IE83932B1 - Method and apparatus for packaging trays of pots - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for packaging trays of pots Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- IE83932B1 IE83932B1 IE2001/0324A IE20010324A IE83932B1 IE 83932 B1 IE83932 B1 IE 83932B1 IE 2001/0324 A IE2001/0324 A IE 2001/0324A IE 20010324 A IE20010324 A IE 20010324A IE 83932 B1 IE83932 B1 IE 83932B1
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- Ireland
- Prior art keywords
- film
- tray
- trays
- conveyor
- pots
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- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 title claims description 10
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 18
- 230000001070 adhesive Effects 0.000 claims description 18
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 239000003795 chemical substances by application Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 6
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 6
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000006011 modification reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000011888 foil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003247 radioactive fallout Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001960 triggered Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
Description
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING TRAYS OF POTS
FRUITS OF IRELAND (R&D) LIMITED
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING TRAYS OF POTS
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for
packaging trays each holding a plurality of pots
containing, for example, jam.
It is known to package trays of pots by flow wrapping
with plastics film. A typical tray of pots is shown in
The
tray 10 is rectangular in plan view and is molded from a
plan and end views in Figs. 4A and 4B respectively.
plastics material t$%provide a number of buckets or
recesses 12, in this cage a gx5 array. Each recess 12 is
adapted to receive a respective pot 14 of jam. The pots
14 are also molded fromdplastics material, and sealed in
The body
of the pot conforms substantially to the shape of the
conventional manner with a peel—back foil lid.
recess so that each pot is snugly received in its recess
(only two pots are shown in Figs. 4A and 4B although
obviously in practice all recesses will be filled).
In the flow wrapping process a plastics film is drawn
from a continuous roll and wrapped around successive
trays on a conveyor to enclose each in a sealed, close-
fitting film envelope. However, such packaging has
experienced considerable problems in the market place.
It will be understood that with plastics trays and
plastics film there is a limit to how tightly one may
wrap the film around the tray. If the film is too tight
the tray will bend and if it is too loose then
effectively there is no wrapping support from the film.
Even with the optimum wrap pressure there are problems,
since wholesalers and retailers often present the wrapped
trays to the public not in a horizontal configuration but
in a vertical configuration, i.e. with the tray standing
on one side. This can lead, after a short time, to the
tray bending and some jam pots being dislodged from the
recesses in the tray. This results first in an unsightly
presentation of product and, second, to the jam pots
bursting if in purchase and subsequent transporting they
had any other products stacked upon them. It will be
readily appreciated that burst jam pots cause both
wholesaler/retailer and the customer to take a poor View
of the product leading to customer complaints and an
avoidance of the product in the future.
According to the present invention there is provided a
method of packaging trays each containing a plurality of
pots, the method comprising conveying the trays
successively past a wrapping station and, at the wrapping
station, (a) wrapping a film, drawn from a continuous
roll, over the top surface and around the opposite side
edges of each tray, (b) sealing the opposite edges of the
film together below each tray to form a shallow tube of
film containing the tray, (c) sealing the top and bottom
of the film tube together between each adjacent pair of
trays along a line transverse to the direction of
conveyance to enclose each tray in a sealed envelope of
film, and (d) severing the film between adjacent trays
along the said transverse line of sealing so that each
tray is separated from the rest each in its own sealed
envelope, the method further comprising placing at least
one spot of adhesive generally centrally on the top
surface of each tray before it reaches the wrapping
station and, at the wrapping station, maintaining the
film out of Contact with the adhesive for a certain
distance of travel of the tray.
The invention further provides an apparatus constructed
to perform the above method.
Fig. l is an end view of an apparatus according to the
embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
Fig 3 is a perspective view of the wrapping station of
the apparatus of Fig. 2;
4A and 4B are plan and end
Figs. (previously described)
views respectively of a tray containing pots of jam;
Figs. 5A to 5E are side views of a tray of pots at
successive stages of wrapping by the apparatus of Figs.
1 to 3;
Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a tray of pots after
the application of adhesive but prior to wrapping;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a tray of pots after
wrapping; and
Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-section through a wrapped
tray of pots.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the machine there shown is a
modification of a commercially available flow wrapping
machine sold under the name [MODEL NAME] by
[MANUFACTURER]. The conventional operation of the
machine will first be briefly described, followed by the
modification according to the embodiment of the
invention.
In the conventional machine, empty trays 10 are placed on
a conveyor 16, the trays are filled with pots 14
SA),
(Fig.
and the filled trays are conveyed by the conveyor 16
successively past a wrapping station 18. At the wrapping
station the trays pass under a fixed frame 20 which is
spaced above and substantially horizontal to the conveyor
16 so as to be positioned just above the top surface of
the trays SC).
(see also Fig. The frame 20 is supported
by a vertically adjustable slider 22.
A continuous length of plastics film 24, drawn from a
roll 26, travels down towards the conveyor 16 and passes
under the frame 20. From there the film 24 travels along
in the forward direction of the conveyor
A to SE)
(the direction
of the arrow in Figs. at substantially the same
speed as the trays 10.
a of the film,
The longitudinal centre portion
whose overall width is more than twice
that of the trays, extends over and along the top
surfaces of the trays, while the opposite longitudinal
edge portions 24b of the film extend downwards beyond
each of the opposite side edges of the trays (Fig. 5C).
Beyond the forward end of the conveyor 16, i.e. to the
right of the frame 20 as seen in Fig. 5C, the opposite
longitudinal edges 24c of the film 24 below the trays 10
are drawn together between a pair of heated pinch rollers
(not shown). These seal the opposite longitudinal edges
c together below the trays 10 and thereby enclose the
trays in a shallow or flattened tube of film with a seam
running along the bottom of each tray. The pinch rollers
not only seal the edges of the film together but also
impart a certain lateral tension to the film as it is
drawn around the edges of the trays, so that the tube of
film is close fitting about the trays. The pinch rollers
also draw the film 24 from the roll 26.
Next, the trays 10 pass to a sealer/cutter (also not
shown) which first heat seals the top and bottom of the
film tube together between each adjacent pair of trays
along a line transverse to the direction of conveyance to
enclose each tray in a sealed envelope of film (Fig. 5D),
and then severe the film between adjacent trays along the
transverse line of sealing so that each tray is separated
SE).
a label 28 is applied to the top surface of the
(Fig. SE)
from the rest each in its own sealed envelope (Fig.
Finally,
film envelope on each packaged tray 10.
The operation of the machine is controlled by a processor
contained in a control box 30, Fig. 2, and various
operating parameters may be set on a control panel 32.
As mentioned above, the machine and its operation as thus
far described is a commercially available machine and
further details can be ascertained from an examination of
such machine if desired.
In order to mitigate the problem described above, that
is, of the film and the top surface of the tray
separating too much so that pots fall out of their
recesses in the tray, the known machine is modified in
two ways.
First, an adhesive dispenser 34 (Figs. 2 and SE) is
positioned centrally above the conveyor 16 at a location
upstream of the wrapping station 16.
A sensor (not
shown) senses the leading edge of each tray 10 as it
passes a fixed point on the conveyor and a timer
triggered thereby causes the dispenser to eject at least
one, and in this embodiment two, spots of adhesive 36
onto the top surface of the tray before it reaches the
wrapping station 16. The adhesive spots 36 are located
at or near the centre of the top surface of the tray 10
as seen in Figs. 4A and 6.
Secondly, two rigid, substantially mutually parallel rods
(Figs. 1, 3 and 5C) are rigidly supported at their
rear ends by respective stepped brackets 40 and project
freely in the forward direction of the conveyor 16 into
the gap between the frame 20 and the top surfaces of the
trays 10. This constrains the film 24 to pass over the
rods 38 when it is moving beneath the frame 20, and thus
keeps the film out of contact with the adhesive spots 36
until the film moves beyond the free forward ends of the
rods.
The purpose of the rods 38 is to prevent the film 24 from
engaging onto the adhesive spots 36 until the adhesive
has partially cured (become tacky), and also to allow the
motion of the film to become stabilised with respect to
(It will be
appreciated that when the film first passes under the
the motion of the underlying tray.
frame 20 there will inevitably be some relative movement,
particularly in the lateral direction, between the film
and tray). Thus the film meets the adhesive "cleanly" so
that unsightly smudging/smearing of the adhesive is
minimised. The label 28 covers
final packaged tray.
The invention is not limited to
herein which may be modified or
from the scope of the invention.
the adhesive spots in the
the embodiment described
varied without departing
Claims (7)
1. A method of packaging trays each containing a plurality of pots, the method comprising conveying the trays successively past a wrapping station and, at the drawn from a wrapping station, (a) wrapping a film, continuous roll, over the top surface and around the opposite side edges of each tray, (b) sealing the opposite edges of the film together below each tray to form a shallow tube of film containing the tray, (c) sealing the top and bottom of the film tube together between each adjacent pair of trays along a line transverse to the direction of conveyance to enclose each and (d) film between adjacent trays along the said transverse tray in a sealed envelope of film, severing the line of sealing so that each tray is separated from the rest each in its own sealed envelope, the method further comprising placing at least one spot of adhesive generally centrally on the top surface of each tray before it reaches the wrapping station and, at the wrapping station, maintaining the film out of contact with the adhesive for a certain distance of travel of the tray.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film travels from the roll down towards the conveyor and passes under a fixed member which is spaced above and substantially parallel to the conveyor, and wherein the film is maintained out of contact with the adhesive by at least two substantially mutually parallel rods each supported at its rear end and projecting freely in the forward direction of the conveyor into the gap between the said member and the conveyor, the rods. the film passing over
3. A method of packaging trays each containing a plurality of pots, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. A tray containing a plurality of pots packaged by the method claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3.
5. An apparatus for packaging trays each containing a plurality of pots, the apparatus comprising means for conveying the trays successively past a wrapping station, and means at the wrapping station for (a) wrapping a film, drawn from a continuous roll, over the top surface and around the opposite side edges of each tray, (b) sealing the opposite edges of the film together below each tray to form a shallow tube of film containing the tray, (c) sealing the top and bottom of the film tube together between each adjacent pair of trays along a line transverse to the direction of conveyance to enclose each and (d) film between adjacent trays along the said transverse tray in a sealed envelope of film, severing the line of sealing so that each tray is separated from the rest each in its own sealed envelope, the apparatus further comprising means for placing at least one spot of adhesive generally centrally on the top surface of each tray before it reaches the wrapping station and means at the wrapping station for maintaining the film out of Contact with the adhesive for a certain distance of travel of the tray.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the film travels from the roll down towards the conveyor and passes under a fixed member which is spaced above and substantially parallel to the conveyor, and wherein the means for maintaining the film out of Contact with the adhesive comprises at least two substantially mutually parallel rods each supported at its rear end and projecting freely in the forward direction of the conveyor into the gap between the said member and the conveyor, the film passing over the rods.
7. An apparatus for packaging trays each containing a plurality of pots, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. F. R. KELLY & CO., AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANTS
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IE2001/0324A IE83932B1 (en) | 2001-03-30 | Method and apparatus for packaging trays of pots |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IE2001/0324A IE83932B1 (en) | 2001-03-30 | Method and apparatus for packaging trays of pots |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
IE20010324A1 IE20010324A1 (en) | 2002-10-02 |
IE83932B1 true IE83932B1 (en) | 2005-06-29 |
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