FR2466407A1 - PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING HERMETIC PACKAGES FOR STABLE PRODUCTS AND HERMETIC PACKAGES THUS OBTAINED - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and method for forming airtight packages for storage, shipping, handling and support in use after removal of the cover from an individual portion of a product is provided. spreadable, such as butter, margarine, or the like. There is provided a base element 2 in the center of which is placed a plate 6, for example of butter, leaving borders 8 on all sides of the plate 6; on the other hand, a cover element 12 can be applied on the base element 10 so as to cover the food plate and to achieve cohesion with the edges 8; once the cover is removed, the product is easy to remove with a knife. (CF DRAWING IN BOPI)

Description

The present invention relates generally

use tightly closed packages and it

  identifies, in particular, storage, shipping, handling and support packages for using, after taking off a three-dimensional cover and removing it from the package, a spreadable product which adheres to a substantially flat base of the package and also a method and apparatus for preparing such sealed packages.

The invention is particularly suitable for storing

ner, ship, handle and support a food product

such as butter, margarine, cocoa butter

oyster, jelly or other spreadable food product

that we want to package in metered quantities

  mined, for example in the form of a wafer, and the invention

tion also provides a method and apparatus for preparing

hermetic packaging for food products from

type indicated.

  At present, spreadable materials such as

  that the butter or margarine are packaged and available

commercially available in the form of individual portions of a wide variety of types. In a first package design, a rectangular preformed wafer of butter or margarine is placed on a base plate and then a flat sheet of paper is placed on the product wafer and glued to it. The plate of the food product is therefore covered on the top and on the bottom but

not on the sides. It is easy to remove the product

  base plate lable in quantities appropriate for consumer requirements using a utility knife or

  a spatula after taking off the cover. This type of job

  ballage is widely used commercially.

Unfortunately the spreadable material is not entirely

enclosed in the packaging and it is therefore not sealed

tick.

  In other commercially available packaging,

the food product label is fully rolled up

  tied in a foil. The user must unwind

  as and this almost always results in smearing by the food product of the user's fingers. This characteristic is annoying and also unhygienic. On the other hand, since the packaging material is very flexible, it is generally necessary to install the open package on a flat surface such as a table and

  scrape off the remains of the spreadable material with paper.

Flexible packaging does not provide a support base

  mode of removing the appropriate amounts from

  Furthermore, such a package requires

about 68 cm2 of foil. Such an amount of foil is not only expensive but also poses a problem regarding how to get rid of the package after extracting the wafer. This way of proceeding is

  inconvenient, unattractive and very annoying during a meal.

  On the other hand, if the product such as butter or marga-

rine becomes soft, as often happens, the package becomes unusable. If you leave the package softened without opening it, its shape changes and it is impossible to remove it

refrigerate again for reuse.

Another commercial packaging model for carriers

individual or butter or margarine wafers includes a plastic bowl-shaped element formed under vacuum and covered by a flat sheet of foil, plastic or the like

matter. The butter or margarine is enclosed hermetic-

  lying in the bowl-shaped element. To use butter or margarine, the user must first tear off

  the cover sheet to release the bowl in ma-

plastic. Once the bowl has been removed from the cover,

  key, you can remove or scrape butter or margarine to get it out of the bowl using a knife or similar instrument. It is not convenient. Indeed, it is difficult to remove the product from the corners of the bowl and this portion of the product is most often lost. In

furthermore, such packaging is expensive.

In addition to the individual packages of butter and

  margarine which have just been described and the devices used

  vant to the manufacture of such packaging, many different models of packaging machines are known in the prior art making it possible to package articles between one or more sheets of a material such as cardboard, corrugated cardboard, a laminate of material plastic, or the like. All these materials can be shaped by vacuum, by pneumatic pressure, by the pressure of a punch, by compression and by other forming techniques. In certain devices of the prior art used to package rigid or non-compressible products, the packages are formed by two elements of strip, corrugated cardboard, or the like. We pass these elements to

through the machine by various means such as trans-

  carriers, clamps, rollers, etc. The product to be packaged is installed between the rolls of sheets or the like. We bend the elements and shape them around the product. The product somehow plays the role of a mandrel. The shaped en.feil-.le elements are fixed IMn

  to the other by various adhesives or by mechanical means

  * ques also varied such as rivets or staples.

In general, the product being packaged is not only rigid, that is to say non-compressible, but it is also of relatively large size. In addition,

  the packaging is not used as a support during use

of the packaged product, and such a package cannot

  more to be formed around a non-rigid and stable product

  lable such as butter or margarine.

  The industry is therefore looking for packaging for a spreadable product such as butter, margarine,

  peanut butter, jellies and similar foods

  gues, packaging in which the spreadable product is completely enclosed and from where it can be easily removed and spread on bread or otherwise. Such packaging must be made of inexpensive materials and must be able to be produced at high speed and inexpensively while the product is already in the packaging. Once opened, such a package must provide a support for the product allowing to take exactly the necessary quantity of the product to spread it on a slice of bread,

  a bun, a toast, a cookie, etc. The present invention

  tion creates such packaging as well as a process and apparatus

  reil for the production of it.

  That said, the object of the invention is to produce - a hermetically sealed package for products

  non-rigid, spreadable, the packaging being made of

  inexpensive and can be manufactured in large quantities and at low prices, the packaging being easy to open and allowing all the spreadable product contained in the package to be used without difficulty and in full, even if the product is soft; - an airtight package for a spreadable product,

  when this product rests on a relative base surface-

  flat and fairly rigid, while a relative cover-

  thin and flexible completely surrounds the product and is fixed to the base surface in a way that allows it to take off

  the base and product cover to expose the pro-

duit to allow easy use;

- such packaging which allows storage, ex-

  pedition, handling and support of a spreadable product, said spreadable product being installed substantially in the center

of a relatively rigid base and being covered with an element

relatively flexible which is stuck to the base at least

around the periphery of the latter, a lan-

  take-off point extending beyond the base so that the flexible cover can be detached from the base and the product in order to expose the latter; - a packaging of the type described in the paragraph

previous, in which the packaged product is installed

  only in the center of a relatively rigid base element carrying a cohesive coating, and a flexible and relatively thin sheet also carrying a cohesive coating is shaped so as to surround the spreadable product and to be glued to the base all around the product to thus form a three-dimensional cover that can be detached from the base and the product in order to expose the product spreadable on the base element and allow easy and convenient use of this product; - an airtight packaging of the indicated type, the dimensioning and shaping of which are carried out during the final stage of assembly and airtight closing;

  - a new and perfect process and apparatus -

  born for the production of such hermetic packaging with a view to

  to store, ship, handle and support a pro-

spreadable for its use;

  - an apparatus for manufacturing hermetic packaging

ticks, comprising means for cutting a relatively thin, flexible, but not necessarily stretchable, top sheet to predetermined lengths; means, in particular vacuum means, for transporting and fixing the cut flexible upper sheet while this sheet is shaped to give it a three-dimensional shape; means for shaping the cut sheet and attached to the

  three-dimensional shape with edges and pleats

sements, the means of vacuum transport comprising means for transferring the flexible top sheet formed on a relatively rigid base member; and means

  to cohesively bond the top sheet so-

  born and transferred to the basic element.

Briefly, the invention relates to an airtight package

  only to store, ship, handle and support a spreadable product. While the hermetic packaging according to the invention could be used with numerous spreadable products, its use is particularly suitable for packaging products that can be spread out in unit portions.

  consumables, such as blister packs, from where

The consumer can take the desired amounts, for example, butter, margarine, peanut butter, jelly or other spreadable food product. While the product is usually shown as rectangular,

  one could perfectly consider shapes and dimensions

different things.

The packaging according to the invention comprises an element

  base which is substantially flat and relatively rigid.

This basic element resists the packaged product or can

ter a coating of a material which resists this packaged product.

On one side of the basic element, at least on the marginal periphery covering the protective coating, a

cohesion layer. This cohesion layer can be con-

ongoing or interrupted. On the opposite side of the base member, a layer of release material is applied to prevent the sticky surface from becoming blocked by forming rollers. The product is installed in the central part of the base element so that there are margins coated with cohesion product around the product. Before applying the cover on the base above

  of the product, this covering element is subjected to a pre-

  shaping starting from a flexible sheet and relatively

  thin paper or the like having dimensions

  sions such that at least at an angle to the basic element a

border or a release tab is formed in extension

  extending beyond the edge of the base. In a mode of

  realization, the total surface of the cover sheet

  ment is larger than that of the basic element. The

sheet is subjected to a preliminary shaping before its application

  bending to the base element so as to present a central part whose shape is substantially similar to

that of the product that we wish to package and also presenting

  side walls which are directed substantially downwards from the central part towards the base element, when the cover is in the assembled position. The side walls end in planar parts which are substantially parallel to the base element and to the central part. The surface of the flexible cover facing the base, at least in the flat end portions, is coated with a cohesion product. Preferably, the flexible cover is formed of a protective material or

  is coated with such a protective material.

  The cohesion coating can be continuous but we pre-

  it is discontinuous. The flat parts of the leaf

are interrupted by a series of folds

  or folds which form protuberances for per-

  take off the cover sheet from the base sheet and the product to expose the

  product and allow normal use.

  After removing the flexible sheet, you can take

see all or selected quantities of the product from

shooting of the relatively flat base using a knife,

a spatula or similar instrument.

Briefly and according to another aspect of the invention,

the latter relates to a method and apparatus for confection

  hermetic packaging for storage, shipping,

tion, handling and support in service (after takeoff

  the lid) to obtain an individual portion of a spreadable product. The invention is particularly suitable for use with a mechanism in which an individual portion of a spreadable product, for example a wafer of butter or margarine, has been placed on a relatively rigid base element, such as a coated cardboard , so that edges or marginal parts of the rigid base surround the spreadable product. A dispensing reserve is provided, for example a roll, of a relatively thin flexible material, for example paper, which will form the upper sheet of the packaging and also means for advancing the material used to form this upper sheet. . The top sheet is cut into sections of a predetermined length, then it is transported and shaped into bowls or cups. The means of transport and

  shaping, according to the preferred embodiment, comprising

  take a rotary vacuum drum having a series of spaced stamping stations on its periphery. The cut upper sheet is sent into the rotary drum under vacuum and its gripping as well as its maintenance on the drum are ensured by the vacuum in accordance with a stamping station. The cut upper sheet is rotated to arrive at a shaping station where a first tamping member comes into contact with the central part of the cut sheet, pressing the central surface of the sheet in

  the recess provided at the shaping station, after which the section

  The cut section of the sheet is shaped to take a three-dimensional shape, which is substantially the same as the final shape of the cover. The marginal parts of the sheet, around the central area pressed into the recess of the shaping station, are held by the vacuum. The organ

  shaped upper is transported to a position of concor-

  dance with the rigid base element carrying the product

  lable, so that the marginal parts coated with a cohesive or adhesive material of the shaped cover are in

  concordance with the marginal parts coated with the ma-

  cohesion or adhesive of the base element around the product. The leading marginal portion and the rear marginal portion of the top sheet and the base member

  are pressed together and stick to each other.

  At various points, the marginal parts of the upper leaf

  are folded to form folds away from the base member. Later, an ironing roller presses the side edges against each other and,

  at the same time, blades resiliently mounted on this wheel

  water subject the leading and rear edges to a

  compression increment. A second tamping device is provided, the purpose of which is to tamp the folds towards the element

  base and close the terminal ends of the pleats-

  as well as to adjust the height of the packaging.

  With certain packaging, the second tamping device can

  both shape and adjust the dimensions of the package.

  Various other features of the invention

  moreover emerge from the detailed description which follows.

  Embodiments of the subject of the invention are shown, by way of nonlimiting examples, in

attached drawing.

  Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the sheet

  top or cover used according to the invention.

  Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the

  elements of the airtight packaging before assembly

  trant the top sheet and the product to be packaged on a

relatively rigid base.

  Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the packaging

in a hermetically sealed state.

  Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the packaging

  showing the topsheet as it takes off from the e-

basic and product.

  Fig. 4A is a perspective view similar to the

  fig. 4 but showing a modified type of packaging.

  Fig. 5 is a top view of the packaging shown

felt in fig. 3.

  Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the package

shown in fig. 3 and 5.

  Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the apparatus

  distribution and shaping according to the invention.

  Fig. 8 is a side view of the apparatus shown

felt in fig. 7.

  Fig. 8A is a side elevation view of a type

  modified device shown in fig. 7 and 8.

  Fig. 8B is a side elevation view of a part of the apparatus appearing in FIG. 8A but in a

different position.

  Fig. 8C is an end view of the apparatus

shown in fig. 8A.

  Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the

  shaping drum shown in figs. 7 and 8.

  Fig. 10 is a section along line 10-10 of FIG. 8. Fig. 11 is a section along line 11-11

of fig. 10.

  Fig. lA is a sectional view of a modified part

  from the device shown in fig. He.

  Fig. 11B is a sectional view of the modification

  shown in fig. lA but in a different position.

  Fig. 12 is an exploded view of part of the trans-

platelet carrier.

  Fig. 13 is an elevational view showing the apparatus

reil de damage.

  Fig. 14 is a side sectional view of the apparatus

  reil shown in fig. 13 observed from the left

of fig. 13.

  Fig. 15 shows a modified type of device

shown in fig. 13.

  Fig. 16 is a section along line 16-16

of fig. 15.

  Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6, we have

  represented a relatively flat and relatively basic element

  rigidly bearing the assembly reference 2 and, in the example chosen, the element 2 is rectangular although

  the invention is in no way limited to this rec-

  tangular. Preferably, element 2 is made of cardboard or

  an analogous material with a grease resistant coating

  ses and, according to a preferred embodiment, the approximate thickness of the element 2 is 0.26 mm. On its surface

  upper, the basic element 2 carries a layer of a material

  adhesive or cohesive material which can ensure cohesion with itself and which adheres to the basic element during installation

  but which is not adhesive under other conditions. The utility

  Lisation of a coating or cohesion material offers the advantage of being able to adhere two elements to each other in an adherent manner at extremely high speeds by applying only low pressure and without requiring any heat input. The benefit of removing heat and heat adhering adhesives is that

  not only the heat must pass through the material on the-

  which adhesive is applied but this material must then be cooled. Due to the speed at which the packages according to the invention can be prepared, namely approximately

  1,500 units per minute in a single production line

  tion, heat sealing is an impossibility

  practicality with the equipment used for manufacturing

packaging.

  As shown, approximately in the center of the base element 2, product 6 is installed, which is a plate of a spreadable material such as margarine,

  butter, peanut butter, jelly, etc. However

  the invention is in no way limited to foodstuffs

  spreadable and could be used to wrap

  paints for artist-painters, medicated creams

  the, ointments, sealants or other products that

  usually applied with a knife,

tule or similar instrument.

  At normal temperature of use, the spreadable product adheres to the base element and remains adherent and in place, regardless of the orientation of the base element,

  until removed using a knife or spatula.

  The product is installed on the base element so as to form marginal parts 8 around the product

  extending to the periphery 10 of the base member.

  There is also a top sheet 12 which is related

  thin, relatively flexible and not stretchable. This

  upper sheet is produced, according to an embodiment

  preferred, in crystal paper having a thickness approxi-

  0.05 mm matte. The top sheet should be flexible

  and susceptible to shaping as can be seen in fig. 2.

  The top sheet 12 is substantially rectangular

  and has dimensions to form lan-

  takeoff as we will describe later.

  On its bottom surface which is opposite the base element 2, the upper sheet is coated with a cohesion layer 4 of the same type as that used on the base element. Cohesion layer 4 must be adhesive to the

  top sheet at the time of placement by coating

  and must be capable of cohesion with the cohesion layer 4 on the base 2 but must also be non-adhesive. When the covering element is peeled from the base and from the packaged product, the cohesion layer on the base sheet and on the topsheet 12 must separate without causing peeling or tearing of the

  base sheet 2 or top sheet 12. Preferably

  rence, and as can be seen more clearly in FIG. 4A, the

  cohesion layer 4 on the top sheet 12 is applied

  quée in the form of points 4a of a substantially equal dimension and distributed in a substantially regular manner. The cohesion points having about 0.5 mm in diameter and

  spaced 0.8 mm from center to center were found to be acceptable

  wheat. Rather than applying the cohesion element as dots on the topsheet 12, one could

  apply it to the base element 2.

* The top element is shaped to a certain extent to match the shape of the product you want to package, ship, store or handle, so that you get a package that is both compact and elegant. We can do this, as we

  will see later, before applying the upper element

  or it can be done partially before the app

  folding of the cover and, in this case, the final shaping

  must be done at the last stage of packaging preparation.

  According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the upper element 12 is shaped so as to comprise a central part 14 which is relatively flat, rectangular and substantially the same extent as the plate 6 of spreadable material. From the peripheral edges 16 of the central part 14, walls 18 are directed downwards. The angle of inclination of the walls is not critical and a right angle could be provided with the central part 14. The walls 18 directed downwards end in marginal portions or edges 20 directed roughly parallel to the central part 14 and at the edges

  peripherals 22 of the basic element 2. It is perfect-

  ment possible, without departing from the scope of the invention, that the marginal portion 20 slightly exceeds beyond the peripheral edges 22 of the base member 2 or, on the contrary, stops a little before reaching these peripheral edges 22. The marginal parts of the upper sheet are in face-to-face contact with the marginal parts of the element

  basic (see figs 3 and 4). Since these surfa-

  these are coated with a cohesion layer, the upper element

  laughing 12 and the basic element 2 are cohesively united

around the plate 6.

According to the invention, means are provided for forming

  sea flaps or tabs on the top element and

these flaps or tabs are used to separate the top sheet

  of the base sheet and of the product and for this it suffices to grasp one of the tabs and thus to peel off the upper element from the base element and from the product placed on the latter. As can be seen more clearly in FIGS, and 6, the means in question comprise a series of folds or folds 24 having end portions 26

at least one of which extends beyond the edge of the element

base to form an easily accessible element allowing to take off and remove the upper layer 12

of the base element 2 and of the plate 6.

As shown, four pleats are provided.

elements or folds 24 each of which begins at an angle of the

central part 14 and ends at a relative distance

  ment short of the adjacent angle of the base element 2. One side 28 of each fold 24 is substantially parallel

to the adjacent edges of the top sheet 12 and the base member 2 and this side is in fact an extension

ment of the associated side wall 28. Such a side 28 extends a short distance beyond the edge of the base element 2 to form an easily accessible tongue

26 which will allow takeoff.

  It is not essential that the folds 24 be

  formed next to the angles. It is envisaged that the folds for-

  should be formed on the sides between the angles. However

dant, the formation of folds in the immediate vicinity of the angles, as shown in the drawing, is the preferred embodiment. The folds 24 are flattened at their ends 30 (FIG. 3) to complete the closure

airtight packaging.

  Some advantages arise from the installation of the release tabs next to the corners of the base element. When peeling off the upper element 12

  of the basic element 2 (fig. 4), it is necessary that the

  the upper element 12 is removed in such a way that the product 6 remains on the base 2. With a spreadable product such as margarine, butter, peanut butter, etc., it is obvious that when the product 6 remains on a relatively rigid flat base element 2, the removal of the product from this surface can be done much more easily and entirely, while this would not be the case.

case with a bowl-shaped element as it occurs

  duis in the aforementioned packaging known before

  each - an individual portion that it was

  remove from a bowl or foil.

When product 6 consists of a plate

  with parallel sides, it has a sensitive surface-

  flat and relatively extended in contact and adhering

  with the base element 2. In addition, the release tabs

lage are arranged and arranged so that, when the top member 12 is detached from the base member 2, this takeoff takes place from an angle towards the opposite angle diagonally. In this way, the thin and flexible layer comes off from the plate 6 without tearing off the smallest portion of this plate 6 which remains fully integrated.

  element 2. Because the surfaces that

  hold the product on the base element are larger than the line along which the cover 12 comes off the base 2 and the plate 6, it follows that the

  plate 6 remains in place on the basic element independently

  ment of the orientation of the latter until the time when the plate 6 is removed in whole or in part using

  knife, spatula, or the like.

  The method and apparatus for producing packaging

hermetic according to the invention will now be described.

With particular reference to Figs. 7 to 14, there is shown a fixed frame 32 on which is mounted a member

  rotary 34 used to cut a roll sheet and

holding a reserve of a relatively thin and supple material

  ple 36 to constitute the upper layer, for example

paper, which will be shaped into an upper element 12 previously

  as described. A conventional braking device 38 comes

  in contact with the flexible material 36 to prevent unwinding

slightly excessive or undesirable of material 36 from the

roller 34.

The upper sheet 36 is conveyed by two rollers.

  distribution water 40 (fig. 11) driven by a train

of gears 42 and a main gear 43 (fig. 7).

The gear train 42 also serves to drive a wheel.

  water 44 (fig. 7 and 11) on which is fixed a knife 46 (fig. 11). The knife 46 cuts the upper sheet 36 into sections of a predetermined length after the material 36 has passed between the distribution rollers 40. The cut upper sheet 36 is then guided by guides 48 (FIG. 7) towards a drum under vacuum bearing the reference

overall 50.

  The device 50 with drum under vi-de (fig ,. 9 H 11) comprises a circular collector 52 fixedly mounted on the frame 32 by any convenient means. Through an opening 54 and a circular chamber 53, the circular collector 52 communicates with a vacuum source (not shown) for a purpose which will appear later. Through vents 55 and 57 (FIGS. 9 and 11), the vacuum chamber 53 communicates with the surface of the manifold 52 around the periphery of the shaping stations 58 for a purpose which will be described later. The vents 55 (fig. 11) can cooperate with flat areas at the leading end and at the rear end of the shaping station 58 in the drum 56 or else they can cooperate with the curved surface of the drum near the ends of the shaping station 58, as best seen, at 55 ', in fig. 1lA. In telescopic relationship with the manifold 52 and mounted for rotation on the latter, a drum 56 has a series of stamping or shaping stations 58 regularly spaced around its periphery. While in the example shown the stations are six in number, one could provide a greater number or on the contrary smaller such shaping stations depending on the size of the drum and its speed. In connection with the interior surface of the vacuum drum 56, a ring or packing 60

is fixed to the drum 56, by screws 64 or from elements ana-

  logues, for a rotation integral with the drum 56.

  A ring or seal 63 is mounted in posi-

fixed position on the manifold 52. The linings 60 and 63 establish a vacuum seal between the manifold

fixes 52 and the rotating drum 56 for a purpose that appears

will re-appear thereafter. A toothed wheel 43 is mounted on the

outer surface of the drum 56 and it is connected to the drum

bour 56 and a toothed wheel 66 (fig. 9 and 10) by a head screw 68. The toothed wheel 66 is driven by a pinion 70 wedged on the drive shaft 72. As we can clearly see in fig - 9 and 11, a sealing pad 73 is pushed by a leaf spring 75 to a position of engagement with the inner surface of the drum 50 in order to establish a vacuum-tight seal with this for a purpose-it will appear also thereafter. A tamping device 74 (fig. 8) is mounted on

a rod 75 articulated by a pivot 80 to a drive disc

  76 and can slide in a guide 82 articulated on a guide disc 78. The discs 76 and 78 are

  driven by a conventional gear train (not shown

  felt) and the latter is in turn driven from the toothed wheel 43. The rotation of the discs 76 and 78 results in an essentially vertical movement of the tamping member 74. The terminal end 86 of the member tamping 74 (fig. 11) is connected by screws 88 and stressed by

  a spring 90. The terminal end 86 which is preferably

rence, constructed of a low friction material or of the self-lubricating type such as nylon, comprises a head directed downwards 92 and a flange 96 directed towards

outside.

  Each shaping station 58 on the vacuum drum

56 includes a flat central part 98 (fig. 9), parts

  kings inclined front and rear 100 and 102 (fig. 11) and inclined side walls 104 (fig. 10). Spaces or gaps 106 are provided in the surface of the drum 56 between the ends of the inclined side walls 104 and the front and rear walls 100 and 102 which are also

  inclined (see in particular fig. 9).

  Referring to fig. 8A and 8B, drums 77

and 77 'are mounted in rotation and with the possibility of re-

  vertical sliding on a fixed frame 79 by means of adjustment by a knurled screw 81 and locking screws 83. Plates, 87, 89 and 91 are mounted on the drums 77 and 77 'by

stud and mortise systems and these plates are pushed

  sées by springs to the outside of the periphery of the drums 77 and 77 ', in this case by pairs of compression springs mounted in the drums 77 and 77' at the inner ends of the plates. The drums 77 and 77 ′ are driven by a toothed wheel 93 and the latter is itself driven by a toothed wheel 95 from the gear train 42 and in time synchronism therewith. Support rollers 101 and 101 'are mounted on a shaft 103 associated with arms 105 and 105' articulated at 107 to the fixed frame. Support rollers 101 and 101 'in cooperation with drums 77 and 77' (as shown

will see later) engage with the edges longitu-

  of the base element 2 and of the upper sheet 12. The articulated arms 105 and 105 ′ as well as the rollers

  101 and 101 'are adjusted so that the wheels

leaux 101 and 101 'bring the longitudi-

  nals of the base and cover elements 2 and 12 with the drums 77 and 77 'by manipulation of the adjustment screws 107 and 107'. A support element 112 is subjected to a cam action to bring the leading edge and the rear edge of the elements 2 and 12 into contact with the edges of the plates 85, 87, 89 and 91 by means of a cam 109

  whose adjustment is ensured by an adjustment screw 111.

The apparatus and the hermetic packaging according to the invention

  tion are particularly suitable for use with the apparatus described in U.S.A. Patent 3,129,546 to

April 21, 1964 whose teachings are incorporated in-

reference title in this application. The apparatus described in this patent provides for the placement of unit portions of a spreadable product such as butter or margarine on

relatively rigid basic elements.

  As described in more detail in this U.S.A. patent 3,129,546, a wafer 6 of butter or margarine

  is formed and deposited on base 2 installed on a trans-

carrier 110 comprising supports 1-12 for receiving and routing this base 2. Each support 112 is provided with a clamp 114, to come into contact with the rear end of the base element 2 on this support, while the advance on the conveyor 110 in the direction of the arrows

(fig. 11).

  Both the wafer forming apparatus and the carrier drive 110 in US Patent 3,129,546 as well as the apparatus, according to the present invention, are driven from a common drive source (e.g. a motor not shown)

and the drive mechanisms are mechanically coupled

ment so that the supports 112 and the plate 6 on the supports come in concordance with a shaping station 58 on the drum 56 during the rotation of this drum in the direction indicated by the arrow (fig. 11) and while the transporter 110 advances the supports

112 and the butter wafer 6 opposite the drum 56.

The drum 56 rotating in accordance with the trans-

  carrier 110 and the supports 112 mounted on the latter, the flexible material 36 of the upper sheet is cut

of roller 34 via the distribution rollers

tion 40. The leading end of the material 36 is section-

  born by a knife 46 in sections of a length predeter-

  mined and these sections will then be shaped, transferred

  rees and glued to the base 2 over the plate 6 on

the supports 112, while the shaping station 58 carries

  as the cut and shaped section comes into agreement

  with base 2, these various mechanisms being described below.

  While a predetermined length is severed from the leading end of the material 36, the cut sheet is guided by the guides 48 to bring it into contact with

  the rotary drum 56. The rotation of the drum 56 and the advant

  cement and the sectioning of the material 36 are synchronized

seed in time so that the guides 48 come into contact with the leading edge, the rear edge and the edges

sides of the cut sheet, through the vents 55 and 57.

Thus the vacuum established in room 53, through the vents

55 and 57, keeps the cut sheet in position of correspondence of the par-

  central tie 98- and inclined walls 100, 102 and 104 with

  the shaping station 58. While each station so-

  swimming 58 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow (fig. 11) beyond the guides 48, a predetermined length of the material 36 is advanced by the rollers 40, cut by the knife 46 and deposited on the rotary drum 56 in concor -

dance with the respective shaping station 58.

  As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 11, the

cut section of the material 36 extends in a practical mode

plane across the shaping station 58 and the

  sheet is held in this position by vacuum intro-

  duit through the vents 55 and 57.

While each shaping station 58 rotates anti-clockwise (as can be seen by the arrow in fig. 11), under the

  damage 74, drive disc 76 and guide disc

dage 78, which are continuously driven in synchronism with the drum 56, the terminal end 86 of the

  damage 74 attacks the sheet material. The head rec-

  tangular 92 directed downwards of the tamping device 74 pushes the central part of the sheet in the recess of the shaping station towards the flat central part 98. While the flat central part of the sheet is pushed towards the flat central part 98 of the recess in the shaping station, the front, rear and side edges are forced downwards by the outer edges 96 against the action of the vacuum vents 55 and 57. Between the front and rear edges and the side edges, the sheet is folded to form folds or folds which penetrate into the gaps 106 between the edges. These folds form the

  folds 24 which have been discussed in connection with packaging

hermetic seal.

  The tamping member 74 is driven and synchronized to move inward and outward while each shaping station 58 rotates opposite the tamping device. Thus, while the drum 56 rotates opposite the tamping device 74, the latter advances and shapes the sheet in the matrix at the shaping station after which the member 74 withdraws. The rotary movement of the drum 56 and the reciprocating movement inward and

  the outside of the tamping member 74 are obviously

  tinus. The sheet formed into a cover 12 at the shaping station 58, by the tamping member 74, is rotated downward in the opposite direction to the needles

  of a watch (fig. 8 and 11) and when approaching the posi-

  tion of six hours, the leading edge of the cover 12 comes into contact with the leading edge of the base member 2 which advances on the conveyor 110. While the base member 2 progresses on the conveyor 110 towards the drum 56 and just before the leading end of the element 2 comes into contact with the leading edge of the cover 12, the leading edge of the element 2 is brought into contact with the support 112 by the rollers 91 and 91a at the opposite ends of the conveyor 10 and support 112 and this edge lifts

  slightly from this contact position. The rou-

  leaux 91, 91a and 92 are spaced so as to release the

  conveyor 110 and support 112 but coming in con-

  tact with the marginal longitudinal part of the base element 2 and of the cover 12 during the junction movement of

these two elements.

  The rollers 91, 91a (fig. 8) are mounted for rotation

  counterclockwise, res-

  pectively on arms 94 and 94a articulated at 99 and 99a and pushed by springs, respectively 104 and 104a

  mounted on bases 108 and 108a, towards the longitudi-

  nals of the base and covering elements and the drum 56. Thus the longitudinal edges of the elements 2 and 12, at the time of their junction, pass between the surfaces of the rollers 91, 91a and of the drum 56. While the drum 56 rotates and that the longitudinal edges of the elements 2 and 12 pass in the indicated interval, the rollers 91 and 91a are urged for a rotation in the direction of the needles

  of a watch (fig. 8) by compressing the springs 104 and 104a.

  Around the time when the edges of the cover 12 are brought into contact with the edges of the base member 2 between the rollers 91, 9la and the drum 56, the vacuum vents 55, 57 pass beyond the chamber vacuum 53 (fig. 11), so that the vacuum is interrupted and the

  cover is released. Cohesion coatings on over-

  contact faces of elements 12 and 2 brought into mutual contact by matching the shaping station 58 on the rotary drum 56 with the base 2 on the support 112 of the conveyor 110, and passing between the rollers 91, 91a and the drum 56, cooperate to connect the cover 12 to the base 2 around the product plate 6. From the drum 56 and the rollers 91 and 91a, the base element 2 carrying the plate 6, covered with the upper layer

  12, is advanced towards the drums 77 and 77 ′ which are obviously

  ment in rotation and whose movements are synchronized with the progression of the conveyor 110, the support 112 and the base element 2 in such a way that when the leading end of the base element 2 approaches drums 77 and 77 ', the leading edge of the plate 91 in the

  rotary drums 77 and 77 'come into contact with the end

  leading mite of the covering layer 12. The plate 91 is pushed into the slot against compression

  springs and the leading edge of the cover sheet

  ment 12 is fixed cohesively to the leading end of the base 2. While the transporter 110, the support 112 and the base element 2 continue to progress and

  the drums 77 and 77 ′ continue to rotate, the edges lon-

  gitudinal elements 2 and 12 pass between the drums 77, 77 'and the support rollers 101, 101'. The drums 77, 771 and the rollers 101, 101 'effect cohesion between the longitudinal edges. The leading edge of the plate

  89 in the drums 77, 77 ′ comes into contact with the end

  rear half of element 12 to fix the former

  rear end of element 12 to base element 2.

  From the rotary drums 56, 77 and 77 ', the covered wafer progresses on its support 112 routed by the transporter 110 to arrive at a second tamping station downstream of the drums 56, 77 and 77' and bearing the overall reference 130 (figs. 8, 13 and 14). The tamping member 130 comprises a head 132 made of a material with low

  friction or self-lubricating, for example nylon,

  carrying a raised central portion 134 and downwardly extending side walls 136 and 138

  longitudinally in the direction of advancement of the transport

  110 and with appropriate spacing to clear the

  plate 6 and the raised central part 14 of the packaging

  lage but, at the same time, with sufficient proximity to come into contact with the longitudinal edges of the package. The tamping member 130 is connected by a rod 140 and pivots 142, 144 to rotary discs 146, 148. The discs 146 and 148 are continuously driven by

  gears (not shown) from the gear mechanism

  dragging of the drum 56 and of the conveyor 110 in sync

  nism with the movements of the latter. While the cover paper from drums 56 and 77

  approach the tamping member 130, the head 132 of the latter

  deny advance down. As the covered package passes under and beyond the tamper 130, the side walls 136 and 138 of the tamper 130

  move down and attack the wrinkles

  ments 24 directed towards the top of the upper sheet 12 to flatten and hermetically seal these folds by sealingly applying the cover 12 on the base 2 so as to define a hermetic enclosure around the product plate 6. While the transporter 110 removes the hermetic packaging from the tamping member 130, the head 132 of the latter rises by the action of the rotating discs

146 and 148.

  In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8, 13 and 14, the edges and the folds 24 of the upper sheet 12 are hermetically fixed on the base 2 around the plate 6 of the food product. Thus the raised central part 134 lifts and remains above and at

  distance from the insert during grooming of the cor-

  respondent. In some cases, especially when it comes to larger size inserts, for example 112g inserts, it may be desirable to shape the insert

  and adjust the size during the final tamping stage.

  To perform such an operation, the head 132 ′ of the member

  tamping (see figs. 15 and 16) has a central cavity

  raised trale 134 'surrounded by direct side walls

  down 136 'and 138' and by end walls 139 'and 141. The central cavity 134' and the walls 136 ', 138', 139 'and 141 are shaped in such a way that when the ends of the walls 136' , 138 ', 139' and 141 are brought into contact with the outer edges of the cover 12 on the base 2 around the product plate 6, the cover 12 attacks the top of the cavity 134 'and the walls to shape the plate and adjust its size. In such a case, it is obvious that the product initially prepared and

  deposited on base 2 must have a volume which corresponds to

  pond to the dimension and shape that will be obtained final-

  using the 132 'tamping head.

  Hermetic packages that move away from the organ

  tamper 130 can be removed by hand or mechanically-

  ment, for example using a counting device, em-

  pounding and packing, as explained in the patent

U.S.A. No. 3,631,652.

  Numerous cohesion coatings can be used for the implementation of the invention in order to make the elements 12 and 2 adhere by cohesion.

  cohesion material, one must select a material

  patible with covering and base materials, and which can establish strong adhesive bonds

  with these materials, the material also to be compared

  tible with the packaged food product. Preferably, the cohesion material must be cohesive in itself but

  no to other materials and it should be dry to the touch.

  During cohesion with itself, for example as is the case with the connection of elements 12 and 2, the materials must be firm and must retain the elements together. However, when the element 12 is detached from the base 2 and from the packaged product 6, the cohesion coatings must separate without tearing the sheet from the cover and without destroying the base 2. Of course the cohesive material must adhere to the surface base and cover which may be of a grease resistant material or which may

  be coated with such a material. We already said that we pre-

  apply the cohesion material to the base or to the

  circle and, in particular, the cover, in the form of a series of uniform and regularly spaced points. For storage and handling before the packaging is formed, the adhesive can carry a layer of a separating agent which must not naturally interfere with cohesion

  at the junction between the base and the cover.

  The invention is not limited to the examples of

  lisation represented and described in detail because various modi-

  fications can be made without departing from its scope.

Claims (46)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S   1. Hermetic package for storage, shipping, handling and support of a spreadable product to be used, characterized in that it comprises: a) a relatively flat and rigid basic element on the upper surface of which a spreadable product removably adheres ; b) borders on this relatively rigid base surrounding the spreadable product;   c) a covering element having a central part   trale spaced from the base element and covering said pro-   spreadable duit, side walls directed downwards on the opposite sides and opposite ends of this central part and marginal portions directed outwards at the ends of the side walls directed downwards and surrounding said central part; d) means for adhering said marginal portions of the flexible covering element to said edges of the relatively rigid base; and e) means on the flexible covering element for peeling off this flexible element from the base and from the spreadable product so that the spreadable product continues to adhere to the base.   2. Package according to claim 1, characterized in   that the cover has a series of folds   sements directed towards the edge of the base so as to define   at least one tab used to detach the retaining element covering of said base.   3. Package according to one of claims l and 2,   characterized in that. the basic element is made in one   relatively rigid material coated with a cohesion material.   4. Package according to one of claims 1 to 3, ca-   characterized in that the flexible covering element is   made of a relatively thin material coated with a material cohesion.   5. Package according to claim 2, characterized in that the dimensions of the covering element are   calculated to present take-off tabs   stretching beyond the basic element.   6. Package according to claim 5, characterized in that the covering element comprises a central part   trale having substantially the same extent as the product.   7. Package according to one of claims 5 and 6,   characterized in that side walls are directed towards the base element from said central portion and end in marginal portions which are in contact with the basic element.   8. Package according to claim 7, characterized in that these side walls have folds   going from the central portion to the edge of the base.   9. Package according to claim 8, characterized in that said central part is of a substantially rectangular shape.   10. Package according to one of claims 8 and 9,   characterized in that the folds start at the corners of the central part and extend towards the edges of the base. 11. Package according to claim 10, characterized in that the folds extend approximately parallel   at least two edges of said base.   12. Package according to claim 11, characterized in that the ends of the folds are hermetically closed. 13. Hermetic package for storage, shipping, handling and support of a spreadable product to be used, characterized in that it comprises a) a substantially rectangular base element and   relatively rigid carrying a plate of a product   lable which adheres to the center of said base member; b) a relatively flexible and relatively   thin cover, which includes a central part   substantially planar, sides extending from the planar central portion towards the base member, said sides   sides ending in planar marginal edges in line   its coherence with the basic element; and   c) .means on the covering element extends   going beyond the base element to take off the element   covering the base element to expose the pro- spreads out.   14. Package according to claim 13, characterized in that the covering element has folds directed to the edges of the base.   15. Package according to claim 14, characterized in that the folds form a series of release tabs for tearing off the cover sheet   from the base to discover the spreadable product.   16. Package according to claim 15, characterized in that said tongues are adjacent to the corners of the base. 17. Package according to claim 16, characterized in   that the tabs are located next to at least some   tains corners of the base so that the cover can be   peeled off from the base from one of these corners.   18. Package according to one of claims 13 to 17,   characterized in that the base is made of cardboard.   19. Package according to one of claims 13 to 18,   characterized in that the cover is made of paper.   20. Package according to one of claims 18 and 19,   characterized in that the base and the cover carry a cohesion coating.   21. Hermetic package for storage, shipping, handling and support of a spreadable product to be used, characterized in that it comprises: a) a relatively rigid base element carrying on its central part a product in removable adhesion so as to leave a margin of the base surface around this product; b) a flexible and relatively thin covering element, this covering element having a central part   whose extent is substantially the same as that of the sur-   upper face of the product, this central part extending   in a plane substantially parallel to said base, parts   lateral kings directed downwards from the central part of the covering element and extending outwards towards the periphery of the base. to form the marginal parts;   c) means of cohesion for fixing in an amo-   visible the marginal part of the base to the marginal part of the covering element; and d) tabs on the covering element to allow it to peel off the latter from the base element. 22. Hermetic package for storage, shipping, handling and support of a spreadable product to be used, characterized in that it comprises: a) a flat and relatively rigid base element for receiving a product on its central part; b) a relatively thin covering element   and flexible comprising a central part having sensitive-   the same extent as the product, side walls going from the central part towards the base and ledges extending from the ends of the walls   lateral towards the edge of the base element and   tact with this basic element; c) cohesion means for joining the covering element to the base element; and   d) take-off means on the covering element;   which extend beyond the basic element and per-   put off the cover of the base element and display the product on it.   23. Hermetic package for storage, shipping, handling and support of a spreadable product to be used, characterized in that it comprises: a) a substantially flat and relatively rigid base element carrying on a surface a cohesion coating and, removably, a product on its central part; b) a relatively thin and relatively flexible covering element having a cohesion surface facing the cohesion surface of the base element; c) a central part on the flexible covering element having substantially the same extent as the product; d) ledges on the flexible sheet in cohesive contact face to face with the base; e) side walls joining the edges to - the central part; and f) means for separating the cover sheet from the base element so that the product remains in   position on the basic element independently of the orient- tation of the latter.   24. Package according to claim 23, characterized in   what the basic element is cardboard.   25. Package according to one of claims 23 and 24,   characterized in that the flexible cover element is in paper.   26. Apparatus for producing an airtight package for storing, shipping, handling and supporting in   service a spreadable product - and designed to work   joint with means of placing an individual portion   container of a product which can be spread out substantially in the center of a relatively rigid base element, apparatus characterized in that it comprises a) a reserve of an upper material in relatively thin and flexible sheet; b) means for cutting and advancing predetermined lengths of this sheet material; c) a vacuum drum comprising at least one shaping station on its periphery and means for establishing a vacuum in the various stations;   d) means for directing the predetermined lengths-   sheet material to the successive stations e) means for rotating the vacuum drum so that each station comes into an alignment position with a first tamping device; f) means for forcing the first tamping device and the corresponding station to shape said upper sheet to give it a three-dimensional shape; g) means for rotating the drum under   empty so that the shaped sheet comes in a po-   1o position of alignment with the basic element carrying the pro-   spreadable duit; and h) means for hermetically sealing the element   upper in sheet to the basic element.   27. A method of producing an airtight package used to store, dispatch and support in service a spreadable product, characterized in that it consists:   a) to place an individual portion of a product -   spreadable on a relatively rigid base element; b) cutting a predetermined length portion of the top sheet which is made of a flexible and relatively thin material; c) shaping this material of the upper sheet to give it approximately its final three-dimensional shape;   d) placing the top sheet shaped in line with   ment with the basic element carrying the product; and   e) -to establish cohesion between the surfaces of the element   base and upper leaf adjacent to the peri-   spheres of the two surfaces to achieve a her- metic.   28. Apparatus for producing hermetic packages for wafers of a spreadable product centered on a substantially flat and relatively rigid base element, characterized in that it comprises: a) means for shaping the upper sheets and obtaining a three-dimensional element predetermined; b) means for bringing the upper sheets of a predetermined length towards the aforementioned shaping means; c) transport means for conveying the base element carrying product plates towards a position of correspondence with the shaped upper element; d) means for bringing the upper member and the base member into mutual contact; and   e) means to establish cohesion between the element   ment and the basic element.   29. Apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that the shaping means comprise a vacuum drum mounted in rotation and comprising at least one station of shaping.   30. Apparatus according to claim 29, characterized in that the shaping means also comprise a tamping device for pressing the section of the sheet in the shaping station.   31. Apparatus according to claim 30, characterized   in that the vacuum drum carries the upper element   laughter shaped to bring it into contact with the base element and ensure the cohesion of the upper element   the basic element along transverse edges.   32. Apparatus according to claim 31, characterized in that pressure driven rollers are provided for compressing the longitudinal edges of the upper element and the base element for cohesion of their borders.   33. Apparatus according to claim 32, characterized in that transverse pressure means are mounted on the driven pressure rollers to ensure a   additional compression of the transverse borders.   34. Apparatus according to claim 32, characterized in that the shaping station and the first tamping device press the upper sheet to give it a shape comprising a flat central part, front and rear walls as well as side walls extending from the flat central part, the front walls and   rear and side walls ending in doors   substantially flat marginal folds from the corner of the central part to the edges   of the shaped top sheet.   35. Apparatus according to claim 34, characterized in that it comprises a second tamping device for   close the ends of the creases.   36. Method for producing an airtight package for wafers of a spreadable product centered on an element of   flat base, relatively rigid and coated with cohesive   sion, characterized in that it consists:   a) to cut a relatively thin and flexible material   ble of an upper leaf in parts of a pre-   determined; b) shaping this material to give it a three-dimensional shape; c) bringing the top sheet into contact with the base member; d) achieving cohesion of the edges of the upper sheet and the base element; and e) forming take-off tabs on the   upper sheet overhanging the base element and allowing   both detach the top sheet from the base for li- sip the spreadable product.   37. Method according to claim 36, characterized   in that we shape the top sheet to its three-dimensional form   with a substantially flat central part,   front and rear walls and side walls extend   dant from the flat central part, the front and rear walls and the side walls ending in substantially flat marginal parts, folds being provided at the corners of the central part towards the edges of the shaped top sheet.   38. Package according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for adhering the edges are means of cohesion.   39. Package according to claim 38, characterized in that the cohesion layer is applied to one of the   marginal parts in the form of a discontinuous coating.   40. Package according to claim 39, characterized in that the discontinuous coating is in the form of dots   of cohesive material spaced on at least one of the elements adhesion.   41. Package according to claim 40, characterized in that the surface of the adhesion elements is resistant to grease and in that the cohesion points are applied   on this grease resistant surface.   42. Package according to claim 41, characterized   in that the points of the cohesion product are on the element recovery.   43. Package according to claim 41, characterized   in that the points of the cohesion product are on the element basic.   44. Apparatus according to claim 32, characterized in that it comprises plungers for coming into contact with the front and rear edges of the upper sheet and of the base element in order to establish cohesion between said borders.   45. Apparatus according to claim 35, characterized in that the second tamping device comprises means for adjusting the size and the shape of the hermetic packages. 46. Apparatus according to claim 45, characterized in that the means for adjusting the size and shape of the packages include a hollowed-out tamping member which attacks the top of an airtight package and organs   side to attack the sides of the airtight package.