EP2594489B1 - Packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a packaging machine with a stationary support frame, in which a feed unit, a film unit, a folding unit with a packaging piston, a folding channel and shutter blades, and a Abtransporteinheit are held.

GB 1 096 283 relates to an automatic packaging machine, for example for sandwiches. A conveyor transports the products to be packaged to a folding unit with a folding channel. After packaging the products, they are further conveyed via removal belts. The folding unit and the removal belts are arranged on a main frame. The folding unit comprises a lifting mechanism with a cup. A packaging material is first positioned over the folding channel and adapted by means of a vacuum to the shape of the cup. A product to be packaged is now placed on a platform as it is lowered by the lift mechanism. When lowering the packaging material is partially vertical. This is then taken up by wheels and closed by suitable means, for example by perforation or heat. These wheels are arranged on the main frame.

EP 1 415 915 A1 describes a packaging machine in which two modular units for forming and feeding packaging material can be adjusted between two positions. A film unit has an operating position at an angle of 180 ° to the conveying direction of a feed conveyor.

EP 1 544 111 A1 relates to a packaging machine in which products are packaged by means of laterally interconnected, open bags. A loading station and a closure area can be adjusted between a working position and a cleaning position. The adjustment movement can be accomplished by a rotation about a rotary joint. The pivoting movement can take place from a horizontal position into a vertical position.

GB 641 148 relates to a packaging machine with a housing which is rotatably mounted in a frame. In the housing all components of the packaging machine are arranged to protect them from liquids. At the same time, accessibility to the protected mechanism is ensured.

DE 10 98 440 B describes an adjustability of side walls and conveyors of a folding channel of a wrapping machine for cleaning purposes.

Such known from the prior art packaging machines are used to provide any products, especially food, with a foil packaging. As part of a packaging process, a product to be packaged within the packaging machine is positioned above the packaging envelope by the feed unit, while the film assembly provides a film spanned above the product within a horizontal plane. This film is peeled off from a supply roll within the film aggregate. A required for the packaging film section is separated from existing in the film unit foil knives from the supply roll when the packaging piston, the product to be packaged together with the above the product located film section by the above the packaging piston arranged folding channel moves. After the product with the film section has left the folding channel upwards, film regions projecting downwards are folded onto the underside of the product by means of the sealing strips, so that the product is completely enclosed by the film section and thus packaged. Finally, the product thus packaged is moved out of the packaging machine by the removal unit.

Particularly when packaging food products, in particular cheese portions, it is problematic that the individual components of the packaging machine become dirty over time, so that the packaging machine must be thoroughly cleaned regularly and thoroughly to meet existing hygiene requirements. Such a cleaning process takes place in practice, for example, by multiple washing of the machine components with water, here either splash water or low pressure cleaning is used. Furthermore, foam cleaners and liquid disinfectants are often used for the cleaning process. In such cleaning operations, sensitive machine components, such as e.g. Often, the film knife of the film aggregate is adversely affected, as it is difficult to protect these components from overheating contact with detergent and water.

An object of the invention is to develop a packaging machine of the type mentioned in such a way that sensitive machine components are not claimed during a cleaning of the packaging machine or even damaged.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of claim 1 and in particular by the fact that the film unit is movably mounted relative to the support frame so that it is adjustable relative to the feed unit and the packaging piston between an operating position and a cleaning position.

The idea according to the invention can be implemented particularly simply in terms of design if the film unit and the shutter blades and the folding channel are pivotally mounted on the support frame about a pivot axis extending vertically and outside the support frame.

The invention is based on the finding that the film aggregate itself is contaminated by the products to be packaged in any way or at most only to a very limited extent, since all parts of the film aggregate by the first stretched above the product film and then by the folded product on the product Foil are shielded from the product. The film thus has the effect that no parts falling from the product to be packaged or liquid separated from it can come into contact with the individual components of the film aggregate. It follows that the film unit which is shielded from direct product contact by the film and which has the sensitive film knife and also sensitive guides for moving parts of the film unit need not be included in the cleaning process.

Thus, it is possible according to the invention to move the complete film unit from its operating position to a cleaning position in which it is located substantially outside the volume bounded by the support frame. Accordingly, the components of the packaging machine remaining within the volume bounded by the support frame may remain be cleaned easily without causing detergent and water to reach the located in its cleaning position film unit. In this way, the sensitive parts of the film assembly are reliably protected from detergent and water, while ensuring that all other contaminated components of the packaging machine, in particular the feed unit and the packaging flask, can be thoroughly and thoroughly cleaned.

A further advantage of the packaging machine according to the invention is that the components remaining within the volume bounded by the supporting frame are more accessible when the film unit is in the cleaning position, which results in advantages both in cleaning and in machine maintenance and setting of the packaging machine to different product formats.

The shutter blades are relatively movably mounted to the support frame so that they are adjustable relative to the feed unit and the packaging piston between an operating position and a cleaning position. As well as the film unit namely the shutter blades are reliably shielded during the packaging process by the film against the product, so that the shutter blades are not polluted by the product to be packaged. Thus, the shutter blades can be protected by the movement in their cleaning position from detergent and water. When both the film aggregate and the shutter blades are in their respective cleaning position, the accessibility of the components remaining within the support frame is also advantageously improved at the same time.

The advantages mentioned are further optimized in that the folding channel is also movably mounted relative to the support frame, so that it can be adjusted relative to the feed unit and the packaging piston between an operating position and a cleaning position. Also, the folding channel is namely reliably shielded by the film during the packaging process against the product, so that he can be spared from the cleaning, which on the one hand protected the folding channel and on the other hand, the accessibility of the remaining components in the support frame can be further improved.

In particular, the pivot axis may extend approximately in the middle region of one side of the support frame or adjacent to a corner region of the support frame. The arrangement in the corner area will be explained in more detail below in the description of the figures. An arrangement in the center region of one side of the support frame is e.g. makes sense if the conveying direction of the feed unit and the film conveying direction of the film unit in the operating position at an angle of 180 ° to each other.

The swivel angle between operating position and cleaning position can be in a range between 45 ° and 180 °, and preferably 90 °, relative to all pivotable components. A pivoting angle of 90 ° is e.g. again makes sense if the conveying direction of the feed unit and the film conveying direction of the film unit in the operating position at an angle of 180 ° to each other. This embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail in the description of the figures.

If the folding channel is pivotally mounted on the support frame, this also requires in an advantageous manner that a replacement of the folding channel at A change of product format is facilitated because the folding channel is more accessible in the swung-out position.

It is particularly advantageous if the film aggregate and / or the shutter blades and / or the folding channel are coupled together in such a way that they are movable together relative to the support frame, in particular about a common pivot axis. Thus, all machine components that can be adjusted between an operating position and a cleaning position can be connected to form a unit that can be moved back and forth between the two positions mentioned as a whole. This simplifies both the construction and the handling of the packaging machine according to the invention.

According to the invention, it is preferred if the film aggregate and / or the shutter blades have at least one servo drive that is movable together with the film unit and / or shutter blades relative to the support frame. In this case, the machine components fixedly arranged on the support frame and the machine components which can be moved between an operating position and a cleaning position can have separate drives so that they are completely decoupled from one another with respect to their drive. As a result, the construction of a packaging machine according to the invention is simplified because no driving coupling between rigid in the support frame on the one hand and movable to the support frame on the other hand arranged machine components is required.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in the patent claims, the description and the figures.

Fig. 1

eine schematische dreidimensionale Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Verpackungsmaschine in ihrer Betriebsposition, wobei aus Gründen der Übersichtlichkeit einige Maschinenkomponenten nicht dargestellt sind,

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf eine Verpackungsmaschine gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine Ansicht der Verpackungsmaschine gemäß Fig. 1 in ihrer Reinigungsposition, und

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht auf die Verpackungsmaschine gemäß Fig. 3.

The invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment with reference to the figures; in these show:

Fig. 1

a schematic three-dimensional view of a packaging machine according to the invention in its operating position, wherein for reasons of clarity, some machine components are not shown,

Fig. 2

a plan view of a packaging machine according to Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a view of the packaging machine according to Fig. 1 in their cleaning position, and

Fig. 4

a plan view of the packaging machine according to Fig. 3 ,

The Fig. 1 to 4 show a substantially rectangular support frame 10, which is supported on the bottom side feet 12.

In a corner region 14 of the support frame 10 projecting arms 16 are provided, between which a vertically extending pivot axis 18 is rotatably mounted.

On the support frame 10, a feed unit 20 is provided, which is designed as an infeed conveyor in the illustrated embodiment. At the end lying in the transport direction of the feed unit 20, a vertically movable packing piston 22 is provided, which serves to over the Feed unit to be packaged delivered product to be lifted vertically upward.

On the pivot axis 18 a relative to the support frame 10 about the pivot axis 18 pivotable unit is provided, which consists of a film unit 24, a folding channel 26 and shutter blades 28, wherein the shutter blades 28 are arranged above and the film unit 24 below the folding channel 26.

The film unit 24 has a film roll 30 and a reserve roll 32, of which the packaging film in the direction of in Fig. 1 and 2 shown arrows, so as to get into the area between the packaging piston 22 and folding channel 26.

In the in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown operating position, the conveying direction of the feed unit 20 and the conveying direction of the film unit 24 at an angle of 135 ° to each other. Likewise, an angle of 180 ° would be conceivable here.

For the purpose of cleaning, maintenance or the product format change, the unit formed from film unit 24, folding channel 26 and shutter blades 28 around the pivot axis 18, starting from the in Fig. 2 shown operating position counterclockwise by 135 ° in the in Fig. 4 and also in Fig. 3 shown cleaning position pivoted. This results in the already explained inventive advantages.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be realized within the scope of the claims, any variations.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

supporting frame

12

stands

14

corner

16

carrying arms

18

swivel axis

20

Zufördereinheit

22

packaging piston

24

film unit

26

folding channel

28

shutter blades

30

film roll

32

supply roll

Claims (6)

1. A packaging machine having a stationary support frame (10), in which

   - an infeed unit (20);

   - a film unit (24);

   - a folding unit having a packaging piston (22), a folding passage (26) and shutter blades (28); as well as

   - a removal unit

   are held,
   wherein the film unit (24) is movably supported relative to the support frame (10) such that it is adjustable between an operating position and a cleaning position with respect to the infeed unit (20) and the packaging piston (22),
   characterised in that
   the film unit (24), the shutter blades (28) and the folding passage (26) are supported at the support frame (10) pivotably about a pivot axle (18) extending vertically and outside the support frame (10).
2. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the pivot axle (18) extends approximately in the central region of a side of the support frame or adjacent to a corner region of the support frame.
3. A packaging machine in accordance with one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the pivot angle between the operating position and the cleaning position lies in a range between 45° and 180° and preferably amounts to approximately 90°.
4. A packaging machine in accordance with any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the conveying direction of the infeed unit (20) and the film conveying direction of the film unit (24) have an angle of 180° or 135° with respect to one another in the operating position.
5. A packaging machine in accordance with any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the film unit (24) and/or the shutter blades (28) and/or the folding passage (26) are coupled to one another such that they can be moved in common relative to the support frame (10), in particular about a common pivot axle (18).
6. A packaging machine in accordance with any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the film unit (24) and/or the shutter blades (28) have at least one servo drive movable relative to the support frame (10) together with the film unit (24) and/or shutter blades (28).

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