RU2575034C2 - Bending device for forming sealed packages of pourable food products - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: packaging industry.

SUBSTANCE: bending device comprises a transportation device for feeding along a path of forming the package having a portion to be bent to obtain the finished package, a bending device interacting in use with the package along the path of forming and made with the ability of bending the portion. The transportation device comprises a first and a second surface opposite to each other, made with the ability to interact in use respectively with the front and rear walls of the package, opposite to each other, to be bent. The first surface is concave.

EFFECT: cost reduction.

7 cl, 6 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates to a bending device for forming sealed packages of a fluid food product.

BACKGROUND

As you know, many liquid or fluid foods, such as fruit juice, pasteurized milk (ultra-high-temperature processed milk), wine, tomato juice, etc. sold in packaging made from sterilized packaging material.

A typical example is a parallelepiped-shaped packaging for liquid or fluid food products, known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (registered trademark), which is made by folding and welding laminated strip packaging material. The packaging material has a multilayer structure containing a base layer, for example of paper, coated on both sides with layers of heat-sealable plastic material, for example polyethylene. In a variant of aseptic packaging for long-stored products, such as pasteurized milk, the packaging material also contains a layer of oxygen-tight material, for example aluminum foil, which is coated on top with a layer of heat-sealable plastic material and which in turn is coated with another layer of heat-sealable plastic material that forms the inner surface of the package, actually in contact with the food product.

Packages of this type under normal conditions are produced on fully automatic packaging machines, on which a continuous pipe is formed from the packaging material supplied from a roll; the roll of packaging material is sterilized on a packaging machine, for example, by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as a solution of hydrogen peroxide, which after sterilization is removed from the surfaces of the packaging material, for example, by evaporation by heating; the sterilized roll is then held in a closed sterile environment, bent and welded longitudinally to form a pipe that is fed vertically.

To complete the molding operations, the pipe is filled with a sterilized or sterile processed food product, and brewed, and then cut into sections spaced apart at equal intervals.

More precisely, the pipe is welded longitudinally and transversely according to its own axis.

The result is packaging in the form of pillows that have a longitudinal weld and a pair of transverse welds above and below.

Alternatively, the packaging material can be cut into blanks that are molded into packaging on forming mandrels, and the packaging is then filled with food and welded. One example of this type of packaging is the so-called “scallop” packaging, known as Tetra Rex (registered trademark).

More specifically, pillow packs comprise a parallelepiped-shaped main portion; and opposite, respectively, upper and lower, end sections, tapering from the main section to the lines of the corresponding welds extending across the packaging. Each end portion has substantially triangular valves protruding from opposite sides of the main portion; and a lower rectangular bend extending from the line of the weld.

Packing machines of the above type are known in which packaging in the form of a pillow is converted into finished packaging using automatic folding devices.

Bending devices are known, for example, from publication WO 2008122623 in the name of the applicant, in which the block essentially contains:

- a rotating conveyor that receives pillow packs to be bent at the entry point, moves pillow packs to be bent along an arc-shaped bend path, and delivers finished packages at the exit point;

- the first bending device that interacts with the lower portion of the package extending along the bending path to perform bending operations on the packages;

- a heating device for heating the valves of the packages along the bending path; and

- a second bending device for pressing the valves of each package passing along the molding path to the corresponding wall when the valves are cooled.

In more detail, a rotating conveyor comprises a plurality of conveying devices spaced apart at angular intervals that capture packages at the entry point and feed them along the molding path to the exit point.

Each conveying device contains two flat surfaces that face each other and work together, when using, respectively, with the front and rear walls of the main section of the corresponding packaging to be bent.

In industry, there is a need for maximum flexibility with respect to the final shape of the packages, the folding of which is performed by the folding device.

This, in particular, is manifested in a variant of the newly designed packages, which have a front wall convexly protruding on the opposite side of the rear wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to provide a bending device for the manufacture of sealed packaging of fluid food products, and configured to achieve the above goals in a direct low-cost way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a bending device for packaging machines fluid food products according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged isometric view of the first node of the bending device of Figure 1 in a first angular position.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the first node of Figure 1 in the second angular position and the second node of the bending device of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an isometric view from a different angle of view of the first node and the second node of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged isometric view of the third node of the bending device of Figure 1.

Fig.6 is an enlarged isometric view of the package, the bending of which is performed by the bending device of Fig.1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

1 in FIG. 1 denotes a generally folding device for a packaging machine for the continuous manufacture of sealed parallelepiped packages 2 (FIG. 6) with a flowable food product such as pasteurized or UHT milk, fruit juice, wine, etc., from a known pipe (not shown) packaging material.

More specifically, this pipe is made in a known manner earlier downstream of the bending device 1 by longitudinal bending and welding of a roll heat-sealable sheet material, and is filled with a sterilized or sterile-processed food product.

The pipe of the packaging material is then welded and cut along sections spaced at equal intervals to form a series of packages 3 in the form of pillows (Figure 5), which are then fed into the unit 1, where they are mechanically bent into the corresponding packages 2.

As shown in FIG. 5, each package 3 has an axis A and comprises a parallelepiped-shaped main portion 4; and opposite, respectively, upper and lower end sections 6, 7, tapering from section 4 to the corresponding lines 8, 9, transverse to the axis A of the package 3.

More specifically, section 4 of each package 3 is connected transversely by two rectangular walls 10 opposite each other on each side of axis A; and two flat-concave walls 11 extending between the walls 10.

In detail, the first wall 10, designed to form the front wall 102 of the finished package 2, is convex, and the second wall 10, designed to form the back wall 103 of the finished package 2, is flat.

Each section 6, 7 is formed by two walls 12, essentially in the form of an isosceles trapezoid, slightly inclined to each other relative to the plane of the perpendicular axis A, and having small edges formed by the corresponding end edges of the walls 10 of section 4, and large edges connected to each other another corresponding to the lines 8, 9 of the weld.

For each section 6, 7, each package 3 has an elongated, essentially rectangular bend 13, 14, protruding from the corresponding line 8, 9 of the weld; and two essentially triangular valves 15, 16, protruding laterally from the opposite sides of section 4 and formed by the end sections of the corresponding walls 12.

The packaging 2 shown in FIG. 6 has a top panel of the type disclosed in European Application No. 10165116, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Very briefly, package 2 contains:

- an inclined upper wall 100;

- bottom wall 101;

- convex front and flat rear walls 102, 103, which extend between the walls 100, 101; and

- a pair of concave side walls 104, 105, which extend between the walls 100, 101 and between the walls 102, 103.

In addition, the convex front wall 102 is laterally bounded by curved bend lines 107 opposite each other and extending between the walls 100, 101.

To form the package 2 in block 1, the sections 6, 7 of the package 3 are pressed against each other, while the corresponding bends 13, 14 are bent in sections 6, 7; bend and weld the valves 15 of section 6 on the corresponding walls 12; and bend and weld the valves 16 of section 7 on the corresponding walls 11 of section 4.

More specifically, the valves 15, 16 are bent relative to the walls 12, 11 along the respective bending lines 17, 18 coinciding with the corresponding edges between the walls 11 and the sections 6, 7.

The node 1 essentially contains (Figure 1):

- the main conveyor 40, rotating around the axis C and feeding a continuous series of packages 3 synchronously along the arcuate path B molding;

- the bending device 55 mounted on the fixed structure 39 of the assembly 1 has an interacting surface moving forward and backward radially to the axis C to interact with sections 6 of packages 3 extending along path B to perform folding operations on the packages;

- a heating device 60 installed on the structure 39 of the node 1 and heating the non-bent valves 15, 16 of each package 3, passing along the path B in preparation for their thermal welding on the corresponding walls 11, 12; and

- an additional bending device 65 mounted on the structure 39 of the assembly 1 and having a clamping device 66 and a pair of clamping devices 67 for pressing the valves 15, 16, respectively, of each package 3, passing along the path B, to the corresponding walls 12, 11, when the valves 15 , 16 are cooled.

In addition, the assembly 1 also contains several pairs of guides 22 mounted on the structure 39 of the assembly 1. The guides 22 of each pair extend along the path B on the corresponding axially opposite sides of the conveyor 40 and interact with the packages 3 along the path B to perform a number of folding operations on them.

In detail, path B extends from loading point B ₁ , where conveyor 40 receives each package 3 from loading conveyor 80, to discharge point B ₂ , where conveyor 40 unloads corresponding packaging 2 (FIG. 4) to output conveyor 90.

From point B ₁ to point B _2, path B also contains:

- the first section along which the first pair of guides 22 interacts with each package 3 for its direction along path B; and

- paragraph B ₃ , where the interacting surface of the folding device 55 interacts with each package 3 to convert it from the configuration in the form of a pillow, shown in Figure 5, in a configuration in which sections 6, 7 are pressed against each other to bend the walls 12 of sections 6 in a position perpendicular to the axis A, and bending the walls 12 of section 7 in a position with an inclination relative to the axis A; the bending device 55 additionally bends the bends 13, 14 on the respective walls 12, the valves 15 along the fold lines 17 to a position parallel to the axis A, and the valves 16 along the fold 18 lines to a position with a slight inclination towards section 6 relative to the bent wall 12 of section 7; and

- the second section along which the second pair of guides 22 interacts with each package 3 to convert it into a configuration in which the valves 15, 16 have a tilt angle of forty-five degrees relative to the corresponding walls 12, 11 and extends from the corresponding bend lines 17, 18 to the axis A and from the axis A, respectively.

From the second leg to point B _2, path B also contains:

- paragraph B4, where the heating device 60 heats the valves 15, 16 of each package 3, to prepare them for thermal welding on the corresponding walls 12, 11;

- the third section along which the third pair of guides 22 bends the valves 15, 16 of each package 3 to convert them into a configuration in which the valves 15, 16 have an inclination of about ten degrees relative to the walls 12, 11 and extend from the bend lines 17, 18, respectively to the A axis and from the A axis;

- paragraph B ₅ , where the pressing devices 66 and 67 of the bending device 65 bend the respective valves 15, 16 of each package 3 onto the corresponding walls 12, 11 to complete the formation of the package 2 (Figure 4); and

- a fourth section ending in paragraph B2, and along which a fourth pair of rails 22 keeps the valves 16 pressed against the walls 11 to prevent the valves from being accidentally disconnected when they are cooled.

The conveyor 80 (FIG. 1) contains an endless conveyor belt 81 making a loop around the drive drum and return drum 82, 83 and several pushing elements 84 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 5) installed at predetermined distances from the belt 81 and which interact with sections 6 of the respective packages 3 to move the packages from the tray 79, located earlier in the course, to the conveyor 40.

More specifically, the pushing members 84 are spaced at equal intervals along the belt 81 and continue, in use, along an endless path of the same shape with the belt 81.

On the conveyor 80, each package 3 is installed in the desired position with the first wall 10 facing the conveyor 80, with the second wall 10 facing away from the conveyor 80, and with a portion 6 resting on the corresponding pushing member 84.

The conveyor 80 also contains a pair of stationary guides 85, which are located on opposite sides of the belt 81. The guides 85 have a corresponding section 86 with an inclination relative to the belt 81 and interact with the corresponding sections of the bends 13, 14, which are supported on the section 86 of the guide 85 to protect the first wall 10.

The conveyor 40 comprises a hub 41 rotating about an axis C; and several, in the example, five transporting devices 42 are shown for gripping the respective packages 3 in point B _{1 of} path B and feeding them along path B to point B ₂ , so that the packages 3 interact with the guides 22, the bending devices 55, 65 and the heating device 60.

The hub 41 comprises a main body 36 and a plurality of pairs of holders 37 that radially protrude from the outer periphery of the main body 36 (FIG. 2).

More specifically, the hub 41 rotates synchronously around an axis C by a motor, not shown.

Transporting devices 42 are spaced at equal angular intervals around the axis C; and protrude from the hub 41, in the opposite direction from the axis C and along the corresponding radial directions relative to axis C.

Transporting devices 42, in this case, are located at an angle integrally with the hub 41.

Each conveying device 42 comprises (FIGS. 2-4):

- a pair of supports 44a, 44b radially protruding from the respective holder 37; and

- a pair of elements 45a, 45b, fixedly mounted on the respective supports 44a, 44b and facing each other.

The support 44b of each conveying device 42 is pivotally mounted on a respective holder 37 on an axis D parallel to axis C.

The support 44a of each conveying device 42 is fixedly mounted on a respective holder 37.

Elements 45a, 45b of each conveying device 42 comprise parallel surfaces 46a, 46b, elongated radially relative to axis C and facing each other.

Surfaces 46a, 46b interact with the parallel first and second walls 10 of the respective package 3, to hold the package 3 on the path B.

In detail, the surface 46a interacts with the first wall 10 of the package 3, intended for forming the front wall 102 of the bent package 2, and the surface 46b interacts with the second wall 10 of the package 3, intended to form the back wall 103 of the bent package 2.

Preferably, surface 46a is concave.

In detail, surface 46a is delimited by a rectilinear radial outer edge 50 and radial inner edge 51 opposite each other and a pair of edges 52, 53 that are opposite each other and extend between the edges 50, 51.

Edges 50, 51 form a theoretical plane P radial to axis C, and edges 52, 53 extend on opposite sides of plane P with respect to surface 46b.

In particular, the edges 52, 53 continue, first moving away from the plane P and then approaching it, continuing radially in the direction to the axis C from the edge 50 to the edge 51.

In addition, the edges 52, 53 converge with each other and then diverge from each other, continuing radially to the axis C from the edge 50 to the edge 51, as shown in FIG. 4.

The surface 46b in the embodiment shown is flat. Each conveying device 42 further comprises an inclined element 48 protruding from the edge 51 of the surface 46a of the element 45a to the surface 46b and extending across the surface 46b.

Each element 48 comprises a surface 49 having an inclination about the axis C and extending downward, extending from surface 46a to surface 46b. The surface 49 interacts with a section 7 of each package 3, which moves along the path B using the corresponding conveying device 42.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the pressing device 66 of the bending device 65 is capable of moving back and forth along the G axis radial to the C axis between the operating position in which the device presses the valves 15 of each package 3 against the walls 12 of the portion 6 of the package 3, and the idle the position in which the device is disconnected from the valves 15.

The pressure devices 67 are able to move back and forth between the working position, in which the respective surfaces 68 press the respective valves 16 of each package 3 against the corresponding walls 11, and the inactive position, in which they are disconnected from the valves 16 to allow the packaging 3 to move along the path B (FIG. .6).

The movement of the pressure device 67 is synchronized in a manner not shown with the movement of the pressure device 66.

When the pressing devices 66, 67 are in the corresponding operating position, each pressing device 67 extends between the surfaces 46a, 46b of the conveying device 42 located in paragraph B ₅ (FIG. 3).

Surfaces 68 are preferably convex to form concave walls 104, 105 of finished package 2.

In detail, each surface 68 comprises a first convex zone 69 adjacent to the surface 46a and a second convex zone 70 adjacent to the surface 46b when the pressing devices 66, 67 are in the corresponding operating position.

The curvature of surface 69 is higher than the curvature of surface 70.

The operation of the assembly 1 is described below for one package 3 and an example in which the pushing member 84 of the conveyor 80 delivers a corresponding conveying device 42 located in point B ₁ with such a package 3.

More specifically, the element 45b of the conveying device 42 is slightly separated by rotation about the D axis from the element 45a in paragraph B ₁ to allow insertion of the package 3.

As soon as the package 3 is inserted inside the corresponding conveying device 42, the elements 45a, 45b are moved towards each other so that the surfaces 46a, 46b rest on the corresponding first and second walls 10.

More specifically, the package 3 is placed inside the conveying device 42 with a portion 7 facing the axis C and interacting with the surface 49 of the element 48, and with a portion 6 located on the opposite side of the axis C. In this way, the surface 49 of the element 48 bends the portion 7 to form the upper wall 101 packs 3.

The package 3 moves along the molding path B by a conveyor 40 rotating clockwise, as shown in FIG. 1, around axis C.

When the conveying device 42 moves from point B ₁ to the bending device 55, the first pair of guides 22 interacts with the lateral ends of the limb 13 and with the lateral ends of the limb 14.

When the conveying device 42 reaches point B ₃ , the bending device 55 reaches the operating position in which it presses the intermediate portion of the wall 12 between the valves 15 of portion 6 in the direction of the axis C.

The above pressing operation produces a slight translational movement of the package 3 to the C axis so that the valves 15 are rotated relative to the corresponding bend lines 17 to a position parallel to the A axis, and the valves 16 are rotated relative to the corresponding bend lines 18 to a position with an inclination of about ten degrees relative to the upper plane wall 100 after completion of the folding of the package 2.

After that, the bending device 55 is moved to its idle position.

The conveyor 40 then moves the package 3 along the path B from the folding device 55 to the heating device 60.

At the same time, the second pair of guides 22 bends the valves 15, 16 to the axis A so that they are tilted approximately forty-five degrees relative to the walls 12, 11 by the time the heating device 60 is reached.

In paragraph B _{4, the} conveyor 40 is stopped, and the heating device 60 blows with hot air the valves 15, 16 of the package 3 to prepare for the thermal welding of the valves with the walls 12, 11.

An additional rotation of the conveyor 40 feeds the package 3 along the path B from the heating device 60 and to the bending device 65.

When the packing device 42 moves the packing 3, the third pair of guides 22 bends the valves 15 to the wall 12 of the section 6 to form an angle of approximately 10 degrees with the walls 12 and bends the valves 16 to the walls 11 to form an angle of approximately 16 degrees with the corresponding section 11 of the flat section 16.

Upon reaching point B _{5, the} conveyor 40 is stopped, and the pressing devices 66, 67 of the bending device 65 are moved to their respective operating positions. In the operating position, the pressure device 66 presses the heated valves 16 against the walls 12 of the package 3, and the surfaces 68 of the pressure device 67 press the heated valves 16 against the walls 11 of the package 3 to complete the package 2.

Due to the concavity, the surface 46a of the conveying device 42 forms the first wall 10 with which it interacts when the packages 3 move along the path B and during the entire molding process of the package 2.

As a result, the front wall 102 of the package 2 is formed convex.

In exactly the same way, the surface 46b of the conveying device 42 shapes the wall 10 with which it interacts when the packages 3 move along path B and during the entire molding process of the package 2.

As a result, the back wall 103 of the package 2 is molded flat.

In addition, the surfaces 68 are convex and shape the valves 16 and walls 11 during the final bending of the package 3. Therefore, the walls 104, 105 of the bent package 2 are formed concave.

The pressure applied as described above allows welding of the valves 15, 16 with the walls 12, 11 to complete the formation of the lower wall 101, the side walls 104, 105 and the upper wall 100 of the package 2.

When the conveying device 42 reaches point B ₂ , the element 45b is slightly separated relative to the axis D from the element 45a to slightly divert surfaces 46a, 46b from the corresponding walls 10.

The finished package 2 is then released to the output conveyor 90.

The advantages of the assembly 1 according to the present invention should become apparent from the description given.

In particular, the concave surfaces 46a of the conveying devices 42 are shaped into the first walls 10 that are interacted with when the respective packages 3 are folded to form the respective packages 2. As a result, the front walls 102 of the packages 2 can be convex in shape.

In addition, the edges 52, 53 extend on the opposite side of the plane P relative to the surface 46b and shape the fold lines 107 when the packs 3 are folded to form the corresponding pack 2.

Accordingly, the required shape of the fold lines 107 of the packages 2 can be obtained.

Finally, the convex surfaces 67 shape the respective walls 11 of the packages 3 with which they interact when these packages 3 are bent to form the respective packages 2. As a result, the side walls 104, 105 of the packages 2 can be concave.

Obviously, changes are possible node 1, described and shown in this document, without departing from the scope defined in the attached claims.

In particular, the assembly 1 can be used to make packages 2 having rear walls 103 that bulge on the opposite side from the corresponding front walls 102. In this case, the surfaces 46b of the conveying devices 42 must be concave.

Claims (7)

1. A bending device (1) for forming sealed packages (2) of fluid food products, comprising:
- at least one conveying device (42) for supplying along the molding path (B) the corresponding package (3), which has at least one section (6, 7) to be bent to obtain a finished package (2);
- at least one bending device (55, 65) interacting when used with the package (3) along the molding path (B) and configured to bend said at least one portion (6, 7);
moreover, the conveying device (42) contains the first and second surfaces (46a, 46b), opposite to each other and made with the possibility of using interaction, respectively, with opposite front and rear walls (10) of the corresponding packaging (3) to be bent;
characterized in that the first surface (46a) is at least partially concave. 2. The bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying device (42) is able to move along a closed path that continues around the axis (C);
moreover, the conveying device (42) contains:
- the first and second edge (50, 51), opposite each other and bounding the first surface (46a), respectively, from the radially outer and radially inner sides relative to the axis (C); and
- the third and fourth edge (52, 53), which are opposite to each other and extend between the first and second edge (50, 51);
moreover, the third and fourth edge (52, 53) extend at least partially on the opposite side relative to the second surface (46b) of the theoretical plane (P) bounded by the first and second edges (50, 51). 3. The bending device according to claim 2, characterized in that the third and fourth edges (52, 53) continue, first approaching the theoretical plane (P), and then moving away from it, passing from the first edge to the second edge (50, 51 ) 4. The bending device according to claim 2, characterized in that the third and fourth edges (52, 53) converge to each other and diverge from each other, passing from the first edge to the second edge (50, 51). 5. A bending device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the second surface (46b) is flat. 6. A bending device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a heating device (60) for heating using non-bent valves (16) of the package (3);
moreover, the bending device (65) is located downstream of the heating device (60) along the path (B) and contains a pair of clamping devices (67);
while the pressing devices (67) are able to move between the working position, in which the corresponding third surfaces (68) press the corresponding valves (16) of the package (3) to the corresponding side walls (11) of the package (3) to be bent, and the idle position, in which the corresponding third surface (68) is disconnected from the package (3);
moreover, the third surfaces (68) are convex. 7. The bending device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it contains:
- first conveyor (80) and
- a second conveyor (40) equipped with a plurality of conveying devices (42) and fed when using the first conveyor (80) of the package (3) in the point (B ₁ ) of the path entrance (B);
moreover, the first conveyor (80) contains:
- endless tape (81);
- a lot of pushing elements (84) installed at specified distances from the specified tape (81) and made with the possibility of interaction with the packaging (3) to move them to the first conveyor (80); and
- a pair of fixed guides (85) interacting with the packages (3) to ensure that the packages (3) remain separated from the tape (81).

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