EP3960641B1 - Method and device for packaging an object - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for packaging an object, wherein the object is placed between two semi-finished film products of a film packaging, according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a device for packaging an object, wherein the object is placed between two semi-finished film products a film packaging is arranged, according to the preamble of claim 5.

A generic method and a corresponding device are from the EP 3 250 469 B1 known.

In the EP 2 765 081 A1 describes a method for producing packaging for a food product, in which the food product is placed in a cavity of the packaging formed by two receiving sections and surrounded by a flange. A sealing area that hermetically seals the cavity is formed on the flange.

A cover made of a film material for a food product is from the DE 10 2011 002 754 A1 known. A casing part is connected to another casing part along a connecting seam to form a gas-tight sealed interior space for receiving the food product.

The DE 10 2017 129 969 A1 describes a method and a device for mechanically closing packaging for food products.

From the DE 20 2017 101 402 U1 is a food packaging with two partial shells connected to one another via flanges that are opposite one another and rest against one another at least in sections and are formed from a biodegradable plastic material section, which enclose a food product and lie against the food product in a contour-mapping manner.

Another packaging for a food product is in the DE 20 2014 011 245 U1 described.

Furthermore, from the DE 17 84 647 U a device for attaching a wrapping to a food product is known.

The DE 10 2018 219 300 B4 describes a device and a method for packaging a food product in a packaging tray, which has a folding device for folding a flange with adjacent edge sections and a sealing device for sealing the flange. The sealing device is provided by part of the folding device and a sealing seam is generated when a distal flange section is raised during the folding process.

The known solutions are often quite complex and do not always lead to optimal solutions, both in terms of the quality of the packaging produced with them and the speed in carrying out the process.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for packaging an object that is easy to carry out and provides high quality results. A further object of the present invention is to create a device for packaging an object which has a simple structure and guarantees reliable operation.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features mentioned in claim 1.

The method according to the invention, in which the edges of the film packaging are folded after sealing, can be carried out very easily and delivers very precise results with a high level of repeatability, so that the packaging produced with it also meets high demands.

The advantage here is that the folding tool is moved for folding against the direction in which the holding tool applies the holding force. The holding tool acts from above, so that a linear movement of the folding tool from below is sufficient to carry out the desired folding. This leads to a simple and Implementation of the process that can be controlled with little effort. Furthermore, the holding tool ensures that a defined edge is created at the edges of the film packaging when folding.

The fact that the holding tool is formed by a protective bell, which is arranged between the sealing tool and the object during sealing, ensures, on the one hand, that the film packaging is securely held during folding and, on the other hand, prevents high temperatures emanating from the sealing tool can reach the item and affect its quality.

In a very advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that the edges are folded around the protective bell by an angle of approximately 90° using the folding tool after sealing. In this way, the packaging can be folded at the edges with comparatively little effort, whereby the protective bell, in addition to its function of protecting the object to be packaged from excessive heat applied by the sealing tool, also moves in a linear movement against the Direction in which the protective bell applies the holding force, the moving folding tool cooperates to effect the folding of the edges of the film packaging. Accordingly, the protective bell in this case has three functions, namely holding the film packaging, protecting the object and interacting with the folding tool.

The process is simplified if the edges are trimmed using a cutting tool during sealing or immediately before sealing. Furthermore, this procedure ensures the creation of high-quality film packaging.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention can consist in that the object picked up between the two semi-finished films is moved at times continuously and at times discontinuously between individual process steps by means of a lower tool. This enables the process to be carried out more easily, since, depending on the complexity of the individual process steps, a continuous or discontinuous movement of the lower tool is possible. In this way, the individual process steps can be carried out on multiple workstations be distributed. This allows the time for carrying out the work steps to be divided and significantly reduced. This allows the cycle performance of the machines to be significantly increased.

A device according to the invention for packaging an object is specified in claim 5.

The device according to the invention can have a relatively simple and therefore both cost-effective and reliable structure, essentially requiring a sealing tool for connecting the edges by means of sealing, a folding tool for folding the edges after sealing and a holding tool for holding the semi-finished film products during folding .

The device according to the invention can thereby be adapted to the respective requirements of a specific object or a desired film packaging for the object.

The protective bell forming the holding tool performs two functions, namely holding the semi-finished film products during folding and protecting the object to be packaged from excessive heat introduced by the sealing tool.

In order to be able to produce even better film packaging, in an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, a further folding tool can be provided for folding the edges again by an angle of approximately 90°.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a cutting tool can be provided for trimming the edges during sealing or immediately before sealing. This enables easy and reliable trimming of the edges of the film packaging.

In this context, if the cutting tool is firmly connected to the sealing tool, the cutting tool can be simply heated via the sealing tool in order to be able to trim the edges at a higher temperature.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the folding tool is arranged in a lower tool, which is intended to move the object picked up between the two semi-finished films between individual process steps, at times continuously and at times discontinuously. In this way, the device can be adapted to the respective circumstances of the method carried out with the device, in particular with regard to complex or less complex method steps.

Fig. 1

einen ersten Schritt des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;

Fig. 2

einen zweiten Schritt des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 3

einen dritten Schritt des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 4

einen vierten Schritt des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 5

einen fünften Schritt des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens; und

Fig. 6

einen sechsten Schritt des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in principle below using the drawing:
It shows:

Fig. 1

a first step of the method according to the invention with a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a second step of the method according to the invention;

Fig. 3

a third step of the method according to the invention;

Fig. 4

a fourth step of the method according to the invention;

Fig. 5

a fifth step of the method according to the invention; and

Fig. 6

a sixth step of the method according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a device 1 for packaging an object 2 shown in a very simplified manner. In the present case, the object 2 is a food product, such as a hollow chocolate figure, such as an Easter bunny, a chocolate egg or similar. However, other forms of food products 2 are also conceivable. Furthermore, the device 1 can also be used for packaging other objects 2, such as pharmaceutical products, toys, tools and the like. In the cut of Fig. 1 the object 2 has a round cross section. On the one hand, the cross section However, the object 2 can be significantly more complex and, on the other hand, the cross section of the object 2 can change several times over its length perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, as is often the case with hollow chocolate figures, for example.

The object 2 is arranged between two semi-finished film products 3a and 3b of a film packaging 3. The introduction of the object 2 between the two semi-finished films 3a and 3b of the film packaging 3 takes place before the Figures 1 to 6 The manufacturing steps shown take place and can be carried out in a manner known per se. For example, the lower semi-finished film 3b can first be formed, then the object 2 can be inserted into the lower semi-finished film 3b and then the upper semi-finished film 3a can be formed and placed on the food product 2.

The semi-finished films 3a and 3b have respective circumferential edges 4a and 4b that protrude over the circumference of the object 2. At least in individual areas there is a sealing layer, not shown, between the edges 4a and 4b of the two semi-finished films 3a and 3b, the function of which will be explained in more detail at a later date. Due to the usually non-symmetrical outer contour of the object 2, the edges 4a and 4b can be of different widths around the circumference of the object 2 in a manner known per se. The sealing seam created during sealing can also be a non-flat spatial curve, i.e. it can describe a three-dimensional geometry.

The object 2 arranged in the film packaging 3 is received in a lower tool 5, which is part of the device 1. The lower tool 5, which can also be referred to as a die, works together with a multi-part upper tool 6, which is in the position of Fig. 1 all components are in their upper condition. The individual components of the upper tool 6 are each described together with their function.

So in the process step of Fig. 2 a hold-down device 7 belonging to the upper tool 6 is moved downwards to the lower tool 5 in the direction marked "x" until the hold-down device 7 rests on the edges 4a and 4b of the film packaging 3 rests. As a result, the film packaging 3 and the object 2 arranged therein are held firmly on the lower tool 5.

Then drive as in Fig. 3 shown, a cutting tool 8 in the direction x towards the lower tool 5 and trims in the state of Fig. 4 the edges 4a and 4b of the film packaging 3. In the present case, the cutting tool 8 is attached to a sealing tool 9 and moves together with the same in the direction of the lower tool 5. As in Fig. 4 shown, the sealing of the edges 4a and 4b of the film packaging 3 takes place during or immediately after the edges 4a and 4b are trimmed. The time offset between sealing and cutting depends on the amount by which the cutting tool 8 protrudes downwards in the direction of the lower tool 5 over the sealing tool 9. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the cutting process takes place immediately before the sealing process. If necessary, the edges 4a and 4b of the film packaging 3 can also be trimmed at a time other than that shown. In particular, it is possible to trim the edges 4a and 4b of the film packaging 3 before the in Fig. 1 to carry out the illustrated state of the film packaging 3. In this case, the device 1 could be carried out without the cutting tool 8.

When sealing the edges 4a and 4b of the film packaging 3, heat is applied to the film packaging 3 by the sealing tool 9, whereby the sealing layer located between the edges 4a and 4b is activated and thus connects the two semi-finished films 3a and 3b to one another. For this purpose, the sealing tool 9 has a heating device, not shown, which can optionally also increase the temperature of the cutting tool 8. Furthermore, the sealing tool 9 also acts with a certain force on the edges 4a and 4b of the film packaging 3.

In order to prevent impairment or damage to the object 2 when heat is introduced, the upper tool 6 also has a protective bell 10, which is arranged between the sealing tool 9 and the object 2, at least during sealing. As in Fig. 3 can be seen, the protective bell 10 is placed on the film packaging 3 before the cutting tool 8 hits the film packaging 3, ie before the edges 4a and 4b are trimmed. As a result, the protective bell 10 acts in addition to protecting the object 2 Possibly high temperatures emanating from the sealing tool 9 also serve as a holding tool for holding the film packaging 3 during the cutting and sealing process.

In an embodiment not part of the invention, it would also be possible to separate the function of the protective bell 10 from the function of the holding tool, for example by using an additional holding tool. Furthermore, for certain items it is possible to do without the protective bell 10. In this case, the holding tool could have a different shape than that of the protective bell 10 shown, but the function of the holding tool for holding the semi-finished film products 3a and 3b while folding the edges 4a and 4b with the holding force would in principle be the same.

The protective bell 10 is therefore moved downwards in the x direction independently of the sealing tool 9 with the cutting tool 8 attached to it and in the present case in front of the sealing tool 9. Furthermore, as will be described below, the protective bell 10 remains on the film packaging 3 longer than the sealing tool 9 and the cutting tool 8.

In order to increase the protective effect for the object 2, especially if it is a hollow chocolate figure, the protective bell 10 can be cooled in a manner not shown and, for this purpose, can have, for example, one or more internal cavities through which a cooling liquid, for example cooling water, is passed can be.

The hold-down device 7, the sealing tool 9 with the cutting tool 8 and the protective bell 10 can all be moved individually. This can be achieved, for example, by a corresponding arrangement and/or length of spring elements, of which two spring elements 11 of the protective bell 10 are shown as an example, so that only one stamp, not shown, and one on are required to drive these individual components of the upper tool 6 The drive device acting on the stamp is required. The respective components of the upper tool 6 are then forcibly moved by the combination of the stamp and the spring elements as required by the method. The hold-down device 7 and the sealing tool 9 can also be loaded with corresponding spring elements, for reasons of clarity however, are not shown in the figures. Of course, it is also possible to provide a separate drive device for each component of the upper tool 6.

The device 1 further has a folding tool 12, which in the present case is arranged in a recess 13 of the lower tool 5. The folding tool 12 is also acted upon by spring elements 14 and is moved by a stamp 15. The stamp 15 is firmly connected to the folding tool 12 or is made in one piece with it. To operate the stamp 15, an actuation tool (not shown) is provided, which is able to push the stamp 15 upwards against the force of the spring elements 14. From a comparison of the Figures 4 and 5 This movement of the stamp 15 with the folding tool 12 connected to it can be seen.

The device 1 is therefore a three-part tool with the upper tool 6, the lower tool 5 and the actuating tool (not shown) provided for actuating the stamp 15.

In Fig. 5 The folding process carried out with the folding tool 12 can be seen, in which at least the sealed area of the edges 4a and 4b is folded by means of the folding tool 12 after sealing. During folding, the semi-finished films 3a and 3b are held with a holding force on an area of the edges 4a and 4b facing the object 2 by means of the protective bell 10, which in this case forms the holding tool. The folding tool 12 is moved in a linear movement against the direction x in which the holding tool, in this case the protective bell 10, applies the holding force. While the holding force is applied from above by the holding tool or by the protective bell 10, the folding tool 12 is moved from bottom to top to carry out the folding movement. During this process, the sealing has already been completed and the sealing tool 9 has moved into a position that is raised relative to the lower tool 5.

At the in Fig. 5 In the folding process shown, the edges 4a and 4b are folded by approximately 90°. When the edges 4a and 4b are folded using the folding tool 12, the protective bell 10 forms a counter bearing, so that the edges 4a and 4b are folded around the protective bell 10. The protective bell 10 therefore serves to hold the film packaging 3, protects the object 2 from excessive heat from the sealing tool 9 and cooperates with the folding tool 12 when folding the edges 4a and 4b. The result of the folding process is in Fig. 6 shown, in which both the folding tool 12 and all components of the upper tool 6 are returned to their position according to Fig. 1 were proceeded.

After the in Fig. 5 By folding the edges 4a and 4b shown, the edges 4a and 4b can be folded again by an angle of approximately 90° using a further folding tool, not shown, so that the in Fig. 6 upward sections of the edges 4a and 4b rest on the sections of the edges 4a and 4b facing the object 2.

During the entire movement of the lower tool 5 in a machine containing the device 1, in which the entire process for packaging the object 2 is carried out, the lower tool 5 can serve as a carrier for the object 2 and in this function can be moved at times continuously and at times discontinuously become. Various other forming processes on the film packaging 3, not described here, can therefore be carried out on the lower tool 5.

All tools of the device 1, in this case the hold-down device 7, the cutting tool 8, the sealing tool 9, the protective bell 10 and the folding tool 12, have a contour adapted to the contour of the object 2, which cannot be seen in the sectional views.

Claims (9)

1. A method for packaging an object (2), the object (2) being arranged between two semi-finished film products (3a, 3b) of a film packaging (3) which have respective peripheral edges (4a, 4b) projecting circumferentially beyond the object (2), a sealing layer being provided at least in individual regions between the edges (4a, 4b) of the two semi-finished film products (3a, 3b), and the edges (4a, 4b) being joined to one another by sealing by means of a sealing tool (9), at least the sealed region of the edges (4a, 4b) being folded after the sealing by means of a folding tool (12), characterised in that during the folding the semi-finished film products (3a, 3b) are held with a holding force on a region of the edges (4a, 4b) facing the object (2) by means of at least one holding tool formed by a protective bell (10) arranged between the sealing tool (9) and the object (2) during sealing, and the folding tool (12) being moved for folding in a linear movement in the opposite direction (x) in which the holding tool applies the holding force.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the edges (4a,4b) are folded by means of the folding tool (12) after sealing by an angle of approximately 90° around the protective bell (10).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the edges (4a,4b) are trimmed during sealing or immediately before sealing by means of a cutting tool (8).
4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the object (2) accommodated between the two semi-finished film products (3a,3b) is moved between individual process steps by means of a lower tool (5) at times continuously and at times discontinuously.
5. An apparatus (1) for packaging an object (2), the object (2) being arranged between two semi-finished film products (3a, 3b) of a film packaging (3) which have respective peripheral edges (4a, 4b) projecting circumferentially beyond the object (2), a sealing layer being provided at least in individual regions between the edges (4a, 4b) of the two semi-finished film products (3a, 3b), comprising a sealing tool (9) for joining the edges (4a, 4b) by means of sealing, a folding tool (12) for folding at least the sealed region of the edges (4a, 4b) after sealing being provided, characterised by a holding tool formed by a protective bell (10) arranged between the sealing tool (9) and the object (2) during sealing for holding the semi-finished film products (3a, 3b) during folding with a holding force on a region of the edges (4a, 4b) facing the object (2), the folding tool (12) and the holding tool being arranged relative to one another in such a way that the folding tool (12) can be moved for folding in a linear movement in the opposite direction (x) in which the holding tool applies the holding force.
6. Device (1) according to claim 5, characterised by a further folding tool for folding the edges (4a, 4b) again through an angle of approximately 90°.
7. Device (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterised by a cutting tool (8) for trimming the edges (4a, 4b) during sealing or immediately before sealing.
8. Device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the cutting tool (8) is firmly connected to the sealing tool (9).
9. Device (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the folding tool (12) is arranged in a lower tool (5) which is configured to move the object (2) accommodated between the two semi-finished film products (3a, 3b) between individual process steps at times continuously and at times discontinuously.

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