EP2746173A1 - Deep draw packaging machine and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The deep-drawing packaging machine (1) has a forming station (2) that is provided for forming a trough (14) in a film (10), an insert station (3) and a sealing station (4). The sealing station is provided with a sealing tool. The retention device (20) is provided for holding the flexible and partly curved products (15) in the trough, such that a relative movement is provided between the retention device and the sealing tool along a production direction (R). An independent claim is included for a method for operating an intermittently working deep-drawing packaging machine for packing a group of flexible and partly curved products.

Description

The present invention relates to a thermoforming packaging machine with the technical features of claim 1 and a method with the technical features of the method claim 12.

So far, in practice products are positioned at a loading station on packaging carriers or inserted into this, to be transported from there together with the packaging carriers along a packaging line to downstream workstations, such as a sealing station. In the sealing station, a lidding film is sealed onto the packaging carriers to airtightly enclose the products in the packaging carriers.

The transport of the products on the packaging carriers between the loading station and the sealing station works without problems, as long as the products do not slip on the packaging carriers and possibly reach the area of the packaging carriers where the lid film is subsequently to be sealed. In most cases, this is an edge area or the area of the sealing seam of the packaging carrier.

It has been found that, in particular, the transport of long, flexible and partially curved products is problematic because such products tend to slip during transport on the packaging carriers or that by itself due to a curvature, for example, an end of the product from the Packaging carrier protrudes. As a result, the products protrude beyond the packaging carriers or reach the area where they are subsequently to be sealed.

To detect slippage of the products, camera systems are used in practice. If the camera system detects that the products are no longer properly located on or in the packaging carriers, ie projecting into the area to be sealed, the packaging process is automatically stopped. Subsequently, an operator must correct the position of the products on or in the packaging carriers so that the packaging process can continue. The disadvantage of this is mainly that the camera system used for it is expensive and it by automatically stopping the packaging process Downtime occurs, which increases the production costs.

In practice, it has also been found that slipping of the products on the packaging carriers is mainly caused by vibrations of the packaging machine, by the cyclic feed along the conveyor line, by closing the sealing tool of the sealing station or by restoring forces of the products themselves. Primarily, however, the cyclical advancement of the products on the packaging carriers along the packaging line is made responsible for the products moving out of their original position during transport and possibly entering the region of the packaging carriers to be sealed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve a thermoforming packaging machine or a method in such a way that the products to be packaged can not reach a region of the packaging carriers to be sealed during the packaging process so that there are no interruptions during the packaging process.

This object is achieved by the technical features of claim 1 and by the technical features of the method claim 12. Improved developments of the invention are given by the technical features of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a thermoforming packaging machine comprises a forming station for forming trays in a film, an infeed station, and a sealing station with a sealing tool to introduce a group of preferably long, flexible and partially curved products into the trays. The thermoforming packaging machine is characterized in that a holding device for holding the products is provided in the wells and that between the holding device and the sealing tool, a relative movement is provided in a production direction, whereby the products can be securely held in the wells and both a sealing, as well as a complete sealing of the wells is process-safe, without that part of the product is in the sealed seam and the product is damaged and a non-usable pack is generated. The sealing station can be a sealing station for producing an annularly closed sealing seam, but also a pre-sealing station, in order to partially attach a cover film to the film with the depressions in order to secure the sealing film Keep products in the trough until they are sealed in a further sealing station to packaging completely.

Preferably, the fixture includes jaws configured to hold products respectively at multiple locations in the troughs and the film to ensure that each part of an elongate product, preferably both ends of the product, is retained in the trough.

In this case, the holding device preferably has a plurality of clamping bars that are movable relative to one another in parallel, on each of which clamping jaws are mounted, in order to allow a simultaneous movement of a plurality of clamping jaws for all troughs. Also conceivable is a variant with rotationally acting means to allow the movement of several jaws. It is also conceivable that only the jaws for each trough can be operated together to assist a manual insertion of the products or a single insert.

Preferably, the terminal strips are moved together by means of an adjustment to each other so that the jaws hold the products in the trough.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the holding device has a plurality of holding segments, which are arranged on a revolving feed system. This allows a simple and space-saving possibility to transport the retaining segments or a format in the direction of production and also after the pre-sealing station back to the insertion station. The feed system may comprise a link chain, a toothed belt or a similar drive transmission means.

Preferably, the holding device is synchronously with a film transport device for the film in a production direction intermittently in the sealing station for sealing a lid film on the film transportable.

Preferably, the holding device is mechanically coupled to the film transport device for the film in order not to have to provide their own drive for the holding device or the rotating feed system.

In an advantageous embodiment, a gripping device is provided to a group of preferably long, flexible and partially curved products in the wells to further increase the degree of automation of the thermoforming packaging machine.

In an advantageous alternative embodiment, the holding device comprises a hold-down device which is configured to hold the products in each case at a plurality of positions in the troughs and the film.

In this case, the holding device preferably has a die for the group of products, wherein the die is vertically movable by means of a lifting device. This has the advantage of requiring only one die for receiving troughs of one format and that only one vertical direction of movement is to be provided for the die.

The pre-sealing tool is preferably movable against the direction of production via the die for pre-sealing a cover film on the film.

• Formen von Mulden in eine Folie,
• Einlegen der Gruppe von Produkten in die Mulden in einer Einlegestation, wobei sich die Mulden dabei in einer Haltevorrichtung oder Matrize befinden,
• Halten der Produkte mittels mehrerer Klemmbacken oder einer Niederhaltevorrichtung während einer Relativbewegung der Haltevorrichtung bzw. der Matrize gegenüber einem Siegelwerkzeug einer Siegelstation.

The method according to the invention for operating an intermittently-working thermoforming packaging machine for packaging a group of preferably long, flexible and partially curved products has the following production steps:

• Forming hollows in a foil,
• Inserting the group of products into the wells in an insertion station, wherein the wells are in a holding device or die,
• Holding the products by means of a plurality of jaws or a hold-down device during a relative movement of the holding device or the die relative to a sealing tool a sealing station.

The method according to the invention ensures that the products are held securely in the trough after insertion until the troughs have been covered by a cover foil and the cover foil is attached to the foil by means of a sealing tool or sealed with a continuous continuous sealing seam.

It preferably starts holding the products after inserting the products and ends after sealing.

The holding device preferably comprises a format of holding segments and the format of holding segments is moved in a production direction into the sealing station.

The holding device is preferably transported by means of a circulating chain feed system after sealing back to the insertion station.

In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the products are inserted by means of a gripping device in the troughs to increase the degree of automation of the process.

Fig. 1:

eine Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Tiefziehverpackungsmaschine,

Fig. 2:

eine schematische Ansicht eines Ausschnitts der Tiefziehverpackungsmaschine mit einer Haltevorrichtung, einer Einlegestation, einer Greifeinrichtung und einer Vorsiegelstation,

Figur 3:

eine schematische Ansicht eines Formats der Haltevorrichtung,

Figur 4:

eine Schnittansicht der Einlegestation entgegen einer Produktionsrichtung mit geschlossener Klemmvorrichtung,

Figur 5:

eine Schnittansicht der Vorsiegelstation und Haltevorrichtung entgegen der Produktionsrichtung mit geöffneter Klemmvorrichtung,

Fig. 6:

eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Ausführungsform der Haltevorrichtung als Paternoster, und

Fig. 7a bis 7c:

eine Darstellung einer weiteren alternativen Ausführungsform der Haltevorrichtung mit einem entlang der Produktionsrichtung bewegbaren Siegelstation in drei verschiedenen Stellungen.

The object of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the figures described below. In detail show:

Fig. 1:

a side view of a thermoforming packaging machine according to the invention,

Fig. 2:

a schematic view of a section of the thermoforming packaging machine with a holding device, an insertion station, a gripping device and a Vorsiegelstation,

FIG. 3:

a schematic view of a format of the holding device,

FIG. 4:

a sectional view of the insertion station against a production direction with a closed clamping device,

FIG. 5:

a sectional view of the pre-sealing station and holding device against the production direction with open clamping device,

Fig. 6:

a schematic side view of an alternative embodiment of the holding device as a paternoster, and

FIGS. 7a to 7c:

a representation of another alternative embodiment of the holding device with a movable along the direction of production sealing station in three different positions.

The same components are provided throughout the figures with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a packaging machine 1 according to the invention in the form of a thermoforming packaging machine. This thermoforming packaging machine 1 has a forming station 2, an insertion station 3, a pre-sealing station 4, a sealing station 5, a cross-cutting device 6 and a longitudinal cutting device 7, which are arranged in this order in a production direction R on a machine frame 8. On the input side is located on the machine frame 8, a feed roller 9, from which a film 10 is withdrawn. There is a material storage 11 is provided, from which a lid sheet 12 is withdrawn, which is the Vorsiegelstation 4 is supplied. On the output side, a discharge device 13 in the form of a conveyor belt is provided on the packaging machine, are transported with the finished, isolated packaging. Furthermore, the thermoforming packaging machine 1 has a film transport device, not shown, which grips the film 10 and transports it further per main working cycle in the production direction R. The film transport device can be designed, for example, by transport chains or staple chains arranged on both sides of the film 10 or on the machine frame 8.

In the illustrated embodiment, the forming station 2 is formed as a thermoforming station, are formed in the film 10 by deep drawing troughs 14. In this case, the forming station 2 can be designed such that in the direction perpendicular to the production direction R several troughs are formed side by side. In the production direction R behind the forming station 2, the insertion station 3 is provided to fill the molded in the film 10 wells 14 with products 15.

The sealing station 5 has a closable chamber 17, in which the atmosphere in the wells 14 can be replaced prior to sealing, for example, by gas purging with a replacement gas or with a gas mixture.

The cross-cutting device 6 is formed as a punch that cuts through the film 10 and the cover film 12 in a direction transverse to the direction of production R between adjacent wells 14. In this case, the cross-cutting device 6 operates such that the film 10 is not separated over the entire width, but is not severed at least in an edge region. This allows a controlled onward transport through the film transport device.

The longitudinal cutting device 7 is formed in the illustrated embodiment as a knife assembly with which the film 10 and the cover sheet 12 are cut between adjacent wells 14 and at the lateral edge of the film 10, so that behind the slitter 7 individualized packages are present.

The packaging machine 1 also has a controller 16. It has the task of controlling and monitoring the processes taking place in the packaging machine 1. A display device 18 with operating elements 19 serves to visualize or influence the process sequences in the packaging machine 1 for or by an operator.

The general operation of the packaging machine 1 will be briefly described below.

The film 10 is withdrawn from the feed roller 9 and transported by the film transport device in the forming station 2. In the forming station 2 troughs 14 are formed by deep drawing in the film 10. The troughs 14 are transported along with the surrounding area of the film 10 in a main working cycle to the insertion station 3, in which they are filled with a group G of products 15.

Subsequently, the filled wells 14 are transported along with the surrounding area of the film 10 in the main working cycle through the film transport device in the pre-sealing station 4. In this case, the products 15 are held in the wells 14 by means of a holding device 20, while the wells 14 are moved from the loading station 3 to the pre-sealing station 4 in the main working cycle.

The cover film 12 is transported on to the film 10 in the pre-sealing station 4 with the advancing movement of the film 10 after a sealing operation. In this case, the lid film 12 is withdrawn from the material storage 11. By sealing the lid film 12 on the wells 14, the wells 14 are covered so far that in the following work cycles the products 15 are held in the wells 14 without the holding device 20 until sealed packages are produced in the sealing station 5. The sealed packages are separated in the following cuts 6 and 7 and transported out of the packaging machine 1 by means of the discharge device 13.

Fig. 2 FIG. 2 shows the presetting station 4 with a presetting tool 21 for partially sealing the cover film 12 to the film 10. The insertion station 3 has a gripping device 22 for placing a group G of six products 15, which may be catheters, into a row of six hollows 14 to insert in a working cycle. The products 15 can be introduced via a magazine or a conveyor belt to the thermoforming packaging machine 1 so that they can be detected by the gripping device 22. The gripping device 22 can be designed as a two-, three- or four-axis robot and can hold a group G of six products 15 by means of vacuum cups 22a.

The holding device 20 extends from the insertion station 3 to the pre-sealing station 4 and has a plurality of retaining segments 23, which are mounted on a revolving feed system 24. In each case, eleven corresponding to receive the troughs 14 formed holding segments 23 form a format F for six wells 14. In part 23 clamping jaws 25 are provided on terminal strips 26 between the holding segments, wherein the clamping bars 26 are movable transversely to the production direction R, each with two acting jaws 25 to each other to hold the product 15 in the trough 14 by the film 10 is slightly compressed above the inserted product 15 and the opening is reduced to the top.

The feed system 24 includes a drive shaft 27 on which two gears 28 are mounted to transport the holding segments 23. About also two further gears 29 and two guide wheels 30, the drive shaft 27 and thus the feed system 24 via the film transport device not shown in detail of the film 10 in the thermoforming packaging machine, preferably by two on both sides of the machine frame 8 running transport chains for the film 10, driven and thus mechanically coupled and synchronized with the advancing movement of the film 10. As a variant, a separate servo drive for the feed system 24 is conceivable and the gears 29 and the guide wheels 30 would be omitted. The holding device 20 comprises four cross members 31, by means of which the holding device 20 on the machine frame 8, which in the Fig. 2 is not shown in detail, is appropriate.

Fig. 3 shows a single format F of the holding device 20 in an enlarged view without the film 10 and products 15. The format F comprises eleven retaining segments 23. In the retaining segments 23 are formed protrusions 32 to receive the troughs 14 of the film 10. In the formations 32 of the retaining segments 23 bores 33 are provided, via which a vacuum is applied in order to rest the film 10 in the retaining segments 23. In the so-held wells 14, the product 15 can be inserted. The products 15 are held from above by means of the gripper 22 and the vacuum suction 22a and inserted from above into the wells 14. The vacuum cups 22a are active and hold the products 15 until the jaws 25 have moved toward each other, as in FIG Fig. 2 shown to the products 15 in the wells 14th hold. The vacuum cups 22a are then deactivated and the gripper 22 moves away from the holder 20 to pick up a further six products 15 for the next size F, for example, from a feed belt or magazine. The format F with the inserted and held products 15 is moved on in the next working cycle in the production direction R.

The Fig. 4 shows a section through a format F transverse to the direction of production R in the region of the inserting station 3, in which an adjusting drive 35 is shown, which comprises a lifting cylinder 36, a lever mechanism 37 and a guide 38 to two mounted on the guide 38 in the direction of production R aligned Last 39 to each other and to be able to move apart. In order to move the strips 39 to each other, a lower part of the lever mechanism 37, which is connected to the lifting cylinder 36, adjusted downward. The strips push 39 bolts 40, which are each connected to a terminal block 26 to each other. Six clamping jaws 25 are attached to the clamping bars 26 for each product 15 in this exemplary embodiment, so that two jaws 25, which are each provided with a product 15, move towards each other and compress the foil 10 from two sides by a projection 25a in order to reliably secure the product 15 in the trough 14 during transport to keep in the pre-sealing station 4 inside. The adjustment drive 35 is attached to the machine frame 8.

Fig. 5 shows a section transverse to the production direction R in the region of the pre-sealing station 4, with a further adjusting drive 41, which comprises a lifting cylinder 36, a lever mechanism 37 and a guide 38 to two mounted on the guide 38, aligned in the direction of production R strips 39 to each other and apart to be able to move. To move the strips 39 apart, a lower part of the lever mechanism 37, which is connected to the cylinder 36, adjusted upward. In this case, the strips 39 push the bolts 40, which are connected to the terminal block 26, apart and the jaws 25 move apart and remain in this position until the format F was transported back to the insertion station 3 by the feed system 24 to new products 15 record. The adjustment drive 41 is attached to the machine frame 8 via the cross members 31.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG Fig. 6 shown. The presetting station 4 comprises a pre-sealing tool 21 and the lidding film 12 is fed to the pre-sealing station 4. The pre-sealing station 4 can also be designed as a sealing station 5 and seal the lid film 12 with a circumferential seal on the film 10. The insertion station 3 has the gripping device 22 in order to insert the products 15 into the hollows 14. A holding device 44 has a hold-down device 45, on which a plurality of rollers 46 are attached to strips 47. The hold-down device 45 is vertically or transversely to the direction of production R adjustable to give the gripping device 22, the possibility to insert the products 15 from above into the wells 14. After insertion, the hold-down device 45 is placed over the products 15 downwardly or laterally so that the products 15 are held in the troughs 14 during movement in the direction of production R. For example, the hold-down device 45 in each case has a strip 47 with thirteen rollers 46 for one product 15 each.

The caulking tool 21 also has a plurality of rollers 46 disposed above the products 15 for holding the products 15 in the troughs 14. The Vorsiegelwerkzeug 21 includes a Vorsiegelrahmen 21 a, the cover sheet 12 adheres to the film 10 at a plurality of positions between the rollers 46 by means of so-called point seals.

The holding device 44 comprises at least two matrices 48 for receiving the troughs 14 and the products 15, wherein in the Fig. 6 three matrices 48 are shown. The dies 48 are arranged such that a die 48 is moved in synchronism with the advancing movement of the thermoforming packaging machine 1 in the production direction R of the insertion station 3 for Vorsiegelstation 4, there to seal the lid sheet 12 partially to the film 10 such that the product 15 safely is held in the trough 14 until the lid sheet 12 complete in the sealing station 5 is completely sealed to the film 10. For returning the die 48, this is lowered after the sealing process in the presetting station 4 down and transported against the direction of production R by a transport system not shown in detail to the loading station 3 and moved to insert new products 15 by means of the gripping device 22 to the top Slide 10 to come into contact and receive the wells 14. Also in this embodiment, holes 33 may be provided for applying a vacuum in the die 48.

Another embodiment of the invention show the Figures 7a, 7b and 7c , It is not the die 48, but the Vorsiegelwerkzeug 21 in or against the production direction R movable. Fig. 7a shows the situation when inserting the products 15 by means the gripping device 22 in the wells 14, wherein the die 48 is in the upper operating position.

In Fig. 7b the pre-sealing tool 21 has been moved with the holding-down device 45 counter to the production direction R such that the pre-sealing tool 21 is located directly above the die 48. In this case, the cover film 12 has been unrolled over the film 10. Previously, the gripping device 22 has been removed from the collision area with the pre-sealing tool 21. The cover film 12 is attached to the film 10 in this work cycle.

In Fig. 7c the die 48 has been lowered down to a release position to allow the movement of the pre-seal tool 21 and the hold-down device 45 and the wells 14 in the direction of production R collision-free. In the newly supplied troughs 14 products 15 can be repeatedly inserted after the die 48 has been raised back to its working position (see Figure 7a ).

The hold-down device 45, in addition to its movement along the production direction R, can also be vertical or transverse, as in the variant of FIG Fig. 6 shown, to allow the insertion of the products 15 in the wells 14 by the gripping device 22.

The movement of the prehensile tool 21 may be carried out by means of a servo drive or a pneumatic cylinder. Preferably, the hold-down device 45 is mechanically coupled to the Vorsiegelwerkzeugs 21 or by means of its own adjustment approximately synchronously with the Vorsiegelwerkzeug 21 movable.

Also when running the Fig. 7a to 7c For example, holes 33 may be provided for applying a vacuum in the die 48. The pre-sealing tool 21 can also be designed as a sealing tool to produce a circumferential sealing seam.

In all embodiments, the insertion of the products 15 can be done manually or individually by the gripping device 22.

Claims (16)

Thermoforming packaging machine (1) comprising a forming station (2) for forming troughs (14) in a film (10), an insertion station (3) and a sealing station (4) with a sealing tool (21), characterized in that a holding device (20) for holding the products (15) in the wells (14) is provided and that between the holding device (20) and the sealing tool (21) is provided a relative movement in a production direction (R). Thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding device (20) comprises clamping jaws (25) which are configured to hold products (15) respectively at a plurality of positions in the troughs (14) and the foil (10). Thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the holding device (20) has a plurality of relatively parallel movable terminal strips (26), on each of which jaws (25) are mounted. Thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the clamping strips (26) are jointly moved by means of an adjusting drive (35) to each other so that the clamping jaws (26) hold the products (15) in the trough (14). Thermoforming packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding device (20) has a plurality of retaining segments (23) which are arranged on a revolving feed system (24). Thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the holding device (20) synchronously with a film transport device for the film (10) in a production direction (R) intermittently in the pre-sealing station (4) for pre-sealing a lid film (12) on the film (10). is transportable. Thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the holding device (20) with the film transport device for the film (10) is mechanically coupled. Thermoforming packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a gripping device (22) is provided to introduce a group (G) of flexible and partially curved products (15) in the wells (14). A thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding device (20) comprises a hold-down device (45) configured to hold products (15) respectively at a plurality of positions in the troughs (14) and the film (10). Thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that the holding device (20) has a die (48) for the group (G) of products (15), wherein the die (48) is vertically movable by means of a lifting device. Thermoforming packaging machine according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the sealing tool (21) against the production direction (R) via the die (48) for sealing a lid film (12) on the film (10) is movable. Method for operating an intermittent thermoforming packaging machine (1) for packaging a group (G) of flexible and partially curved products (15), which after forming wells (14) in a film (10) has the following further production steps: Inserting the group (G) of products (15) into the troughs (14) in an inserting station (3), wherein the troughs (14) are located in a holding device (20, 44) when inserted, and holding the products (15 ) by means of a plurality of clamping jaws (25) in the holding device (20, 44) during a relative movement of the holding device (20, 44) relative to a sealing tool (21) of a sealing station (4), or Inserting the group (G) of products (15) into the troughs (14) in an inserting station (3), wherein the troughs are located in a matrix (48) when inserted, and holding the products (15) by means of a holding-down device ( 45) on the die (48) during a relative movement of the die (48) relative to a sealing tool (21) of a sealing station (4). A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the holding of the products (15) after insertion of the products (15) begins and ends after sealing. Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the holding device (20) comprises a format (F) of holding segments (23), and the format (F) of holding segments (23) in a production direction (R) in the sealing station (5 ) is moved. Method according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that by means of a gripping device (22) the products (15) are inserted into the wells (14). A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the holding device (20) by means of a circulating feed system (24) after the temporary sealing back to the loading station (3) is transported.

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