EP4063089A1 - Packaging machine, method for packaging articles and packaged article - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packaging machine, a method for packaging articles and packaged articles, the machine having - a feed unit for the at least one article, - a packaging material feed unit for feeding packaging material, - at least one cutting unit (8) with a linear cutting edge (11 ) for the packaging material for cutting the packaging material,- at least one closing unit for enclosing the at least one article in the packaging material.

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging machine for at least one article, a method for packaging at least one article and the correspondingly wrapped article.

The packaging machine comprises in particular a feed unit for the at least one article, a packaging material feed unit for feeding packaging material, a cutting unit with a linear cutting edge for the packaging material for cutting the packaging material, a sealing unit for enclosing the at least one article with the packaging material.

• Zuführen mindestens eines Artikels insbesondere mittels der Zuführeinheit,
• Bereitstellen von Verpackungsmaterial insbesondere mittels der Verpackungsmaterialzuführeinheit,
• Zuschneiden des Verpackungsmaterials insbesondere mittels der Schneideinheit und
• Verschließen mindestens eines Artikels in dem Verpackungsmaterial insbesondere mittels der Verschließeinheit.

Accordingly, the method for packaging articles and in particular for operating the packaging machine comprises at least the following steps:

• Feeding in at least one article, in particular by means of the feed unit,
• Provision of packaging material, in particular by means of the packaging material feed unit,
• Cutting the packaging material, in particular by means of the cutting unit and
• Closing at least one article in the packaging material, in particular by means of the closing unit.

However, the invention also relates to (an) item(s) packaged, in particular by means of the packaging machine, with at least one item being surrounded by a packaging material.

The articles to be wrapped or the wrapped articles are in particular confectionery, foodstuffs or dietary supplements and particularly preferably hard caramel.

The invention relates in particular to packaging machines and methods for packaging a large number of small items in exactly one primary packaging material and for packaging one item or several items in a bag pack, for example in a tubular bag pack or in a sealed edge bag.

• Vereinzeln der kleinstückigen Artikel insbesondere mittels der Vereinzelungseinheit,
• Zuschneiden des Verpackungsmaterials zu Primärpackmitteln insbesondere mittels der Schneideinheit und
• Verschließen vereinzelter Artikel in jeweils einem Primärpackmittel durch Einwickeln des vereinzelten Artikels in genau ein Primärpackmittel.

For the packaging of several small items, such as hard caramel, it is proposed in particular that the packaging machine has a separating unit for the small items, the packaging material is designed as primary packaging material, which is cut into primary packaging in the cutting unit, and the closing unit has at least one wrapping unit for wrapping one at a time isolated article with exactly one primary packaging material. Accordingly, it is proposed that the procedure includes the following steps:

• Separation of the small articles, in particular by means of the separation unit,
• Cutting the packaging material to form primary packaging, in particular by means of the cutting unit and
• Closing individual articles in one primary packaging each by wrapping the individual article in exactly one primary packaging.

The closing unit designed as a winding unit is set up in particular to produce at least one, preferably exactly two rotary wings in the primary packaging means. In the formation of two rotary flaps, a so-called double rotary wrap is produced, with the article being arranged between the two rotary flaps and being surrounded by the primary packaging material. The primary packaging means of the correspondingly wrapped article thus comprises an edge running between the two rotating wings, which is visible to a consumer from the outside before the hard caramel is eaten.

The applicant of the present application sells hard caramel sweets, in which the packaging is an additional strip of packaging material with the primary packaging material being wrapped around the article, with this additional strip of packaging material protruding beyond the visible edge between the two rotary wings of the primary packaging material. This additional strip protruding over the edge makes it possible to unwrap the hard caramel in a hygienic way. The provision of such an additional strip of packaging material is associated on the one hand with additional expenditure on equipment and with an additional process step. In addition, additional packaging material is required for the strip.

However, the invention also relates to packaging machines for the production of so-called bag packs, such as tubular bag packs and sealed-edge bags. Exactly one article can be packed in such a bag pack. However, the invention preferably relates to pouch packs in which a number of articles are packed, with the number of articles being able to be unpacked or already individually packed.

A tubular bag pack can be produced, for example, from a tubular packaging material, with the tubular packaging material being severed by the at least one cutting unit transversely to the direction in which the tubular packaging material extends, with a seal being produced on the edges resulting from the separation, so that two sealed transverse edges per Tubular bag pack are generated. It can of course also be provided that first the tubular packaging material is sealed by means of appropriate transverse sealing devices and then is separated by means of the at least one cutting unit at the sealed edge.

However, the bag pack can also be produced by a packaging web that is folded onto itself, in which case, in addition to the sealed transverse edges, exactly one sealed longitudinal seam is also produced along the original direction of extent of the packaging material designed as a packaging web, which connects the two transverse edges to one another.

In another embodiment, a bag pack designed as a sealed edge bag can also be produced by providing two webs of packaging material that are arranged one on top of the other, with the sealed edge pack having two parallel and each sealed transverse seams and two longitudinal and sealed seams after manufacture Has longitudinal seams. In this case, too, the corresponding longitudinal or transverse edges can be produced by the at least one cutting unit after the sealing.

A device for packaging article(s) in bag packs therefore has at least one sealing device forming the closing unit in addition to the at least one cutting unit.

The packaging material is in particular paper with a coating, paper composite material, polypropylene, cellophane, PVC, PET, PE or other common materials. In order to form a pouch pack, the packaging material is in particular a heat-sealable web of packaging material.

The packaging machine can include an ejection unit downstream of the closing unit for the removal of packed articles. The packaging methods are known in particular as twist wrap, double twist wrap, fold wrap and flow pack methods.

Packaging machines for wrapping individual items and for packaging multiple items in a pouch pack are known in the art.

The edges of the packaging (that is, of the primary packaging means or the bag pack) produced by the cutting unit have a linear profile that was produced by the linear cutting edge of the cutting unit. Such a linear progression can be, for example, a straight cutting edge or have an undulating (for example zigzag or wavy) shape running along a straight (virtual) line. Such a rippling edge is intended to simplify opening of the pouch pack, particularly in the case of a pouch pack. In particular, if at the undulating edge an additional (orthogonal to the linear edge running) perforation is provided to further simplify the opening of the bag pack, it is not always easy for a user to see at which point he should open the bag pack.

The object of the present invention is therefore to solve the problems described with reference to the prior art and in particular to specify a packaging machine, a method for packaging articles and (a) packaged article(s) that simplify the opening of the packaging and at the same time the Reduce the effort involved in packing the items.

Possible solutions to this problem are given by the packaging machine, the method and the wrapped article(s) with the features of the respective independent claim. Further solutions or preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the subclaims and the description above and below, with individual features of the advantageous developments being able to be combined with one another in a technically sensible manner.

In particular, it is proposed that at least one cutting edge of at least one cutting unit has a section which is offset from the linear (i.e. rectilinear or undulating) course of the cutting edge, so that the cut edge of the packaging material has a projecting tab.

Accordingly, it is proposed that during the cutting process an edge of the packaging material is produced with a projecting tab.

It is further proposed that an edge of the packaging material has a lug projecting from the otherwise linear course of the edge.

Such a lug according to the invention thus protrudes clearly beyond the rest of the linear course of the corresponding edge. The lug protrudes at least 3 mm, particularly preferably at least 5 mm or even 10 mm over the linear progression of the remaining edge, with the protrusion from a central line of the undulation being measured if the remaining edge is undulating. The lug projecting from the rest of the linear progression can have any desired shape. For example, the flag can be rectangular, trapezoidal and, if necessary, with rounded corners. The edges of a rectangular flag do not necessarily have to be aligned parallel or orthogonal to the linear progression of the rest of the edge.

In its basic idea, the invention provides that the flag is used to show the user clearly and unequivocally where he must touch the packaging in order to be able to open it easily, with the flag being formed in one piece with the packaging material, so that no additional packaging material is required. Such a flag in the packaging material is also easy to produce using the cutting unit according to the invention.

For example, the cutting unit of the packaging machine can have two tool carriers running in opposite directions, which are designed in particular as an anvil and a punch and carry the cutting edge. Further cutting units can be provided before and/or after the cutting unit according to the invention.

The tool carriers can be driven in particular in a rotating manner. However, it is also conceivable that at least one tool carrier is designed as a tool carrier that moves up and down in a straight line. The one on that The cutting edge formed by the anvil and/or the punch therefore has a linear course (straight or undulating) and a section that projects in relation to it, which produces the projecting tab during cutting.

If the packaging machine is designed for wrapping small-sized articles, the edge of the packaging material having the tab is formed evenly at such an edge which, in the wrapped state, is arranged between the two rotating wings and is visible from the outside. In this connection it can be provided that the edge opposite the edge with the lug has a recess, the shape of the recess being complementary to the shape of the lug. This notched edge also extends between the two rotary wings of the wrapped article but is not visible from the outside. Alternatively, however, provision can also be made for the packaging material to be cut off on the side opposite the flag after the formation of the flag.

In particular, when the packaging machine is designed to produce a bag pack, the cutting unit is arranged such that the edge having the projecting tab is arranged at a sealed edge. In principle, the tab can be formed with a longitudinal sealing seam on one longitudinal edge. However, it is preferable for the edge having the projecting tab to be formed with a transverse sealing seam on one edge.

The invention can also be used in packaging machines for the production of tubular bags, in particular when the bag pack also has a zip closure which is offset from the sealed edge, in particular to the sealed transverse edge, with the bag pack being opened for the first time (by removing of the sealed edge) can be closed again using the zip fastener.

The invention and the technical environment are based on the

Figur 1:

einen verpackten Artikel,

Figur 2:

einen weiteren verpackten Artikel,

Figur 3:

verpackte Artikel in einer Beutelpackung,

Figur 4:

eine Schneideinheit einer Verpackungsmaschine und

Figur 5:

ein zugeschnittenes Primärpackmittel, welches als Primärpackmittel in Figur 2 verwendet wurde.

Figures explained by way of example. It show schematic

Figure 1:

a packaged item,

Figure 2:

another packaged item,

Figure 3:

packaged items in a pouch pack,

Figure 4:

a cutting unit of a packaging machine and

Figure 5:

a cut-to-size primary packaging, which as primary packaging in figure 2 was used.

In the Figures 1 and 2 one embodiment of a wrapped article 1 is shown in each case. The wrapped article 1 is wrapped in a primary packaging means, wherein two rotary wings 5 are formed. An edge 3 of the primary packaging means 2 extends between the rotary wings 5 in such a way that the edge 3 is visible.

It is now proposed that the edge 3 has a lug 4 which is formed in one piece with the primary packaging means 2 and protrudes from the rest of the edge 3 of the primary packaging means 2 .

In the figure 1 illustrated flag 4 has a substantially rectangular shape.

In the figure 2 illustrated flag 4 of the primary packaging has a trapezoidal shape.

The running between the vanes 5 edge is in the representations of Figure 1 and 2 arranged on the back of the article, so that the rest of the edge 3 (that is not formed by the flag 4 section) in the representations of Figure 1 and 2 is not recognizable.

The tab 4 on the primary packaging means 2 enables the primary packaging means to be easily unwound from the article, which is in the form of hard caramel, for example.

In figure 3 a bag pack 7 is shown in which several packaged articles 6 (not visible) are arranged. The pouch pack 7 has four edges, of which at least the upper edge 3 is sealed. The edge 3 has a rectilinear section and a section projecting thereto, which forms a lug 4 . A zip closure 13 runs parallel to the straight portion of the rim 3. Before the packaged articles 6 are accessible, the sealed rim 3 must be removed from the pouch pack 7, for which purpose a user can grasp the rim by the tab 4 and use it not shown perforations can remove from the rest of the bag. Once the packaging has been opened in this way, it can be closed again using the zip fastener 13 .

In figure 4 a cutting unit 8 for cutting packaging material to size into a primary packaging means is shown. The cutting unit 8 comprises a punch 9 and an anvil 10 which rotate in opposite directions to one another. The punch 9 has a cutting edge 11 which has a rectilinear portion and a portion offset thereto.

That according to the cutting unit 8 figure 4 manufactured primary packaging 2 is in figure 5 shown. The primary packaging 2, which is also in its wound state in figure 2 is shown has an edge 3 with a wing 4 . In the edge opposite the edge 3 there is a recess 12 whose shape corresponds to the shape of the lug 4 .

Reference List

1

Packaged item

2

primary packaging

3

edge

4

banner

5

rotary vane

6

Packaged Items

7

bag pack

8th

cutting unit

9

punch

10

anvil

11

cutting edge

12

recess

13

ZIP closure

Claims (13)

Packaging machine for at least one article, comprising - a feed unit for the at least one article, - a packaging material feeding unit for feeding packaging material, - at least one cutting unit (8) with a linear cutting edge (11) for the packaging material for cutting the packaging material, - at least one sealing unit for enclosing the at least one article in the packaging material, characterized in that
the cutting edge (11) has a portion offset from the linear progression of the cutting edge, so that the cut edge (3) of the packaging material has a projecting tab (4). Packaging machine according to Claim 1, in which the cutting unit (8) has two tool carriers running in opposite directions. Packaging machine according to claim 2, wherein the tool carriers carry an anvil (10) and a punch (9) as cutting tools with the cutting edge. Packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed for packaging small-sized articles, wherein - the packaging machine has a separation unit for the small items, - the packaging material is designed as primary packaging material, which is cut in the cutting unit to form primary packaging (2), - the closing unit has at least one wrapping unit for wrapping each individual article with a primary packaging means. Packaging machine according to one of Claims 1 to 3, designed to produce bag packs (7) with at least one sealed seam, the closing unit comprising at least one sealing device. Method for packaging articles, comprising at least the following steps: - feeding at least one article, - Provision of packaging material, - cutting the packaging material, - sealing at least one item in the packaging material, characterized in that
an edge (3) of the packaging material with a projecting tab (4) is produced during cutting. Method according to claim 6, wherein a recess (12) is produced during the cutting in an edge opposite the edge (3) with the lug (4), a shape of the recess (12) corresponding to the shape of the lug (4). A method according to claim 6 or 7 for packaging a plurality of small items, comprising the following steps: - separating the small items, - Cutting the packaging material into primary packaging (2), - Closing individual articles in a primary packaging means (2) by wrapping the article in the primary packaging means (2). A method according to claim 6 or 7 for packaging at least one article in a bag pack (7), comprising the following steps: - sealing the packaging material to itself to create a rim of the pouch pack (7). Wrapped article, comprising at least one article and a packaging material surrounding the at least one article,
characterized in that
an edge (3) of the packaging material has a projecting tab (4). Article according to claim 10, wherein the packaging material is designed as a primary packaging means (2) and is wrapped around exactly one article, the primary packaging means (2) forming a double twist wrap with two rotating wings (5), with between the two rotating wings (5) a from the outside visible edge (3) of the primary packaging means (2) which has the projecting lug (4). Article according to claim 11, wherein the primary packaging means (2) has a recess (12) in an edge opposite the edge (3) with the tab (4), the shape of which corresponds to the shape of the tab (4). Article according to claim 10, wherein at least one article is wrapped in a sachet (7), said sachet (7) having at least one sealed edge, preferably wherein the projecting tab (4) is formed at a sealed edge.

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