GB2305147A

GB2305147A - Packing mechanism with heat insulation about sealing rollers

Info

Publication number: GB2305147A
Application number: GB9519336A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tzy-Te Hsieh
Original assignee: HSIEH TZY TE
Current assignee: HSIEH TZY TE
Priority date: 1995-09-13
Filing date: 1995-09-13
Publication date: 1997-04-02
Also published as: GB9519336D0

Abstract

A form-fill-seal mechanism for beverages comprises a semi-conical support 30 over which a plastics web is formed into a tube and laterally sealed by a pair of heated rollers 10, a filling pipe 20 and a pair of rotary sealing jaws 40 to form a transverse seal. The rotary sealing jaws include insulation members 46b on the leading edges which meet and squeeze the bag to remove residual gas before the sealing jaws close without exposing the liquid in the bag to excess heat. The insulation members preferably have an arcuate configuration on the outer edge where they meet the bag.

Description

TITLE A Packing Rechanisn for beverages BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the package of liguid stuffs, eore particularly to a packing mechanism for beverages which can continuously pack the beverage into a bag and expel the residual gas from therein.

Beverages such as fruit juice, soft drinks mineral water and the like, available in the market are most likely canned or packed with PE bottle, plastic bag or foil bag, etc., wherein the plastic bag and the foil bag are the most economical package amony the others, Fig.l shows a prior art beverage packing mechanism which comprises a pair of pressing rollers 1 of opposing rotation for the continuous heat sealing one lateral edge of the bag, an ingress pipe 2 for supplying the beverage from a nearly container (not shown) , a roughly semi conical supporter 3 which has a pair of bent over lateral edges and a narrower bottom forming a roughly U-shape section for supperting and guiding a rolled plastic sheet or foil 5 to move downward and to flush at the pressing rollers 1 therebetween for heat sealing sontinuously, and a pair of horizontal sealing rollors 4 of identical configurations juxtaposed under the supporter 3 in opposite rotation, each having a pair cf circular members 401 diametrically connected by a rectangular heat plate 403 therebetween. All the rollers i and - have been dr:;en synchronously by a nearby motor (nor shown).When the neat plates 403 turn to an erect position (as shown in Fig.) , a narrow space has been formed therebetween to allow the stuffed bag going through downwardly ac khen the heat piates i()J turn to a horizontal position, the stuffed bag will hi heat sealed pressed by the two plates 403 on one by one basis.

However, such packing mechanism reveals numerous disadvantages outlined as follows: a) Since the surface of the heat plates 403 always maintain a certain degree of temperature without covering any inslllation material thereon, when the plates 403 turn to a position to for. a V-shape section (as shown in Fig.2) , it is unavoidably to prevent the lower portions thereof from touching te stuffed bag and welding the surface of the bag so as to cause damagenent of the products.

b) a certain amount of residual gas still contains in the sealed bags which makes the bags have to be stored under low temperature in order to prevent the beverage therein from deterioration because of the oxidation. This will cause uneconomical storage and transportations.

SlM RY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention has a main object is to provide a packing mechanism for beverages to mitigate and/or obviate the aforediscussed disadvantages b adding a number of insulation means on appropriate position of the heat plates of the horizontal sealing rollers to prevent the plates from directly touching to the stuffed bags.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packing mechanism for beverages in which the in sulation means has their arcuate edges can squeeze the bags so as to completely expel the residual gas from inside the stuffed bags.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a packing iechanisP for beverages which can maintain the packed stuffs to be long tile qualified and fresh.

further object of the present invention is to provide a packing mechanism for beverages which reduces operational damagement and needs not stored under lower feiperature so as to reduce the cost to manufacture, storage or transportation.

Accordingly, the packing mechanism for beverages comprises generally a pair of opposite rotation rollers, at least an ingress pipe, a semi-conical supporter, and a pair of horizontal seal rollers which are structurally and functionally similar to the conventional type as discussed above. The improvement has been characterized in that each of the heat plates of the horizontal sealing rollers has been added a pair of insulation means which prevent the heat plate fron touching to the surface of the stuffed bags and completely expel the residual gas from the packed bags.

The presen invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view to show a packing oechansis for beverages according to the prior ast, Figure 2 a sectional view to show the harizontal seading rollers operated according to the prior ast, Figure 3 is a perspective view to show a preferred embodiment of a packing mechanism for beverages according to present invention, and Figures 4 and 5 are the sectional views to show a pair of the horizoutal sealing rollors operated in accordance with the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF TBE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Fig.3 of the drawings, the packing mechanism for beverages of the present invention coiprises generally a pair of opposite rotation rollers 10 which are provided to laterally seal the bags, at least an ingress pipe 20 coneunicated to the mechanism for supplying the beverages from a nearby container (not shown), a roughly semi-conical supporter 30 having two lateral edges been bent over and a smaller bottom forming a roughly U-shape section.

The supporter 30 above the rollors 10 is provided to guide a rolled sheet 50 of plastic or foil downward on it's outer surface and folded and flushed at the rollers 10 so as to be sealed hereto into bag shaped for receiving the poured in beverages, and a pair of horizontal sealing rollers 40 underneath the rollers 10 which are also oppositely rotation for houzontally sealing the stuffed bags on one by one basis. The rollers 40 each has a pair circular wheels 42 diametrically connected by a heat plate 44. The rollers 10 and 40 are driven by a nearby motor (not shown) and the structure of the packing mechanism for beverages in Fig.3 is generally similar to that of Fig.l. But the improvement has been characterized by addition of a pair of insulation members 46 onto the heat plate 44 of each of the two horizontal sealing rollers 40 such that a first insulation member 46a attaches to the outer surface of the plate 44 flushing the lower edge and long the length thereof where a second insulation member 46b attaches the inner surface of the plate 44 flushing the upper edge and along the length thereof, each of the insulation members 46a and 46b has equally formed a sloped arcuate outer edge 462 and each pair of the insulation members 46a or 46b between the two horizontal sealing rollers 42 are opposite to one another.

So that they can mutually squeeze each other once upon each retation of the harizontal sealing rollers 40.

In operation (as shown in Fig.3), firstly mount the rolled sheet 50 onto the outer surface of the supporter 30 and flush the lateral edges of the sheet together in the rollers 10 therebetween which are to be continuously sealed together hereto because of the appropriate temperature on the rollers 10. The sealed sheet 50 is driven downward continuoasly by the rollers 10 and the end of the sheet 50 has been horizontally sealed by the rollers 40. Then the beverage begins pouring into the sealed sheet via the ingress pipe 20. Fig.4 shows that the heat plates 44 of the two horizontal sealing rollers 40 have been turned to an erect position and parallel each other forming a space to allow a stuffed bag going through downward without touching the the heat plates 44 because of the insulation members 46b.As the two harizontal sealing rellers 40 turn continuously, the two insulation members 46b meet together and squeeze the stuffed bag to expel the residual gas from the bag as it going upward on a sudden before the the pair of the heat plates 44 turn to transverse position and horizontally and pressedly seal the bag by their inner ends (as shown in Fig.5). Since the the rotation of the houizontal sealing rollers turn smoothly, next space will be formed between the pair of the insulation plates 46a and the bag goes through therebetween downwardly for it's own gravity and the pushing force of the rollers 10 and 40. So that the other end of the bag will be squeezed by the insulation members 46a and horizontally sealed by the other ends of the two heat plates 44.

Because the pour in amount of the beverage and the rotaton speed and the temperature of the rollers 10 and 40 are adjustable, the size of the bags are average and controllable.

The continously sealed beverage bags will be cut up on one by one basis by a cutting device (not shown) disposed under the pair of the horizontal sealing rollers 40. Upon the above discussed inprovenent, the beverage bags produced by the packing eechanisn of the present invention will be sanitary, economical and low cost to store or to transport.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present discosure has been made by way of example only and that nunerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as herein after claimed.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A packing mechanism for beverages comprising: a semiconical supporter having two lateral edges been bent over and a less dimensional bottom formed a roughly U-shape section; at least an ingress pipe C omnun i cat ed to the bottom portion of said seni-sonical supporter for supplying beverage from a nearby container; a pair of less dianeter opposite rotation rollers under said seni-conical supporter which seal the flushed lateral edge of a rolled plastic sheet or foil; a pair of large diameter rollors of opposite rotation under said less diameter opposite rotation rollers which seal the horizontal portions of the stuffed beverage bags on one by one basis; a power source synchronously and adjustably drives and heats up said rollers.

2. A packing mechanism according claim 1, wherein said large diameter rollers has a first roller and a second roller, each has a pair of circular wheels of identical diameter diametrically connected by a rectangular heat plate therebeween.

3. A packing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said heat plates of said first roller and said second roller have respectively a first insulation member attached on the outer surface along the length and flushing with their lower edges thereof and a second in sulation member attached on their inner surface along the length and flushing with their upper edges.

4. A packing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said each insulation members has a sloped arcuate configuration on the outer edge.