FI65960C - FOERFARANDE OCH ANORDNING FOER FOERPACKNING AV MARGARIN OCH DYIKT - Google Patents

Abstract

A process and apparatus for providing the surface of margarine and similar pasty products with small cavities prior to bringing said surface into contact with smooth packaging material for decreasing the adherence of said packaging material to said surface. Embossing by directing gas jets onto said surface is preferred, although imprinting with a die is possible as well. The apparatus for putting the process into practice comprises means (11) for making small cavities in the surface (4) of the product. Preferred embodiments of said means are a hollow die (11) with a plurality of nozzle-like openings (12) or a die having a plurality of profilings.

Description

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C (45) Patents granted on 10 August 1984 Patent meddelat V - * - / (51) Kv.fk?/lnt.CI.3 B 65 B 25/06 // B 65 B 55/00 SUO MI — FINLAND (M ) PatanttlKikamui - Patantan «ekitlng 802380 (22) H» k «ml» p * lv «_ AncOknlngtdaf 3 0.0 7.80 '* (23) Alkupihri - Glltlghetadag 30.07.80 (41) TuHuC | ulklMktl - Bllvh offMttKg qj gj 44) NlhtlvUulpanoo ja kuLJulluisu date. - β.

Patent and registration law AmBtun utligd odi utUkrtfUn puWtc * r »d 30.UR.0R

(32) (33) (31) PyyOatty «uoikaut-BagM priority 30.07.79

Federal Republic of Germany-Förbunds republic Tyskland (DE) P 2930930.6 (71) Unilever N.V., Burgemeester s'Jacobplein 1, Rotterdam, Holland-Hol1 and (NL) (72) Winrich Bernhard Hammerschmidt, Schenefeld, Wolfgang Dorawa, Hamburg,

Federal Republic of Germany-Förbundsrepubliken Tyskland (DE) (7 ^) Leitzinger Oy (5 * 0 Method and apparatus for packaging margarine and the like - Förfarande och anordning för förpackning av margarin och dylikt

The present invention relates to a method for packaging margarine and the like, which products tend to get stuck in the packaging material, making it more difficult to open the packages.

German application model 79 02 913 proposes that in order to substantially reduce the adhesion of pasta or paste-like products to the lid part, several small separate cavities are arranged on the surface of the lid part towards the products. However, the disadvantage of this solution is that the grooves made on the inside, for example by forcing or stamping, become more or less clearly visible on the outer surface of the lid part and that when relatively thin packaging material is used, satisfactory forcing is often very difficult.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to reduce the adhesion of pasta products to the packaging material even when using lid parts with a flat inner surface so that these packages can be easily opened. In this context, it has been found that, at least in certain packages where the surface of the product is substantially flat and relatively strong, adhesion-reducing grooves into which small air cushions can be enclosed can also be made on the surface of the product.

To solve said problem, when packaging margarine and the like, a pattern of small grooves is formed on the surface of the product before placing the lid portions against the surface of the portion to be placed in the package, after which the lid portion is pressed or pressed against the edges of the surrounding surface.

2

The grooves or cavities have an open area of 0.5 to 20 mm, preferably 2 to 2 6.5 mm, measured approximately in the plane of the surrounding edges, and the depth of these cavities is 0.4 to 2.5 mm. They are made on the surface of the product before the lid is placed by forcing or with gas jets, for example air jets directed against the surface. By placing the lid on the edges of the cavities or grooves, each groove filled with air or inert gas is sealed off from the adjacent grooves. In this way, an accurately measured small amount of air or inert gas is enclosed in each groove on the surface of the product. In closed packages, the grooves are not connected to each other. Conversely, each groove includes a small air cushion with very little overpressure caused by pressing the cover or closure portion against the edges of the grooves. If the grooves are formed by blowing air against the surface, they form small craters whose edges are not completely regular, but when the shutter part is pressed on they come flush with the edges of the adjacent grooves, whereby each groove is tightly separated from each other. By using the forcing device, grooves of any cross-section can be obtained, for example recesses in the form of a truncated pyramid.

If necessary, before the grooves or recesses are made, the surface of the product can be made substantially flat, for example by a pressing device, and / or the surface of the product can be solidified to such an extent that the grooves or recesses can be made and for the most part durable.

The method makes it particularly suitable to package preformed margarine portions of somewhat stronger density into erected folding boxes of cardboard material which are to be closed with a lid. However, the method can also be applied to glasses or plates which are closed with a plastic lid with a flat inner surface. Finally, the method can also be applied to one or more surfaces of a preformed portion wrapped in paper.

The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method, which device differs from known devices, for example in terms of feeding the product into the package and closing the package, in that it further comprises a device for making small grooves in the product surface against which the lid part is pressed.

This device for making grooves or recesses may suitably be a profile punch. A hollow die with a large number of nozzle-like openings is preferred. Air or gas jets are periodically blown against the surface of the product. The punch may be heatable on the side facing the product and may have a certain coating which, for example, prevents the product from sticking to the punch. Heated gas can also be used for blowing, but local melting of the product by air jets should be avoided. Instead of a punch, a suitably constructed roll or roller can be used, under which a closed, filled package is continuously transported.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-section of a filled, unsealed package and hollow die with openings for blowing air through.

Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 but shows air being blown through.

Figure 3 is a cross-section of a sealed package.

Figures 4-6 show enlarged parts of the package before and after the formation of the grooves and after the lid has been pressed on.

Figure 7 is a cross-section of the forcing punch.

4,65960

The margarine dose 1 is placed in a device housing 2, which is closed by a lid 3, which lid is pressed against the surface 4 of the dose so that it partially rests on the front side 5 of the folding housing 2. Such a package is difficult to open unless the adhesion of the surface 4 and the lid 3 is reduced.

The hollow punch 11 has a plurality of small nozzle-like openings 12 on the side against the surface 4 of the margarine and this punch is moved towards the filled unsealed package (Fig. 1). When the punch 11 almost contacts the surface 4, air or a suitable gas is periodically supplied from a gas source, whereby air or gas spreads into the hollow space 14 of the punch 11 over the openings 12 and develops a small crater-like groove 6 under each opening 12 (Figure 2). The package is then closed, the inside of the lid 3 being on the surface 4 and because the lid 3 is pressed against the surface 4 on the edges 7 of the grooves 6, an air cushion of the size determined by the volume of the recess 6 is formed in each groove or recess 6 (Figure 3). .

Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a part of a package containing a product, the surface 4 of the product being substantially flat. Fig. 5 shows the recesses 6 made by blowing, the edges 7 of which are pressed somewhat upwards on the surface 4. In Fig. 6 the lid is placed on top and pressed down, whereby the edges 7 are pressed in the same plane and the separate recesses are tightly separated from each other.

Fig. 7 shows a punch 21, the lower surface of which is profiled with a plurality of pins or similar projections, the shape of which is, for example, a pyramid or a truncated cone and which are, for example, stepped or arranged as if alternately. The punch 21 is partially pressed onto the surface of the product, forcing it into a pattern of many small cups or the like corresponding to its profile, whereby these cups are similarly independent of each other.

The sum of the total cross-sectional areas of the recesses, measured at the level of the surface of the product or at the level of the edges surrounding the recesses, must be at least approximately 10% of the total area of the product. The maximum of the sum of the cross-sectional areas depends on the size and total area of the various recesses and the strength or stiffness of the product.

Claims (11)

A method of packaging margarine and such products in containers closed with lid parts in contact with the product, characterized in that before the lid parts are placed on the portion of the portion placed in the container, a figure of small indentations is formed on this surface and then pressed the lid portion with a smooth inner surface against the edges of the surface surrounding the recesses. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that before the lid is closed the product is made on the surface of the product 2 or grooves, the open area of which is 0.5 - 20 mm f, preferably 2 - 6.5 mm as measured approximately in the surrounding edges and the depth is 0.4 - 2.5 mm. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each groove or groove is made by blowing an air or gas jet onto the surface of the product. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that grooves are made by embossing. 5. The method according to claims 1-4, characterized in that a controlled amount of air or inert gas is closed into grooves in the surface of the product by inserting on the lid. The method according to claims 1-5, characterized in that by attaching the lid to the edges of the grooves each groove filled with air or inert gas is separated from the adjacent groove. Apparatus by which the method according to any of the claims for packaging margarine or similar products is realized, the apparatus consisting of means for feeding the product into the package and other means for closing the packaging, whereby lid parts are pressed against the surface of the product, characterized in that, that the device includes means (11, 21) for making the small grooves (6) on the surface (4) of the product against which the lid part (3) is pressed.