EP3950516B1 - Procédé de production de pochette de sachet-tube, machine et pochette de sachet-tube - Google Patents

Procédé de production de pochette de sachet-tube, machine et pochette de sachet-tube Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3950516B1
EP3950516B1 EP21382066.5A EP21382066A EP3950516B1 EP 3950516 B1 EP3950516 B1 EP 3950516B1 EP 21382066 A EP21382066 A EP 21382066A EP 3950516 B1 EP3950516 B1 EP 3950516B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
foil
tubular
strip
conveyance path
plastic
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
Application number
EP21382066.5A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP3950516A1 (fr
Inventor
Josep SOLÀ GIL
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.)
Mespack SL
Original Assignee
Mespack SL
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mespack SL filed Critical Mespack SL
Publication of EP3950516A1 publication Critical patent/EP3950516A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3950516B1 publication Critical patent/EP3950516B1/fr
Active 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
    • 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
    • B65B61/186—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 rigid fittings, e.g. discharge spouts
    • 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
    • B65B51/26—Devices specially adapted for producing transverse or longitudinal seams in webs or tubes
    • 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
    • B65B51/26—Devices specially adapted for producing transverse or longitudinal seams in webs or tubes
    • B65B51/30—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes
    • B65B51/303—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes reciprocating along only one axis
    • 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
    • B65B9/213—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 the web having intermittent motion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/52—Details
    • B65D75/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
    • B65D75/5861—Spouts
    • B65D75/5872—Non-integral spouts
    • B65D75/5877—Non-integral spouts connected to a planar surface of the package wall
    • 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
    • B65B2220/00—Specific aspects of the packaging operation
    • B65B2220/06—Cutting webs along their longitudinal direction
    • 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
    • B65B2220/00—Specific aspects of the packaging operation
    • B65B2220/08—Creating fin seals as the longitudinal seal on horizontal or vertical form fill seal [FFS] machines

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns, according to a first aspect, to a production method of a stick pack pouch including a closed plastic spout or nozzle topped by a sealing plug and a machine for its implementation.
  • the present invention refers to a machine configured to implement the production method.
  • the background of the present invention refers to a stick pack pouch obtained by the production method and/or the machine.
  • a stick pack pouch is used for holding dry powders or liquids or small solid unit products and comprises a flexible pouch obtained from a foil sheet, having a flattened tube configuration containing a quantity of the product and including one longitudinal weld line with a longitudinal fin, and two transverse weld lines sealing hermetically the flattened tube configuration.
  • Document GB2311759 discloses a multiple automatic packing machine capable of continuously and repeatedly carrying out the steps of slitting a wide sheet-like packing material into a predetermined number of packing films fed from a supply bobbin, seal-moulding each of the packing films into a bag-like configuration by a vertical sealer and a lateral sealer, filling a material to-be-packed into each of the packing films which were seal moulded into a bag-like configuration, withdrawing each of the packing films by lowering the lateral sealer a portion equal to the length of the bag in a state that each of the packing films are laterally sealed, raising the lowered lateral sealer back to a location before carrying out the lateral sealing operation by laterally opening the lateral sealer, and cutting a centre line portion of the lateral seal of each of the packing films.
  • Document WO2005044665 relates to a vertical forming, filling, and sealing machine for manufacturing a flexible reclosable stand-up package having a zipper seal incorporated therein, the machine comprising: a) a forming tube having an entrance portion above a former section and an exit portion below the former section; b) a device for dispensing a supply of zipper seal mechanism toward the machine, the zipper seal mechanism having first and second interlocking opposing members, each including a profile portion which interlocks with a complementary profile portion on the opposing member and a tab portion extending away from the profile portion; c) a channel formed in a surface of the forming tube and extending along the longitudinal axis of the forming tube from the entrance portion to the exit portion, wherein the channel is proportioned to receive the interlocked profile portions of the zipper seal mechanism; d) a roller mechanism for splaying the first and second tab portions away from one other so as to lie adjacent to an exterior surface of the forming tube; e) a first heat seal mechanism for sealing
  • a stick pack pouch comprising: a foil sheet having side edges and first and second edges extending transversely between the side edges, a fin that has a longitudinal sealing joint extending between the side edges to form the foil sheet into a tube, wherein the tube has a front side and a back side, and wherein the fin is on the back side, first and second transverse sealing joints sealing the first and second edges, respectively, a weakened pattern which extends over/across at least a portion of the fin, the back side of the tube, and the front side of the tube, wherein the weakened pattern enables the package to be opened along the pattern and wherein the weakened pattern includes nonlinear portions on the front side, back side, or front and back sides of the tube.
  • the present invention provides a production method and a machine to manufacture a stick pack pouch including a pouring spout topped by a sealing plug, as well as a stick pack pouch obtainable by the method production method and/or the machine, wherein the stick pack pouch is in the form of a flattened tube sealed at both ends by transverse welds lines and has two opposite largest walls, wherein one of the largest walls includes a longitudinal sealing joint, and the pouring spout protrudes from an area of the other largest walls opposite to the wall that includes the longitudinal sealing joint.
  • the present invention provides a stick pack pouch production method that comprises the following conventional steps, as per the known prior art:
  • the plastic spouts are preferably inserted into the perforations of the foil from the above, thereby the tubular portion of each plastic spout, which can be cylindrical or otherwise, protrudes downwards from a downwardly oriented outer surface of the foil, and the flat ring portion of each plastic spout, which has for example a circular or other configuration, is overlapped to an upwardly oriented inner surface of the foil.
  • inner surface and outer surface of the foil are used herein with reference to the surfaces of the foil that will be in the inner and outer sides of the finished stick pack pouches, respectively.
  • the longitudinal cutting of the foil into strips is performed by foil cutters oriented in a longitudinal direction of the setting portion of the conveyance path.
  • each strip placed against the suspended vertical tube is supported on a central annular area located between the bending deflectors and forming integral part thereof.
  • the flat ring portions of the spouts welded to each strip are facing a flat vertical surface of the suspended vertical tube during the formation of the foil tubular conduct and the protruding tubular portion of the plastic spouts are received and guided in a longitudinal slot formed in a vertical support member.
  • Another embodiment of the production method includes the additional step of pressing portions of each strip comprised between two consecutive plastic spouts against the suspended vertical tube with a pressure front portion of a pressure member moveably connected to the support member while the strip is conveyed in the conveyance direction along the vertical portion of the conveyance path, in order to avoid eventual creasing of the portions of the strips comprised between two consecutive plastic spouts.
  • the pressing is performed by applying a pressure force to the pressure member with a bias element and moving back the pressure front portion of the pressure member out from the conveyance path against the pressing force by a contact of the moving plastic spouts on a slanted slide portion adjacent an upper side of the pressure front portion of the pressure member.
  • the present invention provides a machine for implementing the disclosed production method, the machine including the following known devices already used in the prior art:
  • the foil cutters are also placed in the setting portion of the conveyance path.
  • the bending deflectors include an intermediate annular area configured to support the strip when it's being bent, and the annular area further includes a central annular depression aimed to receive the tubular portion of the plastic spout.
  • each suspended vertical tube includes a flat vertical surface at least on its upper portion configured and positioned to face a longitudinal portion of each strip including the flat ring portion of each plastic spout.
  • a vertical support member in the vertical portion of the conveyance path a vertical support member is provided, and the vertical support member has a longitudinal slot defined therein and configured for receiving and guiding the tubular portion of the plastic spouts protruding from the strip of foil.
  • the machine further comprises a pressing device including one or more pressure members moveably connected to the support member.
  • Each pressure member comprises a pressure front portion configured to pass through a space over the support member in alignment with the longitudinal slot or through an opening formed in the support member in alignment with the longitudinal slot.
  • a bias element is provided which is configured to exert a pressing force on the pressure member biasing the pressure member to move for pressing with the pressure front portion the strip against the suspended vertical tube while the strip is conveyed in the conveyance direction along the vertical portion of the conveyance path.
  • the pressure member further comprises a slanted slide portion adjacent an upper side of the pressure front portion configured for being contacted by the plastic spouts in order to make the pressure member to move back out of the conveyance path against the pressing force and let the plastic spouts to pass by.
  • the background of the present invention refers to a stick pack pouch which can be produced by the method according the first aspect and/or by the machine according to the second aspect, the stick pack pouch having the form of a flattened tube containing a quantity of a product being hermetically sealed, and comprising:
  • the plastic spout is topped by a sealing plug.
  • the longitudinal weld line is formed in a longitudinal fin.
  • the transverse weld lines are straight or have a given shape with curved edges or with several straight sections.
  • Figs. 1 and 2 allow seeing the main steps of a production method according to an embodiment of a first aspect of the present invention for producing stick pack pouches 1 having a closed plastic spout 24.
  • the production method comprises, initially, conveying a tensioned foil 13 in a conveyance direction D from a supply bobbin 10 following a conveyance path, wherein the conveyance path includes one horizontal or slightly slopped setting portion and a vertical portion, with the horizontal or slightly slopped setting portion preceding the vertical portion in the conveyance direction.
  • the method comprises first repeatedly creating at regular intervals a plurality of perforations 22 on the foil 13, for example by using punchers 21 in a drilling station, then introducing one closed plastic spout 24 or nozzle in each perforation 22, for example by using spout inserters 23, 23a in a spout insertion station, so that a tubular portion 24a of each plastic spout 24 protrudes downwards from the foil 13 and a flat ring portion 24b of each plastic spout 24 completely overlaps an edge region of the foil 13 surrounding the correspondent perforation 22, then welding the flat ring portion 24b to the edge region of the foil 13, for example by using a welder 35 in a welding station, and finally cutting the foil 13 longitudinally into several parallel strips 15, for example by using longitudinal foil cutters 14 in a cutting station, so that each strip is defined between two side edge regions.
  • Each perforation 22 is positioned in a transverse portion of the foil 13 which after cutting will be one of the strips 15.
  • the plastic spouts 24 are preferably inserted into the perforations 22 from above the foil 13, so that the flat ring portion 24b is overlapped to an upwardly oriented inner surface of the foil 13.
  • the welding operation of the plastic spouts can be performed by ultrasound welding or by heat welding.
  • the plastic spouts could be fed to the welding station pre-heated.
  • the foil cutters 14 performing the longitudinal cutting of the foil 13 into strips 15 are oriented in a longitudinal direction in the setting portion of the conveyance path.
  • the production method comprises conveying the foil 13 from the setting portion to the vertical portion of the conveyance path by supporting a downwardly oriented outer surface of the plurality of parallel strips 15 on a roller comprising two roller members 31a, 31b with a gap 31c between them, the gap 31c being sized with regard to the protruding tubular portions 24a of the plastic spouts 24, so that the gap 31c avoids contact of the roller members 31a, 31b with the protruding tubular portions 24a which pass between them.
  • the downwardly oriented outer surface of the plurality of parallel strips 15 are supported on a roller having a perimetral recess in a central area thereof, with the perimetral recess being sized with regard to the protruding tubular portions 24a of the plastic spouts 24, so that the perimetral recess avoids contact of the roller with the protruding tubular portions 24a which pass on them.
  • the production method then comprises bending each strip 15 around a suspended vertical tube 17 while the strip 15 is conveyed in the conveyance direction in the vertical portion of the conveyance path through bending deflectors 16.
  • each strip 15 is preferably supported on an annular area 16a located between the bending deflectors 16 while the tubular protruding portions 24a of the plastic spouts 24 are received and let to pass by without contact in a central annular depression 16b formed in the annular area 16a (see Fig. 3B ).
  • the bending deflectors 16 cause the two side edge regions of each strip 15 contact and weld to each other in cooperation with a longitudinal welder 18 which creates a longitudinal weld line 27 providing a foil tubular conduct 15a with a lower portion of the suspended vertical tube 17 located inside it.
  • the tubular portions 24a of the plastic spouts 24 are guided by a longitudinal slot 41 defined in a support member 40 (see Fig. 3D ) placed at a lower part of the vertical portion of the conveyance path.
  • the longitudinal weld line 27 leaves a longitudinal fin 27a.
  • the flat ring portions 24b welded to each strip 15 are preferably facing a flat vertical surface 17a of the suspended vertical tube 17 (see Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C ).
  • the production method comprises collapsing and welding repeatedly at regular intervals each foil tubular conduct 15a below the suspended vertical tube 17, causing two facing inner surfaces of the foil tubular conduct 15a contact and weld to each other thereby interrupting the foil tubular conduct and producing transverse weld lines 25, 26.
  • a next step of the production method comprises supplying a quantity of a product into the foil tubular conduct 15a above each newly formed transverse weld line 25 through the suspended vertical tube 17 and then closing the foil tubular conduct 15a above the filled quantity of a product with another transverse weld line 26, whereby each strip 15 becomes a chain of stick pack pouches 1, each one being hermetically sealed between two transverse weld lines 25, 26 and filled with a quantity of the product.
  • each perforation 22 is further positioned in a longitudinal portion of the foil 13 which will form part of a stick pack pouch 1 comprised between the two transverse weld lines 25, 26, so that each finished stick pack pouch 1 includes one closed plastic spout 24.
  • the production method comprises cutting transversally the chain of stick pack pouches 1, thereby producing individual stick pack pouches 1 delimited by two transverse weld lines 25, 26 or a chain of several stick pack pouches 1 that can be separated later.
  • Figs. 4A and 4B illustrate another embodiment of the production method of the present invention which comprises the additional step of pressing portions of each strip 15 comprised between two consecutive plastic spouts 24 against the suspended vertical tube 17 while the strip 15 is conveyed in the conveyance direction along the vertical portion of the conveyance path, wherein the pressing is performed by means of a pressure front portion 52 of a pressure member 51 moveably connected to the support member 40 in a pressing device 50.
  • a pressure force is applied to the pressure member 51 by means of a bias element, and the pressure front portion 52 of the pressure member 51 is moved back out from the conveyance path against the pressing force by a contact of the moving plastic spouts 24 on a slanted slide portion 57 adjacent an upper side of the pressure front portion 52 of the pressure member 51.
  • Figs. 1 and 2 show a machine according to an embodiment of a second aspect of the present invention which is configured to implement the production method and produce stick pack pouches 1 having a closed plastic spout 24.
  • the machine comprises a conveyor 11 including multiple parallel rollers 30, 31 to support and convey a tensioned foil 13 supplied from a supply bobbin 10 in a conveyance direction D following a conveyance path which includes a horizontal or slightly slopped setting portion and a vertical portion.
  • a drilling station, a spout insertion station, a welding station, and a cutting station are arranged in the horizontal or slightly slopped setting portion of the conveyance path which precedes the vertical portion in the conveyance direction D.
  • the drilling station includes punchers 21 configured to create a plurality of perforations 22 on the foil 13, the spout insertion station includes spout inserters 23, 23a configured to introduce one closed plastic spout 24, automatically fed, on each perforation 22.
  • the plastic spout 24 has a tubular portion 24a and a flat ring portion 24b at an end thereof. As better shown in Fig. 1A , once the plastic spout 24 is inserted in the correspondent perforation 22, the tubular portion 24a protrudes downwards from the foil 13 and the flat ring portion 24b completely overlaps an edge region surrounding the perforation 13.
  • the welding station includes welders 35 configured to weld the flat ring portion 24b of each plastic spout 24 to the correspondent edge region of the foil 13.
  • the tubular portion 24a is already closed, for example with a sealing plug 28 ( Fig. 1A ), or alternatively with a breakable membrane or a breakable closure (not shown).
  • the cutting station comprises longitudinal foil cutters 14 configured to cut the foil into several parallel strips 15, with each strip 15 being defined between two side edge regions.
  • the punchers 21 are arranged so that each perforation 22 is positioned in a transverse portion of the foil which will be part of one of the strips 15.
  • the conveyor 11 comprises a roller 31 placed between the horizontal or slightly slopped setting portion and the vertical portion of the conveyance path.
  • a downwardly oriented outer surface of the plurality of foil parallel strips 15 is supported on the roller 31.
  • the roller 31 is comprised of one pair of roller members 31a, 31b with a gap 31c in between.
  • the gap 31c has a shape complementary to the protruding tubular portions 24 of the plastic spouts 24 and is configured to avoid the contact of the roller members 31a, 31b with the protruding tubular portions 24a, as better shown in Fig. 3A .
  • the roller could have a perimetral recess in a central area thereof sized with regard to the protruding tubular portions 24 of the plastic spouts 24 for the same purpose.
  • each suspended vertical tube 17 In the vertical portion of the conveyance path a plurality of suspended vertical tubes 17 are located, with each suspended vertical tube 17 being arranged adjacent each pair of roller members 31a of the roller 31.
  • Each suspended vertical tube 17 includes a flat vertical surface 17a on its upper portion, configured and positioned to face a longitudinal portion of each strip 15 where the flat ring portion 24b of the plastic spouts 24 is welded, as shown in Figs. 3A and 3B .
  • Bending deflectors 16 are arranged below the roller 31 and around an upper portion of the suspended vertical tubes 17. Each bending deflector 16 is configured to bend one of the strips 15 around an upper portion of one of the suspended vertical tubes 17 while the strip 15 is conveyed in the conveyance direction in the vertical portion of the conveyance path, as better shown in Fig. 3B , and to make the two side edge regions of each strip 15 to contact to each other.
  • the bending deflectors 16 include an intermediate annular area 16a configured to support the strip 15 when it is being bent.
  • the annular area 16a further includes a central annular depression 16b aimed to receive the tubular portion 24a of the plastic spouts 24.
  • support members 40 and longitudinal welders 18 are located in the vertical portion of the conveyance path, and below the bending deflectors 16, support members 40 and longitudinal welders 18 are located.
  • Each support member 40 is arranged adjacent one side of one of the suspended vertical tubes 17, and each longitudinal welder 18 is arranged in front of the correspondent support member 40 and adjacent to another opposite side of the correspondent suspended vertical tube 17, as shown in Fig. 1 .
  • Fig. 3D shows a longitudinal slot 41 defined in the support member 40 for receiving and guiding the protruding tubular portion 24a of the plastic spouts 24.
  • the longitudinal welders 18 are configured to weld to each other the two side edge regions in contact of each strip 15 by means of a longitudinal weld line 27, thereby each strip 15 is formed into a foil tubular conduct 15a around a lower portion of each suspended vertical tube 17.
  • transverse welding jaws 19, 20 are arranged underneath the suspended vertical tubes 17 transverse welding jaws 19, 20 are arranged.
  • the transverse welding jaws 19, 20 are movable between an open position ( Fig. 1 ) in which the transverse welding jaws do not interfere with the foil tubular conducts 15a located therebetween, and a closed position (not shown) in which the transverse welding jaws collapse the foil tubular conducts 15a, causing two facing inner surfaces of each foil tubular conduct 15a contact and weld to each other, thereby sealing the foil tubular conduct 15a repeatedly at the regular intervals by transverse weld lines and forming stick pack pouches closed at both ends thereof.
  • the punchers 21, the transverse welding jaws 19, 20 and a foil advancing device are coordinated through a control unit to position the perforations 22 in a longitudinal portion of the foil 13 which will be a wall of a stick pack pouch comprised between two transverse weld lines and on one side of the stick pack pouch opposite the longitudinal weld line.
  • a data acquisition system associated to the machine acquires data related to the operating conditions of the drilling station, plastic spout insertion station and welding station which ensures the quality of the positioning and welds of the plastic spouts to the tensioned foil 13, which enables the centralization of all these data in a control unit, for consultation of such data or transfer them into a local or remote-control device.
  • the above-mentioned drilling station, spout insertion station and welding station of the setting portion could be included in an independent apparatus to be operatively coupled to a conventional machine producing stick pack pouches, in combination with some additional modifications in the rollers, the bending deflectors and the support members of the vertical portion of the conveyance path contributing to shape the stick pack pouches in order to allow unobstructed passage for the plastic spouts protruding from the foil strips, endowing then the conventional machine with the functionalities of the present invention.
  • Fig. 4A shows a machine according to another embodiment of the present invention which comprises, in addition to the features described above, a pressing device 50 associated to the support member 40 located below the bending deflectors 16 in the vertical portion of the conveyance path.
  • the pressing device 50 comprises one or more pressure members 51 pivotably connected to the support member 40 by a pivot pin 49, wherein each pressure member 51 comprises, as better shown in Fig. 4B , a pressure front portion 52, a body member 53 carrying a counterweigh 54 at a rear end thereof spaced apart from the pressure front portion 52, and a support arm 55 having a pivot hole 56 located above of and in between the pressure front portion 52 and the counterweigh 54.
  • the support arm 55 has a slanted slide portion 57 adjacent an upper side of the pressure front portion 52.
  • the pivot hole 56 is configured to receive the pivot pin 49 in the assembled condition shown in Fig. 4A .
  • the machine includes, for example, three of the pressure members 51 and the support member 40 has two openings 42 formed in alignment with the longitudinal slot 41.
  • the pressure front portion 52 of the uppermost of the pressure members 51 is configured to pass through a space over the support member 40 in alignment with the longitudinal slot 41 and the pressure front portion 52 of each one of the other two pressure members 51 is configured to pass through one of the openings 42 of the support member 40.
  • the counterweight 54 acts as a bias element exerting a pressing force that makes each pressure member 51 to pivot for pressing with the pressure front portion 52 the strip 15 against the suspended vertical tube 17 while the strip 15 is conveyed in the conveyance direction along the vertical portion of the conveyance path.
  • the slanted slide portion 57 adjacent the pressure front portion 52 of each pressure member 51 is configured for being contacted by the moving plastic spouts 24 in order to make the pressure member 51 to pivot back out from the conveyance path against the pressing force exerted by the counterweight 54 to let the plastic spouts 24 to pass by.
  • the pressure member 51 can be moveably connected to the support member 40 by linear or otherwise guide elements, for example, so as to move into and out from the conveyance path.
  • the bias element exerting the pressing force can be an elastic element, such as a spring or a rubber member, for example.
  • the pressure exerted by the pressure members 51 avoids the portions of the strips 15 comprised between two consecutive plastic spouts 24 to crease.
  • each pressure member 51 further includes an adjusting screw 58 coupled to a threaded hole 59 formed in the body member 53, and the adjusting screw 58 has a tip 60 configured and arranged to make contact with a stop element 43 attached to the support member 40.
  • the counterweight 54 is preferably comprised of a plurality of weight elements 54a fastened together by a fasten screw 61 coupled to a threaded hole 62 formed in the body member 53.
  • reference numeral 1 generally designates a stick pack pouch, which can be made according to the production method of the present invention and/or using the machine of the present invention.
  • the stick pack pouch 1 of the present invention is hermetically sealed, contains a quantity of a product and includes a closed plastic spout 24 for pouring the product.
  • the stick pack pouch 1 has the configuration of a flattened tube defining two opposite largest walls and comprises two transverse weld lines 25, 26 at opposite ends thereof.
  • a longitudinal weld line 27 is located along one of the two opposite largest walls, and the closed pouring plastic spout 24 protrudes from an area of the other of the largest walls opposite to the wall that includes the longitudinal weld line 27.
  • the longitudinal weld line 27 includes a longitudinal fin 27a.
  • the plastic spout 24 of the stick pack pouch 1 is closed by a sealing plug 28.
  • the plastic spout 24 can be closed with a breakable membrane or a breakable closure.
  • transverse weld lines 25, 26 of the stick pack pouch 1 are straight or could have a given shape with curved edges or with several straight sections.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Making Paper Articles (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Procédé de production de pochette de sachet-tube comprenant les étapes suivantes :
    • transporter une feuille tendue (13) à partir d'une bobine d'alimentation (10) dans une direction de transport (D) en suivant un chemin de transport, le chemin de transport comprenant au moins une partie verticale ;
    • couper la feuille (13) de façon longitudinale en plusieurs bandes parallèles (15), chaque bande étant définie entre deux régions de bord latéral ;
    • plier chaque bande (15) autour d'un tube vertical suspendu (17) pendant qu'elle est transportée dans la direction du transport dans la partie verticale du chemin de transport à travers des déflecteurs de pliage (16) amenant les deux régions de bord latéral de chaque bande (15) à faire contact et se souder l'une à l'autre par un soudeur longitudinal (18) créant une ligne de soudure longitudinale (27), fournissant ainsi un conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a) avec une partie inférieure du tube vertical suspendu (17) située à l'intérieur de celui-ci ; et
    • de manière répétée à intervalles réguliers, effondrer et souder chaque conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a) sous le tube vertical suspendu (17), provoquant le contact et la soudure de deux surfaces intérieures opposées du conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a), interrompant le conduit tubulaire en feuille et produisant une ligne de soudure transversale (25, 26) ;
    • fournir une quantité d'un produit dans le conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a) au-dessus de la ligne de soudure transversale (25, 26) par le tube vertical suspendu (17) et fermer le conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a) par une autre ligne de soudure transversale (25, 26), de sorte que chaque bande (15) devienne une chaîne de pochettes de sachet-tube (1), chacune étant hermétiquement scellée entre deux lignes de soudure transversales et rempli d'une quantité du produit ; et
    • couper transversalement la chaîne de pochettes de sachet-tube (1), en produisant des pochettes de sachet-tube individuels (1) ou des ensembles de pochettes de sachet-tube enchaînées (1) délimitées par deux lignes de soudure transversales (25, 26),
    caractérisé en ce que le procédé comprend en outre les étapes suivantes :
    • doter le chemin de transport d'une partie de prise horizontale ou légèrement inclinée qui précède la partie verticale dans la direction du transport ;
    • de manière répétée à intervalles réguliers, créer dans la partie de prise une pluralité de perforations (22) sur la feuille, chaque perforation (22) étant positionnée dans une partie transversale de la feuille (13) qui constituera l'une des bandes (15), et étant positionnée dans une partie longitudinale de la feuille (13) qui constituera une partie d'une pochette de sachet-tube (1) comprise entre deux des lignes de soudure transversales (25, 26) ;
    • introduire un bec en plastique (24) sur chaque perforation (22), une partie tubulaire (24a) de chaque bec en plastique (24) faisant saillie vers le bas de la feuille (13) et une partie annulaire plate (24b) de chaque bec en plastique (24) chevauchant complètement une région de bord entourant la perforation correspondante (22) ;
    • souder la partie annulaire plate (24b) à la région de bord par un soudeur (35) dans un poste de soudage ; et
    • transporter la feuille (13) de la partie de prise à la partie verticale du chemin de transport en soutenant une surface extérieure orientée vers le bas de la pluralité de bandes parallèles (15) sur un rouleau comprenant deux éléments de rouleau (31a, 31b) avec un espace (31c) entre eux ou un renfoncement périmétrique dans une zone centrale de ceux-ci, l'espace (31c) ou le renfoncement périmétrique étant dimensionné par rapport aux parties tubulaires saillantes (24a) des becs en plastique (24) de manière à éviter le contact du rouleau avec les parties tubulaires saillantes (24a) lorsqu'il passe dessus.
  2. Procédé de production selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les becs en plastique (24) sont insérés dans les perforations (22) par le dessus de la feuille (13), la partie annulaire plate (24b) étant superposée à une surface intérieure orientée vers le haut de la feuille (13).
  3. Procédé de production selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel chaque bande (15) placée contre le tube vertical (17) est soutenue par une zone annulaire centrale (16a) située entre les déflecteurs de pliage (16) et faisant partie intégrante de ceux-ci, et les parties tubulaires saillantes (24a) des becs en plastique (24) sont reçues dans une dépression annulaire centrale (16b) formée dans la zone annulaire (16a).
  4. Procédé de production selon la revendication 1, 2 ou 3, dans lequel les parties annulaires plates (24b) soudées à chaque bande (15) font face à une surface verticale plate (17a) du tube vertical suspendu (17) pendant la formation du conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a).
  5. Procédé de fabrication selon la revendication 4, dans lequel la partie tubulaire (24a) du bec en plastique (24) est guidée par une fente longitudinale (41) formée dans un élément de support vertical (40) pendant la formation du conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a).
  6. Procédé de production selon la revendication 5, comprenant en outre l'étape supplémentaire consistant à presser des parties de chaque bande (15) comprise entre deux becs en plastique consécutifs (24) contre le tube vertical suspendu (17) avec une partie avant de pression (52) d'un élément de pression (51) relié de manière mobile à l'élément de support (40) pendant que la bande (15) est transportée dans la direction de transport le long de la partie verticale du chemin de transport, en appliquant une force de pression à l'élément de pression (51) à l'aide d'un élément de déviation et en faisant reculer la partie avant de pression (52) de l'élément de pression (51) hors du chemin de transport contre la force de pression par un contact des becs en plastique mobiles (24) sur une partie de glissement inclinée (57) adjacente à un côté supérieur de la partie avant de pression (52) de l'élément de pression (51).
  7. Machine pour produire des pochettes de sachet-tube (1), la machine comprenant :
    • un convoyeur (11) comprenant plusieurs rouleaux parallèles (30) pour supporter et transporter une feuille tendue (13) à partir d'une bobine d'alimentation (10) dans une direction de transport (D) suivant un chemin de transport comprenant au moins une partie verticale ;
    • des coupe-feuilles longitudinaux (14) configurés pour couper la feuille en plusieurs bandes parallèles (15), chaque bande (15) étant définie entre deux régions de bord latéral ;
    • des déflecteurs de pliage (16) disposés autour d'une partie supérieure de tubes verticaux suspendus (17), les déflecteurs de pliage (16) étant configurés pour plier chaque bande (15) autour de la partie supérieure de l'un des tubes verticaux suspendus (17) lorsqu'elle est transportée dans la direction de transport dans la partie verticale du chemin de transport, et pour mettre en contact les deux régions de bord latéral de chaque bande (15) l'une avec l'autre ;
    • des soudeurs longitudinaux (18) disposés adjacents à une partie inférieure des tubes verticaux suspendus et configurés pour souder les deux régions de bord latéral en contact de chaque bande (15) l'une à l'autre par une ligne de soudure longitudinale (27), formant un conduit tubulaire en feuille autour de la partie inférieure de chaque tube vertical suspendu (17) ; et
    • des mâchoires de soudage transversales (19) placées sous les tubes verticaux suspendus (17) et mobiles entre une position ouverte, dans laquelle les mâchoires de soudage transversales n'interfèrent pas avec les conduits tubulaires en feuille (15a), et une position fermée, dans laquelle les mâchoires de soudage transversales écrasent les conduits tubulaires en feuille (15a), provoquant le contact et la soudure de deux surfaces intérieures opposées de chaque conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a), scellant le conduit tubulaire en feuille (15a) aux deux extrémités par une ligne de soudure transversale (25, 26) et formant une pochette de sachet-tube (1) ;
    caractérisée en ce que :
    • le chemin de transport le long duquel la feuille tendue (13) est transportée par le convoyeur (11) comprend en outre une partie de prise horizontale ou légèrement inclinée qui précède la partie verticale dans la direction de transport (D) ;
    dans laquelle les postes suivants sont inclus dans la partie de prise du chemin de transport :
    • un poste de perçage comprenant des poinçons (21) configurés pour créer une pluralité de perforations (22) sur la feuille (13), chaque perforation (22) étant positionnée dans une partie transversale de la feuille qui fera partie de l'une des bandes (15), les poinçons (21) et les mâchoires de soudage transversales (19, 20) étant coordonnés par une unité de commande pour positionner les perforations (22) dans une partie longitudinale de la feuille (13) qui sera une paroi d'une pochette de sachet-tube (1) comprise entre deux lignes de soudure transversales (25, 26) opposée à une autre paroi d'une pochette de sachet-tube (1) comprenant la ligne de soudure longitudinale (27) ;
    • un poste d'insertion de becs comprenant des inséreurs de becs (23, 23a) configurés pour introduire un bec en plastique (24), alimenté automatiquement, sur chaque perforation (22), avec une partie tubulaire (24a) de chaque bec en plastique (24) faisant saillie vers le bas de la feuille (13) et une partie annulaire plate (24b) de chaque bec en plastique (24) chevauchant complètement une région de bord entourant la perforation correspondante (13) ; et
    • un poste de soudage comprenant des soudeurs (35) configurés pour souder chaque partie annulaire plate (24b) à la région de bord correspondante de la feuille (13) ;
    et dans laquelle ;
    • le convoyeur (11) comprend un rouleau (31) placé entre la partie de prise et la partie verticale du chemin de transport et sur lequel une surface extérieure orientée vers le bas de la feuille de la pluralité de bandes parallèles (15) est supportée, le rouleau (31) comprenant deux éléments de rouleau (31a, 31b) avec un espace (31c) entre eux ou un renfoncement périmétrique dans une zone centrale de ceux-ci, l'espace (31c) ou le renfoncement périmétrique étant complémentaire des parties tubulaires saillantes (24a) des becs en plastique (24) et configuré pour éviter le contact du rouleau (31) avec les parties tubulaires saillantes (24a).
  8. Machine selon la revendication 7, dans laquelle les déflecteurs de pliage (16) comprennent une zone annulaire intermédiaire configurée pour supporter la bande (15) lorsqu'elle est pliée, et la zone annulaire (16a) comprend en outre une dépression annulaire centrale (16b) configurée pour recevoir la partie tubulaire (24a) des becs en plastique (24).
  9. Machine selon la revendication 7 ou 8, dans laquelle chaque tube vertical suspendu (17) comprend une surface verticale plate (17a) au moins sur sa partie supérieure configurée et positionnée pour faire face à une partie longitudinale de chaque bande comprenant la partie annulaire plate (24b) des becs en plastique (24).
  10. Machine selon la revendication 7, 8 ou 9, dans laquelle une fente longitudinale (41) est définie dans un élément de support vertical (40) situé dans la partie verticale du chemin de transport pour recevoir et guider la partie tubulaire saillante (24a) des becs en plastique (24).
  11. Machine selon la revendication 10, comprenant en outre un dispositif de pressage (50) comprenant au moins un élément de pression (51) relié de manière mobile à l'élément de support (40) et un élément de déviation, dans laquelle l'élément de pression (51) comprend une partie avant de pression (52) configurée pour passer à travers un espace au-dessus de l'élément de support (40) dans l'alignement de la fente longitudinale (41) ou à travers une ouverture (42) formée dans l'élément de support (40) dans l'alignement de la fente longitudinale (41), l'élément de déviation est configuré et agencé pour exercer une force de pression qui dévie l'élément de pression (51) à se déplacer pour presser avec la partie avant de pression (52) une partie de la bande (15) comprise entre deux becs en plastique consécutifs (24) contre le tube vertical suspendu (17) pendant que la bande (15) est transportée dans la direction de transport le long de la partie verticale du chemin de transport, et une partie de glissement inclinée (57) adjacente à un côté supérieur de la partie avant de pression (52) est configurée pour être contactée par les becs en plastique (24) afin de faire reculer l'élément de pression (51) hors du chemin de transport contre la force de pression et de laisser passer les becs en plastique (24).
  12. Machine selon la revendication 11, dans laquelle l'élément de pression (51) est relié de manière pivotante à l'élément de support (40) par une goupille de pivotement (49) et l'élément de déviation exerçant la force de pression est un contrepoids (54) agissant sur l'élément de pression (51).
EP21382066.5A 2020-08-07 2021-01-28 Procédé de production de pochette de sachet-tube, machine et pochette de sachet-tube Active EP3950516B1 (fr)

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JP3585638B2 (ja) 1996-04-03 2004-11-04 三光機械株式会社 多連式自動包装機
US6860084B2 (en) 2002-03-18 2005-03-01 Frito-Lay North America, Inc. Vertical stand-up pouch with zipper seal quick change module
JP2003335302A (ja) * 2002-05-15 2003-11-25 Kyoraku Co Ltd 二重フィルムを使用した製袋充填方法
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