HK1069365B - A packaging machine and a packet forming and sealing module for such a machine - Google Patents

A packaging machine and a packet forming and sealing module for such a machine Download PDF

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Publication number
HK1069365B
HK1069365B HK05101795.0A HK05101795A HK1069365B HK 1069365 B HK1069365 B HK 1069365B HK 05101795 A HK05101795 A HK 05101795A HK 1069365 B HK1069365 B HK 1069365B
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HK
Hong Kong
Prior art keywords
packaging machine
sealing jaws
frame
sealing
preparation
Prior art date
Application number
HK05101795.0A
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Chinese (zh)
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HK1069365A1 (en
Inventor
Markus PALMNÅS
Lars-Ebbe Persson
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Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
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Publication date
Priority claimed from SE0101594A external-priority patent/SE522275C2/en
Application filed by Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. filed Critical Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
Publication of HK1069365A1 publication Critical patent/HK1069365A1/en
Publication of HK1069365B publication Critical patent/HK1069365B/en

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Description

Packaging machine and package forming and sealing module for such a packaging machine
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a packaging machine for packaging pourable food products and producing sealed packages. It comprises means for longitudinally sealing a continuous sheet of packaging material to form a tube, and sealing means for transversely clamping and sealing the product-filled tube at intervals, said sealing means comprising a first two sets of mutually cooperating first heat-sealing jaws and first corresponding sealing jaws and a second two sets of mutually cooperating second heat-sealing jaws and second corresponding sealing jaws.
The invention also relates to a package forming and sealing module for a packaging machine comprising a frame for packaging pourable food products and producing sealed packages. The module comprises heat-sealing jaws cooperating with respective corresponding sealing jaws for laterally clamping and sealing the product-filled tube at intervals. The invention also relates to a frame part with a chain conveyor with hot (counter) sealing jaws.
Background
Liquid or pourable food product packages are produced from a web of packaging material comprising a plurality of layers of fibrous material, such as paper, which is covered on both sides with a thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, as is well known in the art. The side of the packaging material that is in contact with the food product in the package also comprises a layer of barrier material, for example aluminium foil, which is coated with a thermoplastic material. To produce packages of the above-mentioned type, a web of sheet packaging material is fed to a packaging machine. The packaging material is preferably sterilized in the packaging machine by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as a hydrogen peroxide solution. In the sterilization step, the sterilization agent is finally also removed from the surface of the packaging material, for example by thermal evaporation.
The sterilized packaging material is then formed into a tube which is sealed in the longitudinal direction. The tube is filled with a sterilized pourable food product. Such pourable food products include, for example, fruit juice, pasteurized or ultra-high-temperature treated (UHT) milk, wine, tomato sauce, vanilla sauce or generally high viscosity food products. The filled tubes then pass between pairs of endless chains having reciprocating elements carrying sealing devices, in particular heat sealing jaws on one pair of chains and corresponding sealing jaws on the other pair of chains, wherein the sealing devices grip and seal the tubes at uniform intervals. The obtained strip of sealed packaging material is then cut between adjacent filled and sealed packages, so that a plurality of individual packages is obtained.
Different types of packages are known, for example, parallelepiped packages and tetrahedral packages. For example, the registered trademark is Tetra BrikTMThe package of (a) is a parallelepiped package. To produce such packages, two endless chain conveyors are provided. One of the chain conveyors is provided with a plurality of heat sealing jaws and the other chain conveyor is provided with a plurality of corresponding sealing jaws. The two endless chain conveyors have respective endless paths facing each other and parallel to each other, between which the tube of packaging material is fed. The (heat-sealing) jaws on one pair of endless chains cooperate with corresponding pressure-sealing jaws on the other pair of endless chains in a reciprocating manner to grip the tube equidistantly and to seal it transversely. Pillow packs are produced which can then be shaped into the final shape, for example by folding, but this is not relevant to the invention.
Tetrahedral packages, e.g. Tetra ClassicTMOr Tetraclassic AsepticTMThe package of (1) is known. This requires two pairs of endless chain conveyors. Each pair comprises two endless chains carrying (hot) sealing jaws and two further endless chains carrying corresponding sealing jaws. During the clamping and sealing operations performed alternately with the jaws on each pair, a first band of material extending along a first direction is followed in an alternating manner by a second band of material extending in a direction perpendicular to said first direction. This produces a tetrahedral shaped package.
A known example of such a packaging machine is the one manufactured under the registered trademark Tetra BrikTMTetra brik Packaging Systems, Via Delfini 1, Modena, Italy, for parallelepiped Packaging, TBA/22 packager. This known machine comprises two pairs of fixed chains.
For producingTetra Classic of hedron shapeTM/Tetra ClassicAsepticTMA known device for packaging is made by TetraPakTC/TCA 65 supplied by Sweden. Such machines include four pairs of fixedly mounted chains.
However, in order to be able to produce different types and/or sizes (volumes) of packages, such as parallelepiped packages and tetrahedral packages, at least two packaging machines are required. This is obviously undesirable and expensive, since the packaging machine is an expensive and bulky apparatus. Each machine also requires careful maintenance and start-up time at the start of production. For example, it may be necessary to pack one and the same pourable food product in different types of packages and different sizes of packages, for example according to different market requirements, etc., which means that the manufacturer needs high additional costs for obtaining, operating and maintaining two or more different machines. On the other hand, the drive mechanism for driving the chain conveyor is complex and makes the machine inflexible.
Summary of The Invention
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine as initially referred to, with which different types and/or sizes of packages can be manufactured with one and the same packaging machine of this type. A particular object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine that can be used to produce pillow packs and tetrahedral packs. It is a general object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine which is flexible in operation and which has a higher flexibility than the packaging machines known so far. Another object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine for packaging pourable food products, which makes it possible to produce, with one and the same packaging machine, a plurality of packages, which usually need to be produced in different machines. An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine which is convenient in operation and maintenance.
Another particular object of the present invention is to enable the manufacture of different types of packages in a less costly and easier manner than the use of conventional packaging machines. Another particular object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine with a small number of components that need to be supported and maintained and that may be damaged, worn, etc. Another object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine which allows the time required to start production to be shortened and which allows switching between the manufacture of different types of packages to be made relatively fast and easy.
Thus, a packaging machine as initially referred to is provided, wherein said first and second sets of first and second sealing jaws cooperating with each other or in pairs are controllable between a first and a second state, so that the packaging machine can be operated in the first state and in the second state and produce different types of packages. In particular, at least one of said first and second sets is loaded by a chain conveyor movable between a first condition corresponding to a first position corresponding to an active position in which each sealing jaw is operable to grip and seal the packages, and a second condition corresponding to a second position corresponding to an inactive position in which the sealing jaws of one of said sets are inactive. In this way, if both said first and second two sets of sealing jaws are in the active position, one type of package can be manufactured, whereas if only one of said first or second two sets is in the active position, the other type of package can be manufactured. In particular, tetrahedral packages can be manufactured if the chain conveyors of both the first and second two sets are in the operative position, whereas pillow-shaped packages can be manufactured if the chain conveyors of only one of the first and second two sets are in the operative position. In particular, the chain conveyors of the first two sets are arranged at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the chain conveyors of the second two sets of sealing jaws.
In a particular embodiment, the first and second two sets respectively comprise two chain conveyors, one of which carries a plurality of heat-sealing jaws and the other carries a plurality of corresponding sealing jaws cooperating in pairs with said heat-sealing jaws. The packaging machine comprises a frame and in particular a first two sets of two chain conveyors are connected to a first and a second frame part, which are movably connected to the frame. In an alternative embodiment, the second two sets of two chain conveyors are also connected to a frame part, here called third and fourth frame part, respectively, which are movably connected to the frame. In another embodiment, the two frame parts (the third and fourth frame part) are fixedly mounted on the frame. The frame parts movably connected to the frame are in particular hingeable with the frame to facilitate their movement between a first operative position and a second retracted inoperative position. In particular, the first and second sets are completely separate from each other, i.e. the first and second frame portions and the third and fourth frame portions are each independently associated with the frame in one and the same way or in a different way (i.e. fixed or movable), mainly at least two frame portions (the first and second frame portions or the third and fourth frame portions) are associated with the frame or another part of the machine in a movable way, so that they can be moved between an operative position and an inoperative position. The first and second frame portions are disposed at an angle of 180 degrees relative to each other.
In a particular embodiment, in order to provide a machine which is less expensive in terms of acquisition, operation and maintenance and has fewer components, only one of the chain conveyors in the two cooperating sets is driven by the drive means, wherein a sealing jaw of the heat sealing jaw type is mounted on one of the chain conveyors and a sealing jaw of the corresponding sealing jaw type is provided on the other chain conveyor. According to this embodiment, the other cooperating chain conveyor is conveyed with the sealing pressure generated or exerted between the heat sealing jaws and the counter sealing jaws mounted on the chain conveyor and cooperating during the clamping and sealing operation. Such a solution can be used whether there are two or four sets of sealing jaws and in fact four sets of sealing jaws to produce different types of packages, but it can also be used in cases where only one set is driven by the other and both other sets are actively driven. In such an embodiment, the chain conveyors of two adjacent frame parts are driven by a drive means comprising a chain system and a drive motor. Such that two adjacent frame portions are disposed at an angle of 90 degrees to each other and therefore do not have cooperating jaws.
In one embodiment one of the chain conveyors is indirectly driven by a sealing jaw on the mating chain conveyor, the sealing jaw being provided with a low friction rotating element. According to different embodiments, the heat sealing jaws are driven by corresponding sealing jaws and vice versa. In particular, the driven sealing jaws are mounted on the respective chain conveyors by means of low-friction rotating elements, but preferably both types of sealing jaws are mounted on the respective chain conveyors by means of such low-friction rotating elements. In a preferred embodiment, the low-friction rotating element comprises a bearing, such as a ball bearing or a roller bearing, where the bearings are mounted in pairs on the rear side of each sealing jaw in particular. In particular, two ball bearings are mounted on the upper rear portion of the sealing jaw, and two ball bearings are mounted on the lower rear portion of the sealing jaw. In particular, in the clamping and sealing step, the contact surface of the sealing jaws contacting the sheet comprises a high friction element, such as rubber or a general elastomer known in the art.
In this way it has been realized that only one of the two cooperating chain conveyors needs a drive means for loading the cooperating pair of sealing jaws, since a high sealing pressure is generated between the cooperating sealing jaws, which high sealing pressure is further supported by the low-friction rotating element. In particular, in order to provide such an embodiment, each heat sealing jaw (counter sealing jaw) comprises first (second) guiding means for guiding the heat sealing jaw (counter sealing jaw). In particular, the first guide means cooperate with corresponding second guide means on the cooperating sealing jaws. The heat sealing jaws may for example comprise a fork-shaped part and the second guide means on the corresponding sealing jaw may comprise a projection cooperating with said fork-shaped part. Although other forms may be used. In particular, the guide device serves as a positioning device. In particular, said positioning function is necessary for correctly positioning a knife, provided in any suitable conventional manner, for cutting the web after clamping and sealing, with respect to a groove provided in the contact surface of the cooperating sealing jaw to ensure that the band of packaging material is cut in the appropriate position.
The guiding and positioning means may of course also be arranged in any other suitable manner.
In a preferred embodiment of a packaging machine, a solution is used in which only one of the pair of chain conveyors is driven, i.e. only the drive means for one of the conveyors are provided, and a solution in which at least two frame parts of the cooperating sealing jaws carried on the chain conveyors are movable relative to the machine frame or even detachable therefrom.
The invention also provides a package forming and sealing dual module for a packaging machine for packaging pourable food products and producing sealed packages. The dual module includes at least a first two sets of cooperating first heat sealing jaws and first corresponding sealing jaws carried on respective chain conveyors mounted on each frame section movably mounted relative to the frame so that they are movable between an operative position and an inoperative position. In particular, the frame portions are independently hinged on the packaging machine frame.
In one embodiment, the dual module further comprises at least a second two sets of mutually cooperating second heat sealing jaws and second corresponding sealing jaws carried by respective chain conveyors mounted on the frame portions. In particular, the frame parts of the second two sets are also connected in a movable manner, independently, i.e. articulated on the machine frame. This means that the frame parts (chain conveyors) of the first and second two sets can be arranged in an active position and in an inactive position, so that one of the first and second two sets, which should be used for producing sealed packages, can be selected, and that both the first and second two sets, i.e. four sets, can be arranged in an active position so that another type of package can be produced, i.e. a tetrahedral package, whereas in case only two cooperating sets are used, parallelepipedic, e.g. pillow-shaped packages can be produced. Alternatively, the frame parts of the two cooperating groups are fixedly mounted on the frame of the packaging machine, still meaning that different types of packages can be produced depending on whether four or two groups are in the working position.
In a particular embodiment, only one of the cooperating two sets of chain conveyors is driven, while in the clamping and sealing operation the other chain conveyor is driven with sealing pressure applied between the two cooperating sealing jaws, i.e. between the cooperating heat sealing jaw and the corresponding sealing jaw.
In order to produce a packaging machine which is simple, has low maintenance requirements and comprises a small number of components, and which, compared to presently known machines, has the greatest advantage of being simple, a packaging machine for packaging pourable food products and producing sealed packages is provided, said packaging machine comprising means for longitudinally sealing a continuous sheet of packaging material to form a tube, and pairwise cooperating sealing means for gripping and sealing the product-filled tube at intervals, wherein said sealing means comprise a set of sealing jaws mounted on respective chain conveyors in cooperation with a corresponding set of sealing jaws. In a first embodiment, only one chain conveyor is driven by the drive means, while in the clamping and sealing operation the sealing jaws on the other chain conveyor are conveyed by means of the sealing pressure exerted between two cooperating sealing jaws, i.e. between a cooperating heat sealing jaw and a corresponding sealing jaw. Such an embodiment may preferably be used in combination with the above-described movably mounted frame part with the chain conveyor. In particular, a chain conveyor carrying heat-sealing jaws is driven by a drive, while the sealing jaws are provided with low-friction rotating elements, such as ball bearings. Such bearings may be mounted in pairs on the rear sides of the respective sealing jaws. The front side of the sealing jaws, here the front side of the heat sealing jaws and the counter sealing jaws, on which front side guiding or engaging means are provided, for example a fork-shaped part with grooves on one type of sealing jaw, to receive protrusions provided on the other type of sealing jaw. In particular, said guiding (and positioning) means are used to ensure the correct positioning of the jaws with respect to each other, with (known) knives on the corresponding sealing jaws. Other types of guiding or engaging means may of course be provided, it being important to realize that only one of the cooperating pair of chain conveyors needs to be actively driven by a drive means, such as a drive motor driving a sprocket. In particular, the drive means may comprise a drive motor and a bevel gear for driving two adjacent (i.e. not loaded with cooperating sealing jaws) chain conveyors. This relates to embodiments with four frame parts that enable the manufacture of tetrahedral shaped packages and pillow packages.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a flexible packaging machine capable of producing different types of packages, with which it is possible to easily switch between the production of different types of packages and to achieve the switching quickly. Another advantage is that a machine can be provided in which, of a pair of cooperating chain conveyors respectively carrying heat carrier sealing jaws and corresponding sealing jaws, only one chain conveyor needs to be driven.
It should be understood, however, that the first solution, which relates to a packaging machine capable of producing different types of packages, is applicable whether all or only one chain conveyor is actively driven or not. Similarly, whether the packaging machine is capable of producing different types of packages or not, a solution is available in which only one of the two chain conveyors is driven, particularly for packaging machines having two fixedly mounted frame parts and two further frame parts, for example, hinged on a frame or comprising four movably (detachably) mounted frame parts.
Brief description of the drawings
The invention will now be described in detail, in a non-limiting manner, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a first frame section having an endless chain conveyor with a series of heat sealing jaws;
figure 2 schematically shows a second frame part with an endless chain with a plurality of corresponding sealing jaws that can cooperate with the heat sealing jaws;
FIG. 3 illustrates a heat sealing jaw according to one embodiment, wherein only one of the chain conveyors needs to be driven;
FIG. 4 shows a corresponding sealing jaw engaged with the heat sealing jaw shown in FIG. 3;
figure 5 shows a packaging machine with four frame parts having chain conveyors with cooperating sealing jaws and counter sealing jaws, respectively, wherein the four frame parts are in the working position;
figure 6 shows the packaging machine shown in figure 5 with one frame part moved to the rest position (the other frame parts not shown for clarity);
figure 7 shows the packaging machine shown in figure 5 but with only two frame parts in the working position and the other two frames disassembled;
figure 8 schematically shows a packaging machine with one frame part in the working position and with drive means for driving the frame part shown and other adjacent frame parts (not shown); and
fig. 9 shows the drive means in detail.
Best mode for carrying out the invention
Fig. 1 shows a first frame part 100, said first frame part 100 comprising a housing 105, the housing 105 having a first chain conveyor comprising two chains 103 and 104. The first chain conveyor has a first endless path and a plurality of sealing jaws, here in particular heat sealing jaws 10, are arranged on the chain conveyor. The heat-sealing jaws 10 cooperate in the operating condition with corresponding sealing jaws provided on ｃA second frame part 200 (fig. 2), the second frame part 200 comprising ｃA chain conveyor having ｃA second endless path between which ｃA tube of packaging material filled with product is fed so that, as ｃA result of the reciprocating movement, the cooperating jaws grip and heat-seal the tube filled with product at regular time intervals to form individual packages, the formed packages being separated from each other by cutting elements at the end of the gripping and sealing operation in ｃA manner known per se, see for example the above-mentioned patent applications EP- ｃA-0887263 or EP- ｃA-0887265, which are incorporated herein by reference.
The chain conveyor comprises upper curved wheels 101, 101 mounted on an axle and lower sprockets 102, 102 mounted on the axle. According to the invention, the first frame part 100 is separated from the frame of the packaging machine. In known packaging machines, the part of the loading chain conveyor is integral with the frame of the machine or fixedly mounted on the frame.
The frame part 100 comprises a first frame connecting means 106 in the form of a frame connecting bar on the rear side of the housing 105 of the frame part 100, i.e. perpendicular to the endless path formed by the chain conveyor and facing the packaging machine frame (not shown). The frame connecting rod 106 is here detachably connected to the packaging machine frame by first fastening means 107, e.g. comprising screws or the like, said first fastening means 107, 107 being used to fasten or fix the outer end of the rod 106 to the frame, said first fastening means 107, 107 being accessible from outside the packaging machine frame. The frame connecting rod 106 may be integral with the frame portion 100 or may be secured thereto by fastening means such as screws, bolts or similar elements. The frame part 100 is further connected to the packaging machine frame by means of second frame connection means 108, which second frame connection means 108, 108 in this embodiment comprise recesses for receiving corresponding shafts 510, bars or similar elements of the packaging machine frame. The frame part 100 here comprises three side walls, two first opposite side walls 105A, 105A (only one shown in the figure) being identical, while the third side wall 105B is connected vertically to interconnect the first two side walls 105A, 105A. Said third side wall 105B is a front wall of smaller dimensions arranged between the two chains and it also carries the induction heating device 112 used in the heat-sealing step. The fixing element 109 is provided with through holes near and below said recesses 108, 108 for receiving second fastening means 110, which fixing element 109 may be integrally formed with the respective side wall 105A on which it is mounted, said second fastening means 110, 110 being mounted below said shaft or rod 510 for fixing the frame part 110 to the frame.
Fig. 1 shows the first frame part 100 in the working position. If the packaging machine is operated without the frame part 100, (and its counterpart 200 as shown in fig. 2), the first fastening means 107, 107 may be detached. In a preferred embodiment, the clamping means 115, 115 are connected to the upper part of the frame part 105 in order to be able to manually clamp the first frame part 100 and pivot it about the shaft 510 received in the recesses 108, 108. The frame part will then still be pivotally secured to the shafts 510, 510 by the second fastening means 109, 109 to prevent it from falling down etc. The frame portion 100 is movable to a position 90 degrees relative to the position shown in figure 1, i.e. it is pivotable counterclockwise about the axes 510, 510 to a position corresponding to an inoperative stowed position. In this particular embodiment, by removing the second fastening means, here the screws 109, the first frame part 100 will be completely removed from the machine frame and the first frame part 100 can be removed from the machine simply by pulling the clamping means 115, 115.
It will be appreciated that the individual frame parts may also be retracted from the working position in other ways, completely detached from the frame or moved outwardly in different ways by pivoting them about an axis parallel to the circulating path or the like, it being important that the chain conveyors mounted on the frame parts can be set in a first state or in a position in which sealing jaws provided on the chain conveyors can be used for clamping and sealing, and that the chain conveyors can be set in another position, i.e. in another position in which they can be moved from the working position.
A heat sealing jaw according to a particular embodiment is shown in fig. 1 and will be described in detail below with reference to fig. 3. However, it should be understood that conventional heat sealing jaws may be used and still employ aspects of the present invention.
Fig. 2 shows a second frame part 200, said second frame part 200 comprising a housing 205, the housing 105 having a second chain conveyor comprising two chains 203 and 204, the two chains 203 and 204 forming an endless path, and the second chain conveyor being equipped with a number of corresponding sealing jaws 20 for cooperation with the heat sealing jaws 10 of fig. 1. The corresponding sealing jaw 20 will be described in detail below with reference to fig. 4, and the frame portion 200 includes upper bending wheels 201, 201 and lower sprockets 202, similar to fig. 1.
The second frame portion 200 is otherwise similar to the first frame portion 100 of fig. 1, except that different types of sealing jaws are provided on the respective frame portions to cooperate during the clamping and heat sealing operations. In this embodiment the second frame part 200 also comprises a frame connecting rod 206 connectable to the frame of the packaging machine by first fastening means 207, 207 in the form of screws, and second frame connecting means comprising grooves 208, 208 for receiving frame shafts 512, 512 forming pivot points of the frame part 200. As shown in fig. 1, the fixing means 210, 210 are provided on the outer end of either of the side walls 205A, 205A (only one of which is shown in the figure) and each comprises a through hole for receiving a second fastening means in the form of a screw 210, which extends below the shaft 512, 512 when the fixing means 210, 210 is in the fastened position, so as to be surrounded by the recess 208, 208 and the screw 210, 210.
In this embodiment, in order to move the second frame part 200 to the working position, the first fastening means 207, 207 are detached and the second frame part 200 is pivoted 90 degrees counter clockwise around the frame shafts 512, 512 in the recesses 208, 208 by pulling the clamping means 215, 215 outwards. The frame part 200 is then removed from the packaging machine, if necessary, by removing only the second fastening means 210, 210. In this way the first and second frame parts 100, 200 are arranged at an angle of 180 degrees to each other and are detachably connected to opposite sides of the frame of the packaging machine.
A hydraulic drive 218, which is connected to the housing side wall 205A via a connecting means 217, 217 and a spacer 216, serves to hydraulically drive plungers 219, which plungers 219, 219 serve to reciprocate sealing jaws which roll thereon, for example, by means of ball bearings 16, 17 (see fig. 3 and 4).
Fig. 3 illustrates a heat sealing jaw 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 shows the corresponding sealing jaws 20, the corresponding sealing jaws 20 cooperating with the heat-sealing jaws 10 to clamp and heat-seal the tubular sheets fed continuously between them. In the packaging machines of the prior art, the sealing jaws 10, 20 are driven in a reciprocating manner so as to grip and seal the sheet material therebetween at uniform intervals to form transverse seals. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, two sets of sealing jaws 10, 20 are connected with endless chains 103, 104; 203. 204 are connected. In order to produce tetrahedral packages, two further sets of such chain conveyors are provided, perpendicular to the above-mentioned chain conveyors, with cooperating jaws on pairs of cooperating chain conveyors alternately acting on the tubular sheet to provide transverse seals and to bring successive transverse seals into 90 degrees with respect to each other.
The heat sealing jaws 10 include a contact surface 18 covered by a high friction material (e.g., a rubber material) or generally an elastomeric material to assist in gripping the tubular sheet material. In addition, the induction heating elements 14, 14 are arranged in a conventional manner, with a groove 15 being provided between the induction heating elements 14, the groove 15 cooperating with a cutting element or knife on the cooperating corresponding sealing jaw 20 to separate the sealed packages from each other at the end of the clamping and heat sealing operation. In one embodiment, the heat sealing jaw 10 comprises a volume adjustment device 13, with which volume definition portion 13A can be controlled or adjusted by means of the volume adjustment device 13. It should be understood that the volume-defining portions may also be disposed on opposite sides of the contact surface 18. The stop wall 12 is associated with a volume-defining portion or bracket 13A to prevent the package from being damaged at the end of the sealing step when the jaws are moved away from, i.e. disengaged from, the package.
In the above-described one particular embodiment, the corresponding sealing jaws 20 are driven, i.e. the chain conveyor that loads the corresponding sealing jaws, by the cooperation of each corresponding sealing jaw with the corresponding heat sealing jaw 10. (it should be understood that the reverse is also true, i.e. the chain conveyor carrying the heat sealing jaws is driven with the corresponding sealing jaws or the like). To this end, the heat-sealing jaws 10 comprise first guide means 11, the first guide means 11 (here a fork-shaped part) being intended to cooperate with a corresponding guide element 21 (here comprising a projection (see fig. 4)) on the corresponding sealing jaw 20. The guide means 11, 21 preferably have two functions, the first of which is to drive or convey the chain conveyor past the respective sealing jaws associated therewith, which are not driven by a specific drive means; the second function is to position each heat-sealing jaw 10 with respect to the corresponding sealing jaw 20 that is engaged, so as to correctly position the cutting means of the corresponding sealing jaw 20, for example the knife 25 and the groove 15 of the heat-sealing jaw, with respect to each other. It is important that the cutting device and the corresponding groove are correctly positioned relative to each other to ensure that the cutting operation can be performed in the proper position, otherwise production may have to be interrupted, the package may have to be discarded, etc.
The heat sealing jaw 10 is further provided with a rotating element 16 arranged on the rear side of the sealing jaw 10, the rotating element 16 comprising a ball bearing to provide a low friction rotating element rolling on the plunger. Since there is little resistance (see the sealing jaws of the prior art which typically include a rotating means for sliding over the plunger), the rotating means 16 comprising ball bearings are preferably arranged in pairs at an upper and a lower position at the rear of the sealing jaws. The ball bearings are mounted on a shaft 19 and are fixed or connected to the shaft 19 by snap rings 17, 17.
According to the invention, it has been realized that with cooperating guide means and by means of high friction elements 18 known for use on sealing jaws, in combination with the provision of low friction rotating elements 16 comprising ball bearings or roller bearings or similar elements capable of moving the sealing jaws in a substantially frictionless manner, it is not necessary to actively or externally drive two chain conveyors carrying the cooperating sealing jaws.
Similar to the heat sealing jaws, the counter sealing jaw 20 comprises volume defining portions 23A, 23A (only one shown) with volume adjustment means 23, braking walls 22, 22 and a contact surface 28 of high friction material, and it further comprises a knife 25, the knife 25 being in a position co-located with the groove 15 in the cooperating heat sealing jaw to effect a cutting operation when the finished packages are separated from each other. Second guide means 21, 21 are provided, here comprising a protruding portion cooperating with a recess of the first guide means 11, 11 of the heat sealing jaw 10. It will be appreciated that the first and second guide means may be integral with the respective sealing jaws, for example integral with the volume-defining portion or they may be separate from the sealing jaws but connected thereto in one way or another. Similar to the heat sealing jaws, the corresponding sealing jaw 20 is provided with four low-friction rotating elements 26 on the rear side, said low-friction rotating elements 26 comprising ball bearings mounted on shafts 29, and the ball bearings are fixed on the shafts 29, 29 with holding means 27, 27.
Other types of guiding means having equivalent functions may be used, and is not relevant to the arrangement of any type of guiding means in a given type.
It should be understood, however, that other types of sealing jaws may be used to implement at least one solution for providing a packaging machine that can produce more than one type of package using a movable frame part that can move a pair of cooperating sealing jaw sets away from the operative position. Examples of such sealing jaws are for instance described in swedish patent application No.0001477-9, filed by the same applicant on 20/4/2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Fig. 5 schematically shows a packaging machine 500, the packaging machine 500 comprising a frame 501, to which frame 501 four frame parts 100, 200, 300, 400 are connected, which means that the packaging machine can be used for producing packages in the shape of a tetrahedron. The mating frame portions 100, 200 have been fully described with reference to fig. 1 and 2. The detailed description of the frame portions 100, 200 also makes it possible to use the mating frame portions 300, 400 in an embodiment in which all frame portions are mounted in a movable manner. The frame part 100 is connected to the frame 501 by means of a first upper frame connection 106 and a second lower frame connection 108, the first upper frame connection 106 being fastened to the frame 501 by means of a first fastening means 107, 107. While the second frame part 200 is connected to the opposite side of the frame 501 and the frame part 300 is mounted on the frame 501 at 90 degrees to said first and second frame parts and opposite the fourth frame part 400. The frame parts 100, 200, 300, 400 are provided with clamping means 115, 115; 215. 215; 315. 315; 415. 415. For the sake of clarity, only some of the first fastening means, here screws 107, 107; 207. 207; 307. 307; 407. 407, etc. If the first fastening means is removed or removed and by clamping the clamping means, the respective frame part can be pivoted outwards, counterclockwise about the shaft 510, 510 connected to the frame and extending through the recess 108, 108.
Fig. 6 is a view similar to fig. 5, but with the fourth frame portion 400 in a stowed, rest position. It has been pivoted 90 degrees outwardly relative to the operating position. For the sake of clarity, the first, second and third frame parts are not shown in the figures. If the fourth frame portion 400 is collapsed, the frame portion 300 should also be collapsed. This is achieved in the same way. The drive means, which here drives two chain conveyors arranged at 90 degrees to each other, such that the cooperating sealing jaws are not loaded, will now be fully described with reference to fig. 8 and 9.
Fig. 7 also shows a machine similar to that of fig. 5, but with the difference that the two frame parts, here frame parts 100 and 200, have been completely removed from the machine, so that the machine can be used for making pillow packs, for example. It is assumed here that both frame parts have been detached from the frame 501 by detaching the second fastening means 110 (see fig. 1) and 210 (see fig. 2). In fig. 6 and 7 it is assumed that the chain conveyors of the frame parts 100 and 400 are jointly driven by the drive means, whereas the chain conveyors of the frame parts 200 and 300 are indirectly driven by sealing jaws connected to the chain conveyors of the frame parts 100 and 400 cooperating with the respective cooperating type of sealing jaws of the frame parts 200 and 300.
Fig. 8 schematically shows a packaging machine 500 with a frame 501, to which frame 501 only one frame part 300 is connected for the sake of clarity. The frame portion 300 includes a plurality of corresponding sealing jaws mounted on a driven chain conveyor having a pair of chains 303, 304, upper curved wheels 301, 301 and lower sprockets 302, (302). The drive motor drives a chain mechanism comprising two vertical chains 506,507 driven by vertically arranged drive wheels or sprockets 508,509, whereby the sprocket 508 drives the sprocket 302 via an additional sprocket (not shown in the figure) and the vertically arranged sprocket 507 drives an additional sprocket of a chain conveyor, for example a frame 100 adjacent to the frame part 300 and forming a 90 degrees angle with respect to the frame part 300. Since the adjacent and vertical frame part chain conveyors are actively driven by the drive means, it is possible to disassemble one of the driven frame parts without affecting the other driven frame parts of the chain conveyor which still drives the opposite frame part with which it is cooperating.
Fig. 9 shows in detail the driving of the third frame part 300 and also shows how an adjacent vertical frame part is driven by the same driving means. Other parts have already been explained with reference to other figures and will therefore not be described again here.
The drive means comprises a motor 510 and a bevel gear 511, the bevel gear 511 comprising two mutually perpendicular drive sprockets 508, 509 on which the drive sprockets 506, 507 are arranged, the drive sprocket 506 driving a third sprocket (not shown in the figure) arranged on the same shaft as the sprockets 302, 302.
It will be appreciated that the invention can be modified in numerous ways without departing from the scope of the appended claims. It is also possible to drive the chain conveyor of each frame part independently or to use separate drive means for driving two adjacent vertically arranged frame parts. Other alternatives are also possible.

Claims (20)

1. A packaging machine (500) for packaging pourable food products and producing sealed packages, comprising means for longitudinally sealing a continuous sheet of packaging material to form a tube, and sealing means for clamping and sealing the tube filled with product at intervals, wherein said sealing means comprise a first two sets of mutually cooperating first heat sealing jaws (10) and first counter sealing jaws (20), and a second two sets of mutually cooperating second heat sealing jaws (10) and second counter sealing jaws (20), respectively,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the sealing jaws (10, 20) of at least one of said first and second two sets, loaded by the chain conveyor, are operable between a first and a second condition, so that the packaging machine can operate in the first and second conditions and make different types of packages; and
a chain conveyor carrying said first and second sets of sealing jaws is movable between a first condition corresponding to a first position and a second condition corresponding to a second position;
the first state or position is an active position in which the corresponding sealing jaw is operable to grip and seal the package, and the second state or position is an inactive position.
2. The packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
a first type of package can be manufactured if the chain conveyors of one of said first and second two sets are in an active position and the chain conveyors of the other of said first and second two sets are in an inactive position.
3. A packaging machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first type of package is a pillow package.
4. The packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the chain conveyors of each of the first two sets are arranged at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the chain conveyors of each of the second two sets.
5. The packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
a second type of package can be manufactured if both the first and second sets of chain conveyors are in the working position.
6. A packaging machine according to claim 5 wherein the second type of package is a tetrahedral package.
7. The packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the first two sets comprise one set with heat sealing jaws (10) and one set with corresponding sealing jaws (20), and the heat sealing jaws (10) are arranged on a first chain conveyor mounted on the first frame part and the corresponding sealing jaws (20) are arranged on a second chain conveyor mounted on the second frame part (200), and vice versa, the heat sealing jaws (10) and the corresponding sealing jaws (20) of the second two sets being respectively mounted on the third and fourth frame parts (300, 400) by means of chain conveyors, and vice versa.
8. The packaging machine of claim 7, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the packaging machine comprises a frame (501), at least the first and second frame parts (100, 200) being movably connected to the frame (501).
9. The packaging machine of claim 8, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the third and fourth frame parts (300, 400) are connected in a fixed manner to the frame (501).
10. The packaging machine of claim 8, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the third and fourth frame parts (300, 400) are movably connected to the chassis (500).
11. The packaging machine of claim 8, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the first and second frame portions (100, 200) and/or the third and fourth frame portions (300, 400) are hinged to the chassis (500) and are movable between a first operative position and a second stowed inoperative position.
12. The packaging machine of claim 8, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the first and second frame parts (100, 200) and/or the third and fourth frame parts (300, 400) are detachably connected to the chassis (500).
13. The packaging machine of claim 8, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the heat sealing jaws of one of the first and second two sets and the corresponding sealing jaws of the other of the first and second two sets are mounted on a driven chain conveyor.
14. The packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
only the heat sealing jaws or the counter sealing jaws are mounted on the driven chain conveyor.
15. The packaging machine of claim 13, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the chain conveyors of two non-cooperating frame parts (100, 300) arranged at 90 degrees to each other are driven by a common drive means (510, 511).
16. The packaging machine of any one of claims 8-15,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
-conveying the undriven chain conveyor (200, 400) in a clamping and sealing step with a sealing pressure generated between the mating heat sealing jaws and the corresponding sealing jaws.
17. The packaging machine of claim 16, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the heat sealing jaws (10) and/or counter sealing jaws (20) are provided with low friction rotating elements (16; 26) and in the clamping and sealing step a high friction is generated between the respective cooperating heat sealing jaws (101) and counter sealing jaws (201) by means of high friction elements (18) on the contact surfaces of the contact sheets.
18. The packaging machine of claim 17,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the low-friction rotating element (16; 26) comprises a bearing.
19. The packaging machine according to claim 18, characterized in that the bearings are arranged in pairs of ball bearings or roller bearings on the rear side of the sealing jaws (10, 20)
20. The packaging machine of claim 16, wherein the packaging machine,
it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,
the heat sealing jaws (10) and the counter sealing jaws (20) are provided with first and second guide means (11, 21) which cooperate during clamping and sealing, enabling an undriven chain conveyor to be conveyed by a sealing jaw mounted on a driven chain conveyor.
HK05101795.0A 2001-05-09 2002-05-08 A packaging machine and a packet forming and sealing module for such a machine HK1069365B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE0101594-0 2001-05-09
SE0101594A SE522275C2 (en) 2001-05-09 2001-05-09 A packaging machine and a packaging forming and sealing module for such a machine
PCT/EP2002/005080 WO2002090187A1 (en) 2001-05-09 2002-05-08 A packaging machine and a packet forming and sealing module for such a machine

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
HK1069365A1 HK1069365A1 (en) 2005-05-20
HK1069365B true HK1069365B (en) 2009-09-11

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