downstream sides, respectively, of the food product 12.
- the sealing station also includes a pair of grippers 20.
- the grippers 20 are positioned to contact the front and rear food product 12 (via the intermediary film 10) to grasp the food product 12 therebetween, as illustrated in FIGURE 3 .
- the grippers 20 are positioned so that the lifting device 14 can be withdrawn back to its initial position, thereby leaving the underside of the food product 12 unsupported.
- the grippers 20 are each attached to a respective arm 34 that extends upwardly when the food product 12 is in the second position and pivot about a central axis 44 of the equipment, as will be described in greater detail herein.
- the sealing station further includes the sealing bar 22.
- the sealing bar 22 is attached in a biased manner relative to a sealing bar support 24, as will be described in greater detail herein.
- the sealing bar support 24 is in turn mounted to an arm 26 that pivots about the central axis 44 of the equipment.
- the sealing bar 24 rotates back away from the downstream fold bar 18 and the grippers 20 holding the food product 12 within the tube 10c rotate in a downstream direction, as illustrated in FIGURE 5 .
- the fin seal 10d will contact the backstop 30 of the downstream folding bar 18 and be folded thereby to a position disposed beneath the food product 12 and against the tube 10c. While this is occurring, a next sheet of film 10 is advanced to the lateral supports 32 and another food product 12 is moved into the first position beneath the next sheet of film 10 and the process repeats itself.
- the grippers 20 continue to rotate the food product 12 within the tube 10c to a twisting station, whereby a pair of twisting mechanisms each grab an open end portion of the tube 10c and rotate to twist the tube 10c to form a pair of twists 10f on either side of a food compartment 10e.
- the pre-applied adhesive pattern on the film 10 is preferably such that the formation of the twists 10f adheres facing portions of the film 10 together to form end seals on opposite sides of the food compartment 10e.
- the end seals at the twists 10f and the fin seal 10d combine to sealingly enclose the food compartment 10e and the food product 12 therein.
- the pair of grippers 20 are rotatable about the central axis 44, as illustrated in FIGURE 8 . Furthermore, four such pairs of grippers 20 and attached arms 34 are provided as part of a rotating turret. Also rotating about the central axis is the sealing bar 22, via the connection with the sealing bar support 24 and the arm 26, as also illustrated in FIGURE 8 . This arrangement permits the sealing bar 22 to be substituted in place of the moveable upstream folding bar of the aforementioned Carle & Montanari equipment, while advantageously retaining the same drive mechanism.
- the in-feed station disposed under a cover in FIGURE 8 but depicted with the cover removed in FIGURE 9 , includes a series of plate and a roller positioned to feed the sheets of film 10 to the lateral supports 32. More specifically, the in-feed station includes a first plate 46 disposed upstream from a roller 48.
- the roller 48 includes a plurality of grooves 50, and preferably six grooves such that seven segments of the roller 48 are present, as illustrated in FIGURE 11 .
- Downstream of the roller 48 is a second plate 52 having integrated fingers 54 extending upstream and at least partially through the grooves 50 of the roller 48.
- a third plate 56 Downstream of the first and second plates 46 and 52 is a third plate 56 having a pair of fingers 58 extending downstream for providing the lateral supports 32, as illustrated in FIGURE 12 .
- the fingers 58 are spaced by a gap 60 that is sized to permit the food product 12 to pass therethrough when moved from the first position to the second position by the lifting device 14.
- an unwind station 70 Upstream of the in-feed station is an unwind station 70, illustrated in FIGURE 13 , which unwinds a web 9 from a roll of film (not shown).
- a plurality of rollers or dancers 72 are provided for tensioning the web 9 as it is unwound.
- the web 9 is fed through downstream rollers 76.
- a web plate 74 As the web 9 transitions from the rollers 72 to the downstream rollers 76, a web plate 74 is positioned to contact the web 9 for applying tension thereto and guiding prior to the downstream rollers 76.
- Each of the plates 46, 52, 56 and 74 is preferably configured for reducing the coefficient of friction between the plates 46, 52 and 56 and the sheet of film 10 to permit the film 10 to readily be advanced thereon (or web 9, in the case of the web plate 74). This is particularly important due to the pre-applied adhesive on the underside of the web 9 and thus the film 10, which can cause the film 10 to not readily slide along the plates 46, 52, 56 and 74.
- the configuration of the plates 46, 52, 56 and 74 can include raised ridges and/or a surface treatment, such as plasma treatment, PlasmaCoat (available from Impreglon Italia srl, Origgio, Italy), Teflon coating or other such friction-reducing methods and materials.
- the depending leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b are not always be spaced the exact same distance apart. Furthermore, the food product 12 and hence the edge portions 10a and 10b of the film 10 are not always in the same precise location of relative to the backstop 30 of the downstream folding bar 18. To accommodate these variations while being able to apply sufficient pressure to cause the seal to form between the pre-applied adhesive portions of the edge portions 10a and 10b of the film, the sealing bar 22 is biased from the sealing bar support 24 using springs.
- a pair of spring mounts 64 are disposed on the underside of the sealing bar support 24, as illustrated in FIGURE 10 .
- the spring mounts 64 each have a through bore with a bolt 66 extending therethrough.
- a spring 68 is positioned about the end of the bolt 66 extending through the bore and between the mount 64 and the sealing bar 22 to bias the sealing bar 22 from the sealing bar support 24.
- the sealing bar support 24 also includes a pair of inverted U-shaped loops 28 on its upper-facing side.
- the U-shaped loops 28 are formed from bent bolts, the threaded ends of which extend through apertures in the sealing bar support 24 and are secured using nuts 62.
- the U-shaped loops are rotatable about their threaded ends and are positioned to assist in folding the film 10 about the lateral sides of the food product 12 during the advancement of the sealing bar 22. This can advantageously assist in ensuring sufficient alignment of the leading and trailing edge portions 10a. and 10b of the film 10 and the pre-applied adhesive thereon during the formation of the fin seal 10d.
- the film 10 has the pre-applied adhesive 36 disposed in a pattern that surrounds an adhesive-free space 42 that is sized to accommodate the food product 12.
- the adhesive 36 preferably, though not necessarily, does not extend to at least one edge of the film 10 and, optionally, all edges of the film 10. Portions of the adhesive 36 contact other portions of the adhesive such that the sheet of film 10 can be wrapped to encapsulate the food product 12, and the film 10 is twisted in at least one area, and preferably two areas, that includes the adhesive 36.
- the adhesive pattern 36 is at least partially arcuate in shape.
- the adhesive pattern 36 is substantially oval-shaped.
- the sheet of film 10 may be folded about the food product 12 to form a folded edge or fin seal 10d.
- food products 12 may be economically and efficiently wrapped, shipped, and offered to the consumer in packaging that resembles the traditional packaging appearance of such food products 10.
- Such sealing may be hermetic or close to hermetic, thereby affording the food product 12 improved shelf life without the need for an additional, secondary package.
- the resemblance to the typical double-twist package can be maintained.
- the pattern of adhesive 36 can be substantially oval-shaped, as illustrated in FIGURE 7 .
- the pattern of adhesive 36 may be approximately 10 mm to approximately 25 mm in width. By one approach suitable for many application settings of interest, the pattern is approximately 15 mm in width.
- the width of the adhesive 36 may vary based on factors such as the desired tightness of the seal or the amount and/or size of the food product 12 disposed within the sheet of film 10. For instance, a smaller-sized food product may require a smaller width of adhesive, while a large-sized food product or a plurality of food products may require a larger width of adhesive.
- the pattern of adhesive 36 may also optionally include one or more additional areas of adhesive 38 on the outer edges of the pattern of adhesive 36.
- the additional areas of adhesive 38 may provide another sealing point to increase the sealing area and thus the effectiveness (and hermeticity) of the seal.
- these additional areas of adhesive 38 are substantially shaped as half circles.
- the additional areas of adhesive 38 may be approximately 3.5 cm 2 to 5 cm 2 .
- additional areas of less than approximately 2 cm 2 do not noticeably increase the strength or integrity of the seal, while additional areas of greater than 6 cm 2 typically results in wasted adhesive without additional benefit.
- additional areas of adhesive substantially-shaped as half circles with areas of approximately 4.35 cm 2 may be used.
- one or more second additional areas of adhesive 40 may be placed in one or more corners of the sheet of film 10. These second additional areas of adhesive 40 enhance the twist-wrapping process by providing another area that seals when pressure is applied by the twist.
- Those skilled in the art will recognize that different shapes may be used in other approaches to maximize the seal strength and integrity in the same manner as described here.
- the pattern defines the adhesive-free space 42 that is sized to accommodate the food product 12.
- the size of the adhesive-free space 42 will vary in relation to the pattern of adhesive 36, and the shape, size, and/or quantity of food product 12 to be wrapped.
- the adhesive-free space 42 preferably should be sized such that the pattern of adhesive 36 does not contact the edible substance when wrapped.
- an oval-shaped pattern of adhesive 36 defines an adhesive-free space 42 that is approximately 55 cm 2 to 62 cm 2 in area.
- the oval-shaped pattern defines an adhesive-free space 42 of approximately 58.8 cm 2 in area.
- the sheet of film 10 may be comprised of any material suitable for wrapping food products.
- it may comprise a barrier film or coating with a high level of impermeability to moisture ingress to preserve the freshness of the edible substance contained within it.
- the level of impermeability that is acceptable will vary based upon the food product contained within the sheet of film, as well as the ratio of packaged surface area of a product to volume of the product. Impermeability may be measured, for instance, using the water vapor transmission rate of ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) test method F1249-90, measured at 38Ā°C and 85% relative humidity.
- ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
- the sheet of film 10 may optionally also be comprised of a material with dead fold characteristics. Dead fold is a term used to describe the ability of a material to take and hold a fold without springing back to its original form. Materials may be used that cover a spectrum of dead fold properties. For instance, aluminum foil has excellent dead fold capabilities while polypropylene has little to no dead fold. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the material selected will vary based upon the objectives to be achieved.
- barrier films or coatings may be monofilms, laminates, waxes, paper, cast films, biaxially-oriented polyester films, biaxially-oriented polypropylene films, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) films, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films or the like.
- the type of barrier used may be product-dependent.
- a laminate may also serve a decorative function in addition to (or in place of) a barrier function.
- the film 10 comprises a metallic laminate.
- the adhesive may be any known in the art, such as a cold-sealing adhesive, a heat-sealing adhesive, a pressure-sensitive adhesive (permanent or non-permanent), and the like.
- a cold-sealing adhesive is used.
- the cold-sealing adhesive may be natural latex rubber-based or synthetic. Using synthetic adhesive avoids complications arising from latex allergies if there is contact with the food product; however, either type of cold-sealing adhesive is acceptable.
- the cold-sealing adhesive is pressure-responsive (i.e., the adhesive will bond when placed under pressure), and may comprise an adhesive component and an elastomer as well as other additives.
- the adhesive may comprise a reclosable adhesive.
- Cold-sealing adhesives comprising a relatively high rubber content and a relatively low polymer content may be especially useful for certain application settings of interest.
- the application of the adhesive to the discrete sheet will vary depending upon the type of adhesive used.
- a cold-sealing adhesive is disposed upon the discrete sheet through use of a disposing film with release properties or by applying a release material on the disposing film itself.
- the weight of adhesive applied per area may also vary.
- the weight of adhesive per area may be about 1.5 g/m 2 or about 2.5 g/m 2 to about 8 g/m 2 .
- the weight of adhesive per area may be about 4 g/m 2 to about 6 g/m 2 .
- a primer may be applied to part or all of the flexible film prior to applying the cold seal adhesive.
- about 0.2 g/m 2 of primer is applied.
- a flame or corona treatment is carried out on the flexible film prior to applying the cold-sealing adhesive. Both approaches improve anchorage of the seal, ensuring that the cold seal adhesive suitably bonds to the flexible film.
- the reclosability of the adhesive may also be modified from fully reclosable, to partially reclosable, to not reclosable at all.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Package Closures (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
- Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
- Packages (AREA)
Description
- Apparatus and methods for wrapping food products are described herein and, in particular, apparatus and methods for wrapping food products in films that are at least partially sealed about the food product.
- One type of packaging for a food product, such as a chocolate, bonbon or other confectionary, is made by wrapping a sheet of film about the food product to form a tube and then twisting the open ends of the tube closed. For some purposes, this type of packaging is adequate and acceptable. However, this type of package is not sealed. Instead, it relies upon the twisting of the ends to keep the package closed.
- As described in
EP773163(A1 - In order to provide a package that is sealed, a pre-applied adhesive pattern can be applied to the sheet of film prior to wrapping about the food product. The pre-applied adhesive pattern can have one or more adhesive deposits positioned such that opposing edge portions of the film can be pressed together to form a fin seal during the course of forming the tube about the food product. The same or different adhesive deposits can cooperate to form a seal during the twisting of the ends of the food product. Different types of suitable adhesive patterns are described in
U.S. Appl. No. 12/408,513, filed March 23, 2009 - The shape of the food product and the type of food product can also complicate packaging operations. For example, a bonbon may be generally round, but having a flattened bottom and an irregular surface. This shape can make the bonbon difficult to consistently maintain in proper orientation during packaging. Furthermore, the manipulation of the bonbon and contact with surfaces of the equipment can generate chocolate dust, which can impede packaging equipment operation.
- A method of wrapping a food product is provided that includes positioning a sheet of film over the food product. The method further includes lifting the food product and the film and folding leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product using a downstream folding bar and upstream folding bar during the step of lifting the food product and the film, supporting the food product by gripping the food product between an upstream and downstream gripper and moving a sealing bar against the downstream folding bar to seal the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product wherein the step of moving the sealing bar against the downstream folding bar includes biasing the sealing bar relative to the support for the sealing bar to accommodate variations in the size and orientation of the food product during sealing of the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product. The method may-further include twisting open ends of the tube to enclose the tube.
- The method may include supporting the bottom of the food product to lift both the food product and the film. The method may also include supporting the sides of the food product prior to the step of moving the sealing bar against the leading folding bar to seal the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product. The method may include passing the sealing bar beneath at least a portion of the food product during the sealing of the edge portions of the film. The method may also include removing support for the bottom of the food product prior to the step of passing the sealing bar beneath at least a portion of the food product. The method may also include advancing the food product in a downstream direction using the upstream and downstream grippers after the step of moving a sealing bar against the leading folding bar to seal the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product. The method may also include the step of folding lateral sides of the film about the food product when the sealing bar is advancing. The method may also include, biasing the sealing bar relative to a support for the sealing bar to accommodate variations in the size of the food product and/or orientation of the food product during sealing of the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product.
- Equipment for wrapping a food product includes a retractable lift for contacting a bottom of the food product and lifting the food product from a first position to a second position. Also included is a pair of lateral supports for supporting a sheet of film above the food product in the first position and having a gap between the supports for the food product to pass through. An upstream folding bar and a downstream folding bar are positioned to fold leading and trailing portions of the film about the food product when the food product is lifted from the first position to the second position. The equipment also includes a pair of grippers for contacting sides of the food product with the film thereabout to support the food product in the second position, when the lift is retracted. A sealing bar is provided that is movable against the downstream folding bar and beneath the food product in the second position for sealing the leading and trailing portions of the film together to form a tube about the food product.
- The sealing bar can optionally be spring-biased relative to a sealing bar support and the sealing bar support can be rotatable about a pivot axis to move the sealing bar against the downstream folding member. The grippers can be mounted to arms that are rotatable about the same pivot axis to move the food product with the film thereabout from the second position to a third position whereby a twisting mechanism twists opposing open ends of the tube to enclose the food product in the film. A segmented feed roller can be positioned upstream of the lateral supports for feeding the film to the lateral supports. The lateral supports may be coated with a friction-reducing material to facilitate movement of the film thereover.
- The film may have a pre-applied adhesive pattern in the leading and trailing edge portions such that the adhesive pattern cooperates to form a fin seal following the step of moving the sealing bar against the leading folding bar to seal the leading and trailing edge portions of the film about the food product. The pre-applied adhesive pattern can surround an adhesive- free space that is sized to accommodate the food product and the adhesive pattern does not extend to at least one edge of the film. The film may be twisted on opposite sides of the food product in areas that include the adhesive pattern to form end seals.
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FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a sealing station, including a pair of lateral supports for a sheet of film, a lifting device for lifting a food product from beneath the film, an upstream and a downstream folding bar, a pair of upper grippers and a sealing bar, showing the food product in a first position beneath the sheet of film supported by the pair of lateral supports; -
FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view of the sealing station ofFIGURE 1 , showing the lifting device lifting the food product to a second position to fold the film using the folding bars into an inverted U-shape about the food product; -
FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of the sealing station ofFIGURE 1 , showing the grippers moving to support the food product; -
FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the sealing station ofFIGURE 1 , showing the lifting device retracting, the food product supported by the grippers, and the sealing bar moving toward the downstream folding bar to seal leading and trailing edge portions of the film together to form the film into a tube about the food product having a fin seal; -
FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of the sealing station ofFIGURE 1 , showing the sealing bar retracting, the grippers moving the tube with the food product therein away from the sealing station; -
FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the food product and film during the steps associated with wrapping of the food product in the film; -
FIGURE 7 is a schematic view of a pre-applied adhesive pattern on one of the sheets of film suitable for use in wrapping the food product; -
FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the sealing station represented diagrammatically inFIGURE 1 , showing a turret rotatable about a pivot axis and having multiple grippers mounted thereon for rotation, as well as an arm for supporting the sealing bar and also rotatable about the pivot axis, with a sheet in-feed area disposed beneath a cover; -
FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the sealing station ofFIGURE 8 , showing the cover removed to depict the sheet in-feed area; -
FIGURE 10 is a bottom plan view of the sealing bar ofFIGURE 8 ; -
FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of a roller, a first plate and a second plate associated with the sheet in-feed area; -
FIGURE 12 is a top plan view of a third plate corresponding to the lateral supports depicted diagrammatically inFIGURE 1 ; and -
FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a film unwind station positioned upstream of the sheet in-feed area. - Apparatus and methods are provided for forming a sealed package about a food product. While any suitable type of food product can be contained in the sealed package, the apparatus and methods are particularly suitable for use with confectionaries, such as candies, chocolates and bonbons, including generally round confectionaries. Unlike conventional apparatus and methods, described above, for wrapping a film around a food product, a sheet of film having a pre-applied adhesive is wrapped around the food product. The adhesive is positioned on the film so that a fin seal is formed between leading and trailing edge portions of the film in the course of forming a tube about the food product. In order to form the fin seal, a sealing bar is pressed against a downstream one of a pair of folding bars when the film is partially wrapped around the food product in an inverted U-shape to press opposing sealing zones of the film together between the sealing bar and the downstream folding bar. Adhesive is also positioned on the film so that during the twisting of the open ends of the tube to enclose the food product a seal is formed at each end.
- To form the wrapper, and with reference to
FIGURE 6 , a sheet offilm 10 is cut from a spool of film (not shown), as is conventional in the art. The cut sheet offilm 10 is advanced through a sheet in-feed until it is disposed above thefood product 12 in a first position. Thefood product 12 is moved into its first position using a food product wheel (not shown), as is known in the art. Thefood product 12 is then lifted to a second position, elevated from the first position. By virtue of lifting thefood product 12, the overlying sheet offilm 10 is also lifted. During the course of lifting thefood product 12 to the second position, leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b of thefilm 10 are folded downwardly about thefood product 12 such that thefilm 10 is in an inverted U-shape. Next, the leading and trailing edge potions 10a and 10b of thefilm 10 are pressed together while the food product is in the second position. Due to the pre-applied adhesive pattern on thefilm 10, pressing together the leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b of thefilm 10 forms atube 10c having afin seal 10d and disposed about thefood product 12. As thetube 10c is advanced, thisfin seal 10d folds against the portion of thetube 10c beneath thefood product 12. Finally, the open ends of thetube 10c are twisted to form atwist closure 10f on either side of a food compartment 10e. Due to the pre-applied adhesive pattern, a seal is also form between eachtwist closure 10f and the food compartment 10e. Accordingly, a sealed food compartment 10e is formed. - Turning now to the equipment used to enclose the
food product 12 in thefilm 10, a sealing station generally includes a pair of lateral supports 32 for supporting the cut sheet offilm 10 above thefood product 12 in its first position, as illustrated inFIGURE 1 . A liftingdevice 14, such as an elevator, is disposed beneath thefood product 12 and can move upward to lift thefood product 12 and hence thefilm 10 overlying the food product. A counter-elevator 15, illustrated inFIGURE 8 and as provided with the aforementioned Carle & Montanari machinery, can be brought into contact with the top of thefood product 12, with thefilm 10 therebetween, to support thefood product 12 and thefilm 10 as they are being lifted by the liftingdevice 14. The use of thelifting device 14 on the bottom of thefood product 12 and the counter-elevator 15 on the top of thefood product 12 can hold thefood product 12 therebetween in a secure manner. Securely holding thefood product 12 andfilm 10 is particularly advantageous when thefood product 12 is rounded in shape, as thefilm 10 can tend to slide off of a preferred orientation on thefood product 12 unless sufficiently held in place, which is particularly important when thefood product 12 is to be aligned with an adhesive pattern on thefilm 10. - The sealing station also includes a stationary
upstream folding bar 16 and a stationarydownstream folding bar 18. The folding bars 16 and 18 include portions that are positioned to contact the leading and trailing 10a and 10b edge portions of thefilm 10 when thefilm 10 is lifted upwardly during the course of moving thefood product 10 from the first position to the elevated second position, as illustrated inFIGURE 2 . The folding bars 16 and 18 are preferably formed from a material and have a configuration that permits ready sliding of thefilm 10 there past during the folding of thefilm 10. For instance, the folding bars 16 and 18 preferably lack any sort of vacuum device which could become increasingly blocked during use and necessitate a high cleaning frequency due to the material of thefood product 12, such as chocolate dust from a bonbon. - In order to fold the
film 10, the liftingdevice 14 lifts thefood product 12 by contacting the underside of thefood product 12. Because thefilm 10 is disposed above thefood product 12 and initially supported on the lateral supports 32, upward movement of thefood product 12 from its first position toward its second position will cause theoverlying film 10 to also move upwardly. During upward movement of thefood product 12 using thelifting device 14, the trailing edge portion 10b of thefilm 10 contacts theupstream folding bar 16 and the leading edge portion 10a of thefilm 10 contacts thedownstream folding bar 18 to cause thefilm 10 to fold about the food product into an inverted U-shape, as illustrated inFIGURE 2 , with the leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b of thefilm 10 depending on the upstream and downstream sides, respectively, of thefood product 12. - The sealing station also includes a pair of
grippers 20. Thegrippers 20 are positioned to contact the front and rear food product 12 (via the intermediary film 10) to grasp thefood product 12 therebetween, as illustrated inFIGURE 3 . Thegrippers 20 are positioned so that thelifting device 14 can be withdrawn back to its initial position, thereby leaving the underside of thefood product 12 unsupported. Preferably, thegrippers 20 are each attached to arespective arm 34 that extends upwardly when thefood product 12 is in the second position and pivot about acentral axis 44 of the equipment, as will be described in greater detail herein. - The sealing station further includes the sealing
bar 22. The sealingbar 22 is attached in a biased manner relative to a sealingbar support 24, as will be described in greater detail herein. The sealingbar support 24 is in turn mounted to anarm 26 that pivots about thecentral axis 44 of the equipment. Once the liftingdevice 14 is sufficiently removed from beneath thefood product 12, the sealingbar 22 is moved beneath thefood product 12 to press the depending leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b of thefilm 10 together, as illustrated inFIGURE 4 , while thefood product 12 is supported by thegrippers 20. More specifically, the sealingbar 22 contacts the trailing edge portion 10b of thefilm 10 and presses it against the leading edge portion 10a of thefilm 10 and presses both against abackstop 30 of theupstream folding bar 18. Due to the pre-applied adhesive pattern on thefilm 10, the leading and trailingedge portions 10 and 10b of thefilm 10 are then sealed together to form thefin seal 10d, resulting in thetube 10c disposed about thefood product 12. - After the
fin seal 10d has been formed in thefilm 10 about thefood product 12, the sealingbar 24 rotates back away from thedownstream fold bar 18 and thegrippers 20 holding thefood product 12 within thetube 10c rotate in a downstream direction, as illustrated inFIGURE 5 . As thetube 10c is rotated, thefin seal 10d will contact thebackstop 30 of thedownstream folding bar 18 and be folded thereby to a position disposed beneath thefood product 12 and against thetube 10c. While this is occurring, a next sheet offilm 10 is advanced to the lateral supports 32 and anotherfood product 12 is moved into the first position beneath the next sheet offilm 10 and the process repeats itself. Thegrippers 20 continue to rotate thefood product 12 within thetube 10c to a twisting station, whereby a pair of twisting mechanisms each grab an open end portion of thetube 10c and rotate to twist thetube 10c to form a pair oftwists 10f on either side of a food compartment 10e. The pre-applied adhesive pattern on thefilm 10 is preferably such that the formation of thetwists 10f adheres facing portions of thefilm 10 together to form end seals on opposite sides of the food compartment 10e. The end seals at thetwists 10f and thefin seal 10d combine to sealingly enclose the food compartment 10e and thefood product 12 therein. - Turning now to more details of the sealing
station 10, the pair ofgrippers 20 are rotatable about thecentral axis 44, as illustrated inFIGURE 8 . Furthermore, four such pairs ofgrippers 20 and attachedarms 34 are provided as part of a rotating turret. Also rotating about the central axis is the sealingbar 22, via the connection with the sealingbar support 24 and thearm 26, as also illustrated inFIGURE 8 . This arrangement permits the sealingbar 22 to be substituted in place of the moveable upstream folding bar of the aforementioned Carle & Montanari equipment, while advantageously retaining the same drive mechanism. This permits existing machinery used to wrap food products in non-adhesive film to be readily adapted to accommodate film with the pre-applied adhesive pattern principally by substituting the sealingbar 22 for the existing upstream folding bar and providing the downstream sealing bar with sufficient area for the sealingbar 22 to press against during sealing of the film. - The in-feed station, disposed under a cover in
FIGURE 8 but depicted with the cover removed inFIGURE 9 , includes a series of plate and a roller positioned to feed the sheets offilm 10 to the lateral supports 32. More specifically, the in-feed station includes afirst plate 46 disposed upstream from aroller 48. Theroller 48 includes a plurality ofgrooves 50, and preferably six grooves such that seven segments of theroller 48 are present, as illustrated inFIGURE 11 . Downstream of theroller 48 is asecond plate 52 having integratedfingers 54 extending upstream and at least partially through thegrooves 50 of theroller 48. Downstream of the first andsecond plates third plate 56 having a pair offingers 58 extending downstream for providing the lateral supports 32, as illustrated inFIGURE 12 . Thefingers 58 are spaced by agap 60 that is sized to permit thefood product 12 to pass therethrough when moved from the first position to the second position by the liftingdevice 14. - Upstream of the in-feed station is an unwind
station 70, illustrated inFIGURE 13 , which unwinds aweb 9 from a roll of film (not shown). A plurality of rollers ordancers 72 are provided for tensioning theweb 9 as it is unwound. Theweb 9 is fed throughdownstream rollers 76. As theweb 9 transitions from therollers 72 to thedownstream rollers 76, aweb plate 74 is positioned to contact theweb 9 for applying tension thereto and guiding prior to thedownstream rollers 76. - Each of the
plates plates film 10 to permit thefilm 10 to readily be advanced thereon (orweb 9, in the case of the web plate 74). This is particularly important due to the pre-applied adhesive on the underside of theweb 9 and thus thefilm 10, which can cause thefilm 10 to not readily slide along theplates plates - Due to variations that exist in the outer dimensions of the
food product 12, the depending leading and trailing edge portions 10a and 10b are not always be spaced the exact same distance apart. Furthermore, thefood product 12 and hence the edge portions 10a and 10b of thefilm 10 are not always in the same precise location of relative to thebackstop 30 of thedownstream folding bar 18. To accommodate these variations while being able to apply sufficient pressure to cause the seal to form between the pre-applied adhesive portions of the edge portions 10a and 10b of the film, the sealingbar 22 is biased from the sealingbar support 24 using springs. A pair of spring mounts 64 are disposed on the underside of the sealingbar support 24, as illustrated inFIGURE 10 . The spring mounts 64 each have a through bore with abolt 66 extending therethrough. Aspring 68 is positioned about the end of thebolt 66 extending through the bore and between themount 64 and the sealingbar 22 to bias the sealingbar 22 from the sealingbar support 24. The sealingbar support 24 also includes a pair of invertedU-shaped loops 28 on its upper-facing side. TheU-shaped loops 28 are formed from bent bolts, the threaded ends of which extend through apertures in the sealingbar support 24 and are secured using nuts 62. The U-shaped loops are rotatable about their threaded ends and are positioned to assist in folding thefilm 10 about the lateral sides of thefood product 12 during the advancement of the sealingbar 22. This can advantageously assist in ensuring sufficient alignment of the leading and trailing edge portions 10a. and 10b of thefilm 10 and the pre-applied adhesive thereon during the formation of thefin seal 10d. - In an exemplary embodiment, the
film 10 has the pre-applied adhesive 36 disposed in a pattern that surrounds an adhesive-free space 42 that is sized to accommodate thefood product 12. The adhesive 36 preferably, though not necessarily, does not extend to at least one edge of thefilm 10 and, optionally, all edges of thefilm 10. Portions of the adhesive 36 contact other portions of the adhesive such that the sheet offilm 10 can be wrapped to encapsulate thefood product 12, and thefilm 10 is twisted in at least one area, and preferably two areas, that includes the adhesive 36. By one approach, theadhesive pattern 36 is at least partially arcuate in shape. By another approach, theadhesive pattern 36 is substantially oval-shaped. The sheet offilm 10 may be folded about thefood product 12 to form a folded edge orfin seal 10d. So configured,food products 12 may be economically and efficiently wrapped, shipped, and offered to the consumer in packaging that resembles the traditional packaging appearance ofsuch food products 10. Such sealing may be hermetic or close to hermetic, thereby affording thefood product 12 improved shelf life without the need for an additional, secondary package. At the same time, the resemblance to the typical double-twist package can be maintained. - The pattern of adhesive 36 can be substantially oval-shaped, as illustrated in
FIGURE 7 . The pattern of adhesive 36 may be approximately 10 mm to approximately 25 mm in width. By one approach suitable for many application settings of interest, the pattern is approximately 15 mm in width. As will be well understood by those skilled in the art, the width of the adhesive 36 may vary based on factors such as the desired tightness of the seal or the amount and/or size of thefood product 12 disposed within the sheet offilm 10. For instance, a smaller-sized food product may require a smaller width of adhesive, while a large-sized food product or a plurality of food products may require a larger width of adhesive. The pattern of adhesive 36 may also optionally include one or more additional areas of adhesive 38 on the outer edges of the pattern ofadhesive 36. The additional areas of adhesive 38 may provide another sealing point to increase the sealing area and thus the effectiveness (and hermeticity) of the seal. By one approach, these additional areas of adhesive 38 are substantially shaped as half circles. The additional areas of adhesive 38 may be approximately 3.5 cm2 to 5 cm2. Generally speaking, additional areas of less than approximately 2 cm2 do not noticeably increase the strength or integrity of the seal, while additional areas of greater than 6 cm2 typically results in wasted adhesive without additional benefit. By one approach, additional areas of adhesive substantially-shaped as half circles with areas of approximately 4.35 cm2 may be used. By another approach, one or more second additional areas of adhesive 40 may be placed in one or more corners of the sheet offilm 10. These second additional areas of adhesive 40 enhance the twist-wrapping process by providing another area that seals when pressure is applied by the twist. Those skilled in the art will recognize that different shapes may be used in other approaches to maximize the seal strength and integrity in the same manner as described here. - Regardless of the particular pattern of adhesive 36 employed, the pattern defines the adhesive-
free space 42 that is sized to accommodate thefood product 12. The size of the adhesive-free space 42 will vary in relation to the pattern of adhesive 36, and the shape, size, and/or quantity offood product 12 to be wrapped. The adhesive-free space 42, however, preferably should be sized such that the pattern of adhesive 36 does not contact the edible substance when wrapped. By one approach, an oval-shaped pattern of adhesive 36 defines an adhesive-free space 42 that is approximately 55 cm2 to 62 cm2 in area. As a more specific, non-limiting example of interest, the oval-shaped pattern defines an adhesive-free space 42 of approximately 58.8 cm2 in area. - The sheet of
film 10 may be comprised of any material suitable for wrapping food products. For example, it may comprise a barrier film or coating with a high level of impermeability to moisture ingress to preserve the freshness of the edible substance contained within it. The level of impermeability that is acceptable will vary based upon the food product contained within the sheet of film, as well as the ratio of packaged surface area of a product to volume of the product. Impermeability may be measured, for instance, using the water vapor transmission rate of ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) test method F1249-90, measured at 38Ā°C and 85% relative humidity. By one approach, a barrier film with a water vapor transmission rate of less than about 1 mg/m2/day is used to wrap a product such as a bon-bon. However, where a product larger than a bonbon is wrapped, or where the product has a lower surface area to volume ratio, a water vapor transmission rate as high as 5 mg/m2/day may be acceptable. By another approach, a product that is fairly insensitive to moisture may tolerate a water vapor transmission rate of about 10 mg/m2/day or higher. The sheet offilm 10 may optionally also be comprised of a material with dead fold characteristics. Dead fold is a term used to describe the ability of a material to take and hold a fold without springing back to its original form. Materials may be used that cover a spectrum of dead fold properties. For instance, aluminum foil has excellent dead fold capabilities while polypropylene has little to no dead fold. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the material selected will vary based upon the objectives to be achieved. - These barrier films or coatings may be monofilms, laminates, waxes, paper, cast films, biaxially-oriented polyester films, biaxially-oriented polypropylene films, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) films, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films or the like. The type of barrier used may be product-dependent. A laminate may also serve a decorative function in addition to (or in place of) a barrier function. In one embodiment, the
film 10 comprises a metallic laminate. - The adhesive may be any known in the art, such as a cold-sealing adhesive, a heat-sealing adhesive, a pressure-sensitive adhesive (permanent or non-permanent), and the like. For the purposes of this illustrative example, and without intending any limitations in these regards, it will be presumed here that a cold-sealing adhesive is used. The cold-sealing adhesive may be natural latex rubber-based or synthetic. Using synthetic adhesive avoids complications arising from latex allergies if there is contact with the food product; however, either type of cold-sealing adhesive is acceptable. The cold-sealing adhesive is pressure-responsive (i.e., the adhesive will bond when placed under pressure), and may comprise an adhesive component and an elastomer as well as other additives. By one approach, the adhesive may comprise a reclosable adhesive. Cold-sealing adhesives comprising a relatively high rubber content and a relatively low polymer content may be especially useful for certain application settings of interest. As will be well understood by those skilled in the art, the application of the adhesive to the discrete sheet will vary depending upon the type of adhesive used. By one approach, a cold-sealing adhesive is disposed upon the discrete sheet through use of a disposing film with release properties or by applying a release material on the disposing film itself. By one approach, about 1 g/m2 of release material may be used. The weight of adhesive applied per area may also vary. By one approach, the weight of adhesive per area may be about 1.5 g/m2 or about 2.5 g/m2 to about 8 g/m2. By another approach, the weight of adhesive per area may be about 4 g/m2 to about 6 g/m2.
- Where a reclosable adhesive is desired, a primer may be applied to part or all of the flexible film prior to applying the cold seal adhesive. By one approach, about 0.2 g/m2 of primer is applied. By another approach, a flame or corona treatment is carried out on the flexible film prior to applying the cold-sealing adhesive. Both approaches improve anchorage of the seal, ensuring that the cold seal adhesive suitably bonds to the flexible film. The reclosability of the adhesive may also be modified from fully reclosable, to partially reclosable, to not reclosable at all.
Claims (15)
- A method of wrapping a food product (12), the method comprising:positioning a sheet of film (10) over the food product (12), the film (10) having leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b);lifting the food product (12) and the film (10);folding the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12) using a downstream folding bar (18) and an upstream folding bar (16) during the step of lifting the food product (12) and the film (10);supporting the food product by gripping the food product between an upstream and a downstream gripper; andmoving a sealing bar (22) against the downstream folding bar (18) to seal the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12), wherein the step of moving the sealing bar (22) against the downstream folding bar (18) includes biasing the sealing bar (22) relative to a support (24) for the sealing bar (22) to accommodate variations in the size and orientation of the food product (12) during sealing of the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12).
- The method of claim 1, wherein the step of lifting the food product (12) and the film (10) includes supporting the bottom of the food product (10) to lift both the food product (12) and the film (10).
- The method of claim 2, wherein the step of supporting the food product further includes the step of supporting the sides of the food product (12) prior to the step of moving the sealing bar (22) against the downstream folding bar (18) to seal the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12).
- The method of claim 3, wherein the step of moving the sealing bar (22) against the downstream folding bar (18) to seal the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12) includes passing the sealing bar (22) beneath at least a portion of the food product (12).
- The method of claim 4, further including the step of removing support for the bottom of the food product (12) prior to the step of passing the sealing bar (22) beneath at least a portion of the food product (12).
- The method of claim 5, further including the step of advancing the food product (12) in a downstream direction using the upstream and downstream grippers (20) after the step of moving a sealing bar (22) against the upstream folding bar (18) to seal the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12).
- The method of claim 4, wherein the step of moving the sealing bar (22) against the downstream folding bar (18) includes the step of folding lateral sides of the film (10) about the food product (12).
- The method of any of the preceding claims, further including the step of providing the film (10) with a pre-applied adhesive pattern in the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) such that the adhesive pattern cooperates to form a fin seal (10d) following the step of moving the sealing bar (22) against the downstream folding bar (18) to seal the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12).
- The method of claim 8, wherein the pre-applied adhesive pattern surrounds an adhesive-free space (42) that is sized to accommodate the food product (12) and the adhesive pattern does not extend to at least one edge of the film (12).
- The method of claim 9, further including the step of twisting the film (10) on opposite sides of the food product (12) in areas that include the adhesive pattern.
- An apparatus for wrapping a food product (12), the apparatus comprising:a retractable lift (14) for contacting a bottom of the food product (12) and lifting the food product (12) from a first position to a second position;a pair of lateral supports (32) for supporting a sheet of film (10) above the food product (12) in the first position and having a gap (60) between the supports (32) for the food product (12) to pass through;an upstream folding bar (16) and a downstream folding bar (18) positioned to fold leading and trailing portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12) when the food product (12) is lifted from the first position to the second position;a pair of grippers (20) for contacting sides of the food product (12) with the film (10) thereabout to support the food product (12) in the second position when the lift (14) is retracted; anda sealing bar (22) movable against the downstream folding bar (18) and beneath the food product (12) in the second position for sealing the leading and trailing portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) together to form a tube about the food product (12), the sealing bar (22) being biased relative to a support (24) for the sealing bar (22) to accommodate variations in the size and orientation of the food product (12) during sealing of the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) about the food product (12).
- The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sealing bar (22) is spring-biased relative to a sealing bar support (24);
and/or wherein the grippers (20) are mounted to arms (34) that are rotatable about the central pivot axis, the grippers (20) being rotatable about the central pivot axis to move the food product (12) with the film (10) thereabout from the second position to a third position whereby a twisting mechanism twists opposing open ends of the tube to enclose the food product (12) in the film (10). - The apparatus of any of claims 11 to 12, wherein a segmented feed roller is positioned upstream of the lateral supports (32) for feeding the film (10) to the lateral supports (32);
and/or wherein the lateral supports (32) are coated with a friction-reducing material to facilitate movement of the film (10) thereover;
and/or further comprising a feed member for moving the food product (12) into place above the lift (14) and in the first position. - The apparatus of any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the film (10) has a pre-applied adhesive pattern in the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) and the downstream folding bar (18) and the sealing bar (22) are configured to apply pressure to form a fin seal (10d) between the leading and trailing edge portions (10a, 10b) of the film (10) using the adhesive pattern.
- The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pre-applied adhesive pattern surrounds an adhesive-free space (42) that is sized to accommodate the food product (12) and the adhesive pattern does not extend to at least one edge of the film (10), the pair of lateral supports (32) positioned to support the adhesive-free space (42) of the film (10) over the food product (12) in the first position.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
PL11728136T PL2582583T3 (en) | 2010-06-21 | 2011-06-16 | Apparatus and methods for wrapping food products |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
BRPI1001928-6A2A BRPI1001928A2 (en) | 2010-06-21 | 2010-06-21 | APPLIANCE AND METHODS FOR WRAPPING FOOD PRODUCTS |
PCT/US2011/040667 WO2011163050A1 (en) | 2010-06-21 | 2011-06-16 | Apparatus and methods for wrapping food products |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2582583A1 EP2582583A1 (en) | 2013-04-24 |
EP2582583B1 true EP2582583B1 (en) | 2015-03-18 |
Family
ID=44454670
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP11728136.0A Active EP2582583B1 (en) | 2010-06-21 | 2011-06-16 | Apparatus and methods for wrapping food products |
Country Status (10)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20140083055A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP2582583B1 (en) |
BR (1) | BRPI1001928A2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2803280C (en) |
MX (1) | MX2012014941A (en) |
PL (1) | PL2582583T3 (en) |
RU (1) | RU2564871C2 (en) |
UA (1) | UA107839C2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2011163050A1 (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA201300162B (en) |
Families Citing this family (15)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2013177634A1 (en) * | 2012-06-01 | 2013-12-05 | Arcor Do Brasil Ltda | Improvement to packaging sheet for edible products and method for manufacturing the same |
WO2016020841A1 (en) * | 2014-08-08 | 2016-02-11 | Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. | Wrapping method |
WO2016080926A1 (en) * | 2014-11-20 | 2016-05-26 | Yildiz Holding A.Å. | A packaging method for edible products |
EP3100957B1 (en) * | 2015-06-04 | 2018-01-03 | Cmfima S.R.L. | Product packaging assembly |
CN105923207A (en) * | 2016-06-17 | 2016-09-07 | åØč“µč± | Packaging technology for square sugar |
CN105936353A (en) * | 2016-06-17 | 2016-09-14 | åØč“µč± | Square candy wrapping method |
IT201700022526A1 (en) * | 2017-02-28 | 2018-08-28 | Azionaria Costruzioni Acma Spa | Packaging method for hygroscopic food products |
US20200207540A1 (en) * | 2017-06-15 | 2020-07-02 | Conopco, Inc., D/B/A Unilever | Frozen confection product packaging |
CN107985654A (en) * | 2017-11-23 | 2018-05-04 | éåŗå¤ē¬ åé£åęéå ¬åø | A kind of food method for packing |
CN108001729A (en) * | 2017-11-23 | 2018-05-08 | éåŗå¤ē¬ åé£åęéå ¬åø | A kind of food packing device |
RU2694028C1 (en) * | 2018-09-17 | 2019-07-08 | ŠŠøŃ Š°ŠøŠ» ŠŠøŠŗŠ¾Š»Š°ŠµŠ²ŠøŃ ŠŃŃŠ“Š°ŠµŠ² | Method for expansion of functionality of structural elements used in manned space flights |
DE102018008483B3 (en) * | 2018-10-30 | 2020-01-30 | Benhil Gmbh | Process for packaging portioned, liquid or pasty products in the processing state and packaging machine for carrying out such a process |
IT202000010198A1 (en) * | 2020-05-07 | 2021-11-07 | Sacmi Packaging & Chocolate S P A | WRAPPING GROUP |
CN112093114B (en) * | 2020-09-22 | 2021-11-26 | č””é³ē¾ę”ä½³é£åęéå ¬åø | Twisting device for candy production and use method thereof |
CN112937981B (en) * | 2021-03-30 | 2022-07-29 | 仲ęŗåäøå·„ēØå¦é¢ | Automatic bag type packaging machine is wrapped up in to change fruit vegetables |
Family Cites Families (13)
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US2744370A (en) * | 1951-04-06 | 1956-05-08 | Seragnoli Ariosto | Mechanism for wrapping caramels, pastilles and articles of similar shape |
SU391015A1 (en) * | 1972-03-29 | 1973-07-25 | ŠÆ. Š. ŠŠ°ŃŃ ŠµŠ²ŠŗŠ° , Š”. Š. Š”ŠµŠ¼ŠµŠ½Š“ | DEVICE FOR ENCLOSURE OF PIECE PRODUCTS |
IT1001430B (en) * | 1973-12-20 | 1976-04-20 | Gd Spa | DEED OF OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE SO-CALLED HANDS OF THE WRAPPING DEVICES THAT CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE WRAPPING MACHINES OF CA RAMELLE AND SIMILAR ITEMS FOR DETERMINING THE TU BOLAR WRAPPING SHEETS SO-CALLED A SIMPLE BOW OR DOUBLE BOW |
US4991379A (en) * | 1989-04-21 | 1991-02-12 | Zip-Pak Incorporated | Substantially frictionless and static-free former and feed tube |
JP2621016B2 (en) * | 1993-09-06 | 1997-06-18 | ćć³ćę©ę¢°ę Ŗå¼ä¼ē¤¾ | Twist packing machine |
EP0796168B1 (en) * | 1994-12-06 | 1998-05-20 | SIG Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft | Transverse sealing device for tubular bag forming, filling and sealing machines |
IT1279679B1 (en) * | 1995-11-10 | 1997-12-16 | Carle & Montanari Spa | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLOSING THE ENDS OF CHOCOLATE WRAPPING MATERIAL OR OTHER PRODUCTS WHICH HAVE SIMILAR NEEDS, |
BE1009877A3 (en) * | 1995-12-29 | 1997-10-07 | Transpac | Closed envelope packing by papillotes. |
EP1188672A1 (en) * | 2000-09-18 | 2002-03-20 | Mars B.V. | Method and device for packaging a food product, such as a candy, as well as a packaged candy |
ITBO20020222A1 (en) * | 2002-04-23 | 2003-10-23 | Azionaria Costruzioni Acma Spa | WRAPPING METHOD AND WHEEL FOR THE STACKING OF STACKS OF PRODUCTS |
US6860958B2 (en) * | 2002-06-27 | 2005-03-01 | Cryovac, Inc. | Wrinkle reduction assembly |
NL1028314C2 (en) * | 2004-07-26 | 2006-04-04 | Cfs Weert Bv | Lolly and device for its manufacture. |
US20100239721A1 (en) * | 2009-03-20 | 2010-09-23 | Valeria Stoppello | Method and apparatus to facilitate encapsulating an edible substance |
-
2010
- 2010-06-21 BR BRPI1001928-6A2A patent/BRPI1001928A2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2011
- 2011-06-16 PL PL11728136T patent/PL2582583T3/en unknown
- 2011-06-16 US US13/703,273 patent/US20140083055A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2011-06-16 MX MX2012014941A patent/MX2012014941A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2011-06-16 RU RU2013102342/13A patent/RU2564871C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2011-06-16 EP EP11728136.0A patent/EP2582583B1/en active Active
- 2011-06-16 UA UAA201300667A patent/UA107839C2/en unknown
- 2011-06-16 WO PCT/US2011/040667 patent/WO2011163050A1/en active Application Filing
- 2011-06-16 CA CA2803280A patent/CA2803280C/en active Active
-
2013
- 2013-01-07 ZA ZA2013/00162A patent/ZA201300162B/en unknown
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2011163050A1 (en) | 2011-12-29 |
UA107839C2 (en) | 2015-02-25 |
BRPI1001928A2 (en) | 2013-12-24 |
ZA201300162B (en) | 2014-09-25 |
PL2582583T3 (en) | 2015-08-31 |
RU2013102342A (en) | 2014-07-27 |
AU2011271248A1 (en) | 2013-01-24 |
CA2803280C (en) | 2018-11-27 |
RU2564871C2 (en) | 2015-10-10 |
MX2012014941A (en) | 2013-02-12 |
CA2803280A1 (en) | 2011-12-29 |
EP2582583A1 (en) | 2013-04-24 |
US20140083055A1 (en) | 2014-03-27 |
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