EP3599177A1 - Machine formeuse-ensacheuse-scelleuse verticale comportant une unité d'extension pour produire des emballages dotés d'une fermeture à glissière - Google Patents

Machine formeuse-ensacheuse-scelleuse verticale comportant une unité d'extension pour produire des emballages dotés d'une fermeture à glissière Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3599177A1
EP3599177A1 EP19186730.8A EP19186730A EP3599177A1 EP 3599177 A1 EP3599177 A1 EP 3599177A1 EP 19186730 A EP19186730 A EP 19186730A EP 3599177 A1 EP3599177 A1 EP 3599177A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
film
extension unit
vertical form
seal machine
zipper
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19186730.8A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Bruno Gerfried BAUMEISTER
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GEA Food Solutions Weert BV
Original Assignee
GEA Food Solutions Weert BV
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GEA Food Solutions Weert BV filed Critical GEA Food Solutions Weert BV
Publication of EP3599177A1 publication Critical patent/EP3599177A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
    • B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
    • 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
    • B65B59/00—Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages, to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
    • B65B59/04—Machines constructed with readily-detachable units or assemblies, e.g. to facilitate maintenance
    • 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
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/18—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements
    • B65B61/188—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements by applying or incorporating profile-strips, e.g. for reclosable bags

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a vertical form fill seal machine with a film reel from which a film is transported to a forming shoulder and formed around a fill-tube into a film-tube, wherein the longitudinal ends of the film are connected by longitudinal sealing means and which comprises cross sealing-/cutting-means to close a filled package and to separate the package from the film.
  • the present invention further relates to a method to modify a vertical form fill seal machine into a packaging machine that produces packages with a zipper.
  • Packaging machines must be nowadays more and more flexible in order to produce a large variety of different bags.
  • the present invention relates to a vertical form fill seal machine, a so called vertical flow-wrapper, with a film reel on which a plane packaging film, for example a plastic film is provided.
  • the packaging machine is, for example utilized to produce bags, e.g. Pouches, Quattro-seal-bags or Doy-style bags without a zipper as a reclosing means.
  • the film is unwound continuously or intermittently from the reel and is transported to a forming shoulder and formed around a fill-tube into a film-tube.
  • the longitudinal ends of the film are connected, e.g. sealed by longitudinal sealing means, preferably under the influence of heat and/or pressure, so that a film-tube is provided.
  • the product to be package is filled into the film-tube via the fill-tube.
  • the film-tube is closed by a cross-seal, which is provided, preferably transverse to the transportation direction of the film-tube. This is executed by cross sealing-/cutting-means which are provided downstream from the lower end of the fill-tube. Shortly after and/or while the cross seal is provided, the completed package is separated from the film-tube by the cutting means.
  • the packaging machine may comprise means to form a gusset into the bottom and/or the top of each bag produced.
  • a dancer and/or means to guide the film towards the forming shoulder are provided.
  • Such means to guide are for example rolls or the like.
  • the vertical form fill seal machine now comprises an extension unit to produce packages with a zipper.
  • This extension unit is preferably a standalone unit with a frame that can be connected to and removed from a particular vertical form fill seal machine, preferably its frame as needed, when bags with a zipper shall be produced.
  • One extension can be utilized for several vertical flow wrappers, not in parallel, but one after the other, in case bags with a zipper shall be produced on different machines.
  • the extension unit uses the unwinding system of the vertical flow wrapper.
  • the extension unit comprises means to seal the zipper to the film material. Furthermore, according to preferred embodiment of the present invention, the extension unit comprises means to prepare the zipper for its connection to the film material. Such preparation actions may be cutting, punching, connection improvement, e.g. keying or the like. Additionally, according to a preferred embodiment, the extension unit comprises means to remove the zipper from a storage, for example to roll the zipper off a reel.
  • the zipper is preferably provided as a continuous string, which is cut to length as needed for the particular package.
  • the extension unit comprises a forming shoulder, a fill tube, cross sealing-/cutting-means and longitudinal-/zipper-seal-means.
  • the forming shoulder can be different from the forming shoulder of the vertical form fill seal machine or can be the same.
  • the forming shoulder the extension unit is asymmetrical.
  • the fill tube may have the same cross-section and/or length as the fill tube of the form fill seal machine.
  • the cross-section of the extension unit is different from the cross section of the fill tube of the vertical form fill seal machine.
  • the cutting means at the extension unit is, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, adapted to cut through at least parts of the zipper during the separation of the finalized bag from the film-tube.
  • the extension unit comprises means to move the film-tube vertically downwards.
  • the vertical form fill seal machine comprises a mechanical interface between the vertical form fill seal machine and the extension unit.
  • This mechanical interface secures the extension unit in a clearly defined position relative to the vertical form fill seal machine, preferably to its frame.
  • the position is defined at least in two directions, which are perpendicular to each other and which define a plane, preferably a horizontal plane. More preferably, the position is defined in three directions, which are perpendicular to each other, respectively.
  • the means can be static- and/or motor means, which secure the extension unit in the desired position relative to the form fill seal machine.
  • the vertical form fill seal machine comprises an electrical- and/or control-interface between the vertical form fill seal machine and the extension unit.
  • the extension unit does not comprise an individual electrical supply but is connected to the electrical supply of the form fill seal machine.
  • the control system does not have an individual control system, but the drives and/or sensors are connected to the control system of the vertical form fill seal machine and the drives of the extension unit are controlled by this control system.
  • the control system is preferably a computer, which more preferably controls the drives of the form fill seal machine and/or the extension unit by a feed-back control system.
  • the control system recognizes whether the extension unit is connected to the form fill seal machine or not. In case such a connection is recognized, the control system controls the drives of longitudinal sealing means, the drives to transport and/or process the zipper and/or the cross sealing means of the extension unit.
  • the vertical form fill seal machine and/or the extension unit can operate intermittently or continuously. However, preferably, it operates continuously, i.e. the film moves at a constant speed.
  • Another subject matter of the present invention is a method to modify a vertical form fill seal machine as described above into a packaging machine that produces packages with a zipper, wherein an extension unit is connected to the vertical form fill seal machine and wherein the film is directed to a form shoulder of the extension unit.
  • the extension unit is, preferably mechanically and/or electrically connected to the form fill seal machine. Furthermore, at least some of the drives and/or sensors of the extension unit are preferably connected to the control system of the form fill seal machine and the film, from which the packages are produced and whose reel-support is part of the form fill seal machine, is directed towards the extension unit so that packages with a zipper can be produced. In case bags without zipper shall be produced, the extension unit is removed and the film is guided to the forming shoulder of the form fill seal machine.
  • VFFS vertical form fill seal machine 1
  • a VFFS is a packaging machine, which comprises a support for a film reel 2 on which the film reel is rotatably supported.
  • the plane film is unwound and transported, preferably via a dancer and some guiding means, like rolls to a forming shoulder 5 which forms the film into a foil tube, which is transported along a fill tube by transportation means.
  • Two ends of this foil tube are sealed together by a longitudinal sealing means.
  • the packaging item is filled into the foil tube via the fill tube and a cross-seal is applied by cross sealing means 6 to the foil tube to close the package.
  • the VFFS 1 comprises a frame/housing, at which a form shoulder 5, a fill tube, longitudinal sealing means and cross-sealing means 6 are provided.
  • the VFFS may comprise gusset- forming means to form the bottom and/or the top of each bag.
  • the VFFS may be operated continuously or intermittently, but a continuous operation is preferred.
  • the VFFS comprises a control system which controls at least some of the drives of the VFFS and which may be connected to sensors. Typical drives which may be controlled are the drive(s) for the cross sealing-/cutting means or the drive that moves the film tube along the fill tube.
  • the inventive VFFS may comprise a printer 4 and/or a labeler 3, which are preferably provided upstream from the forming shoulder.
  • a plane film especially a weldable plastic film, is supplied from the reel 2, which supplies the plane film continuously or intermittently to the forming shoulder 3, which shapes the foil web into a rather tubular form around the fill tube.
  • a "tubular form" of the bags or of the film means any cross-sectional form including a circular form or another form, and especially a rectangular or generally a polygonal form.
  • Longitudinal sealing means which are provided downstream from the form shoulder 5, seal the edges to the foil tube together. After sealing, the bottom of the bag can be formed by a special bottom forming means, for example gusset-forming means.
  • cross seals extending preferably perpendicularly to the direction of flow of the film, are applied, especially by means of cross-sealing means 6.
  • These cross sealing means 6 apply to the bag not only a cross-seal closing the top of the bag 2, but these cross-sealing means 6 advantageously also provide, preferably simultaneously a cross-seal defining the bottom of the subsequent, upstream bag.
  • the bags produced are separated from one another by a cutting means, which are preferably incorporated into the cross-sealing means 6. Between the application of the bottom- and top-cross-seal of each bag, the bag is filled with the product, preferably an edible product.
  • the extension unit may additionally comprise means to support and unwind a reel on which a zipper-strand is provided. Additionally, the extension unit may comprise a dancer and means to prepare the zipper strand to the sealing to film material. Such means can be cutting means, punching means, heating means and/or attachment enhancing means, which change for example the attachment surface of the zipper.
  • the zipper is attached, preferably sealed to the film, preferably parallel to the longitudinal seal of the bags. Therefore, the extension unit also comprises zipper-seal-means 13, preferably longitudinal zipper-seal-means 13.
  • the zipper is preferably attached to the film as a continuous strand. In case pretreatment of the zipper strand takes place, the can be executed while the zipper strand is moving or while it stands still. In case of an intermittent transportation of the zipper strand but a continuous motion of the film, a dancer must be provided around which the zipper strand moves.
  • Figure 3 shows combination of the VFFS 1 and the extension unit 10.
  • the extension unit is transported towards the VFFS and preferably in front of the fill tube, and preferably aligned such, that the center of the fill tube of the VFFS and the center of the fill tube of the extension unit are in the same vertical plane.
  • the VFFS and the extension unit comprise mechanical means which connect them in the desired alignment.
  • the VFFS and the extension unit are then electrically and/or electronically connected together.
  • the extension unit is connected to the control system of the VFFS. The support for the film reel and preferably the guiding means of the VFFS are used even if the extension unit is connected to the VFFS.
  • a printer and/or labeler which may be part of the VFFS.
  • the film is guided towards the form shoulder of the extension unit and is then transported along the fill tube of the extension unit by transportation means of the extension unit.
  • the support of the reel is motorized and/or a dancer provided in the path of the film is motorized, their motors and the motor of the transportation means of the extension unit are synchronized.
  • a conventional VFFS can easily be refurnished to produce bags with a zipper and converted back in case conventional bags without zipper shall be produced.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
EP19186730.8A 2018-07-24 2019-07-17 Machine formeuse-ensacheuse-scelleuse verticale comportant une unité d'extension pour produire des emballages dotés d'une fermeture à glissière Withdrawn EP3599177A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP18185331 2018-07-24

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3599177A1 true EP3599177A1 (fr) 2020-01-29

Family

ID=63041928

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19186730.8A Withdrawn EP3599177A1 (fr) 2018-07-24 2019-07-17 Machine formeuse-ensacheuse-scelleuse verticale comportant une unité d'extension pour produire des emballages dotés d'une fermeture à glissière

Country Status (1)

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EP (1) EP3599177A1 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1538096A1 (fr) * 2003-12-03 2005-06-08 S2F Flexico Ensemble de fermeture pour sachets refermables, sachets obtenus, machine et procédé pour la fabrication de ceux-ci
US20060196151A1 (en) * 2002-03-18 2006-09-07 Knoerzer Anthony R Vertical Stand-Up Pouch With Zipper Seal Quick Change Module
US20060207221A1 (en) * 2005-03-15 2006-09-21 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Vertical form and fill seal method and apparatus using two sheets of web

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060196151A1 (en) * 2002-03-18 2006-09-07 Knoerzer Anthony R Vertical Stand-Up Pouch With Zipper Seal Quick Change Module
EP1538096A1 (fr) * 2003-12-03 2005-06-08 S2F Flexico Ensemble de fermeture pour sachets refermables, sachets obtenus, machine et procédé pour la fabrication de ceux-ci
US20060207221A1 (en) * 2005-03-15 2006-09-21 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Vertical form and fill seal method and apparatus using two sheets of web

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