WO2006041374A1

WO2006041374A1 - A method of configurationally stabilising packaging containers

Info

Publication number: WO2006041374A1
Application number: PCT/SE2005/001397
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rune Berg
Original assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
Priority date: 2004-10-13
Filing date: 2005-09-22
Publication date: 2006-04-20
Also published as: SE527760C2; SE0402498L; SE0402498D0; MX2007004032A; CN100564166C; BRPI0516062A; CN101039842A

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method of configurationally stabilising cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) produced from laminates of plastic. The method includes the steps of arranging the cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) in a conveyor (19) for further transport to a reforming station in which the cushion-shaped packaging containers are to be reformed into wedge-shaped packaging containers, and, during at least a greater part of the stay-time of the packaging container in the conveyor (19) up to the first reforming stage, applying a pressure on the cushion-shaped packaging container, this pressure being sufficient to realise a configurationally stable packaging container.

Description

A METHOD, OF CONFIGURATIONALLY STABILISING PACKAGING CONTAINERS

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method of configurationally stabilising cushion-shaped packaging containers produced from laminates of plastic, the cushion-shaped packaging containers being intended to be reformed into wedge- shaped packaging containers.

BACKGROUND ART

Use has long been made in the food packing industry of packages produced from a packaging material comprising a core or bulk layer of, for example, paper or paperboard and an outer, liquid-tight coating of plastic on at least that side of the core or bulk layer which forms the inside of the package. Such packaging containers may, for example, be produced in that a web of packaging material is provided with a pattern of crease lines facilitating fold formation and is reformed into a tube so that the one longitudinal edge of the material web is joined together in overlap with the other longitudinal edge, whereafter the tube is filled with the intended contents and sealed along transverse, mutually spaced apart sealing zones. The sealed portions of the tube thus containing their contents are thereafter separated from the tube by means of incision in the sealing zones so that cushion-shaped packaging containers are obtained. Where applicable, these are formed by folding into the desired geometric configuration depending upon how the two seals disposed transversely of the longitudinal direction of the tube have been oriented. In parallelepipedic packaging containers, the transverse seal is, in a per se known manner, put into effect substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the tube and the parallelepipedic shape is obtained by an additional forming and joining or welding operation where the triangular corner flaps are folded in towards and sealed to the outside of the package. In those cases where it is instead desired to realise a wedge-shaped package, the cushion-shaped packaging container is reformed in that triangular corner flaps in the end (the bottom end) are folded in and sealed. The packaging container will thereby have a planar surface on which it can rest against the substrate. This type of package is at present a commercially available packaging container which is marketed by Tetra Pak under the trademark Tetra Wedge®.

Such wedge-shaped packaging containers may also be produced from a packaging material comprising a laminate of transparent plastic layers. One example of such a material is described in Swedish Patent Application SE 0401215-9 which is hereby incorporated and embodied herein in its entirety.

Packaging containers of this or similar material are usually not provided with fold indications and become sloppier and less configurationally stable than paperboard-based packaging containers. Packaging containers of this type which are provided with fold indications (as may occur) will also become sloppy and less configurationally stable. This configurational instability places other demands on handling in the machine and, in particular, it has proved to be fraught with problems to realise a satisfactory final folding, i.e. the reforming of the packaging container from a cushion-shaped packaging container into a wedge-shaped packaging container.

As was previously mentioned, the final folding takes place once the cushion- shaped packaging containers with their contents have been separated from the tube. After separation of the tube, they are tipped down in a conventional manner into pens or pockets between carriers in a conveyor. The tipping procedure entails that the transverse sealing fin which will constitute the top fin of the finished package comes into abutment against the lower edge of the pocket, while the bottom end of the packaging container in which inward folding and sealing of the triangular corner flaps takes place will project up above said carriers. This is so that forming and sealing jaws will be able to gain access so as to finally fold the packaging container. This handling, in the form of a downward drop in a direction towards the pockets entails that the contents are accelerated and, when the sealing fin comes into contact with the bottom of the pocket, the contents strive to continue their downward movement. This will have as a consequence that the packaging containers will assume different positions in the pockets and, because there temporarily occurs a partial vacuum in that part of the packaging container which will constitute the bottom, the cushion-shape of the packaging container is deformed. When the packaging container is subsequently indexed to the first final folding station, additional force stresses occur which run the risk of altering the position of the packaging container in the pocket.

BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION

It has therefore become one object of the present invention to realise a method of configurationally stabilising, positioning and retaining cushion-shaped packaging containers produced from laminates of plastic before they are reformed into wedge-shaped packaging containers. This is attained by means of a method comprising the steps of disposing the cushion-shaped packaging containers in a conveyor for further transport to a reforming station in which the cushion-shaped packaging containers are to be reformed into wedge-shaped packaging containers and, at least during a part of the stay time of the packaging container in the conveyor up to the first reforming stage, applying a pressure on the cushion-shaped packaging container, this pressure being sufficient to realise a configurationally stable packaging container. This may also be attained by a method which comprises the steps of arranging the cushion-shaped packaging containers in a conveyor for further transport to a reforming station in which the cushion-shaped packaging containers are to be reformed into wedge-shaped packaging containers and, at least during a part of the transport up to the first reforming stage to apply a pressure on the cushion- shaped packaging container, this pressure being sufficient to realise a configurationally stable packaging container. By such means, there will be obtained an excess pressure in the packaging container which "fleshes out" the container to its correct shape. Even though the pressure is realised immediately before the first reforming stage, which is put into effect in order to make it possible to carry out an adjustment of the packaging container in the lateral direction, i.e. transversely of the direction of movement, configurational stability will be maintained and a reforming with satisfactory results may be put into effect, which would otherwise not have been possible. The crease line sealing may be made uniformly on both sides of the package and the corner flaps which are folded in will be uniform, which is a precondition for the packaging container later to be able to stand straight. Another advantage in applying a pressure is that the packaging containers will thereby also be fixedly held in the conveyor during the indexing up to the reforming station.

This object will also be attained by means of a method for configurationally stabilising cushion-shaped packaging containers produced from laminates of plastic, each cushion-shaped packaging container being designed with at least one sealed longitudinal joint, the tube further being sealed in a first and second transverse zone and filled with the intended contents. The method comprises the steps of arranging the cushion-shaped packaging containers in a conveyor for further transport to a reforming station in which the cushion-shaped packaging containers may be reformed into wedge-shaped packaging containers, and, at least during a part of the transport up to the first reforming stage, applying a pressure on the cushion-shaped packaging container, the pressure being sufficient to realise a configurationally stable packaging container.

In one currently preferred embodiment, the method includes the step of applying said pressure on major surfaces of the packaging container. By such means, there will be achieved a uniform, outwardly tension shape of the packaging container. It is also these surfaces which are the simplest on which to apply a pressure.

In a further currently preferred embodiment, the method includes the step that the application of the pressure on the packaging container is carried into effect employing means included in the conveyor. By such means, this function may be incorporated in the conveyor and its driving and will not be a separate construction which requires synchronisation with the driving of the conveyor. Similarly, there will be obtained a simple and reliable construction. IQ yet a further currently preferred embodiment, the provision of means on the conveyor involves providing an operable compression device and a counter abutment. From the purely manufacturing engineering terms, this is advantageous since it is simple and thereby cost effective, and entails fewer parts than if two pressure devices operating each from their own direction were to be employed. In yet a further preferred embodiment, the provision of an operable compression device and a counter abutment entails providing an arm which is disposed to cooperate with at least one surface in a carrier in the conveyor. Preferably, the provision of the arm is put into effect using a spring and cam mechanism which cooperates with the carrier in the conveyor. This construction takes up little space and is relatively uncomplicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow, with reference to one example of a currently preferred embodiment of the present invention and with reference to the accompanying Drawings. In the accompanying Drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a cushion-shaped packaging container;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a packaging container which has been reformed from a cushion-shaped packaging container in accordance with Fig. 1 to a wedge- shaped packaging container;

Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a conveyor of chain type for the advancement of packaging containers, a carrier included in the conveyor, and also a linkage unit, are shown in the Figure as removed from the chain, for purposes of clarity of understanding;

Fig. 4a is a schematic exploded view of a carrier included in the conveyor;

Fig. 4b is a schematic view from the rear of the carrier of Fig. 4a; Fig. 4c is a schematic side elevation of the carrier of Fig. 4a-b;

Fig. 5 is a schematic side elevation of a portion of the chain illustrating how packaging containers are taken care of on their way to final folding;

Fig. 6 is a schematic side elevation of the chain wheel and cam disc where the positions A-C of the arm are illustrated with wheels disposed in the carriers; and Fig. 7 schematically shows a view in accordance with that of Fig. 4b but with a packaging container held in position by means of the arm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Fig. 1 shows a cushion-shaped packaging container. The packaging container will, regardless of configuration, be designated hereinbelow by reference numeral 10.

It has been produced in a conventional manner in that a web of packaging material has been reformed into a tube so that the one longitudinal edge of the material web, in this case the overlapping edge, has been joined together with the other longitudinal edge forming a longitudinal joint of seam 11, whereafter the tube has been filled with the intended contents and sealed along transverse, mutually spaced apart sealing zones. These zones are substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the tube. In order to obtain cushion-shaped packaging containers, the sealed-off portions of the tube containing their contents have thereafter been separated from the tube by means of incisions in the sealing zones. After the separation, the seals form fins which have been designated a first and a second fin 12, 13, respectively.

The packaging container need not, however, be manufactured by continuous tube forming, filling and sealing as described above, but may alternatively.be of the type which is produced from, for example, blanks or from a web which is divided up into blanks or semi manufactured packaging containers before filling and, thereby, before the final transverse sealing is carried out.

The packaging container 10 is produced from a packaging material in the form of a laminate of plastic layers. Preferably, the different layers display different rigidity. The materials in the layers may be different types of polyethylene or polypropylene. One or more layers may also be an oxygen gas barrier layer.

Fig. 2 shows the cushion-shaped packaging container 10 when it has been reformed into a wedge-shaped packaging container 10. In the bottom end of the packaging container, triangular corner flaps 14, 15 have been folded in towards and sealed to the outside of the packaging container. The packaging container 10 will thereby obtain a planar surface 16 on which it may rest against the substrate. Before the inward folding, the corner flaps 14, 15 are fixed each by means of a fold line sealing along the lines 17, 18, respectively. The fold line seal runs transversely of the bottom fin 13 and is made at the final folding in a first reforming station (not shown). In a second reforming station, the inward folding and final sealing of the corner flaps 14, 15 are put into effect.

The method according to the present invention relates to configurationally stabilising cushion-shaped packaging containers before reforming into wedge-shaped packaging containers. The steps include disposing the cushion-shaped packaging containers described by way of introduction in a conveyor for further transport to a reforming station. In the reforming station, the cushion-shaped packaging containers are reformed into wedge-shaped packaging containers. During at least a part of the stay-time of the packaging container in the conveyor, or during a part of the transport until the packaging container arrives at the first reforming stage, a pressure is applied on the cushion-shaped packaging container. The pressure which is applied is sufficient in order to realise a configurationally stable packaging container. By ensuring that the packaging container is configurationally stable, reforming into wedge-shaped packaging containers is facilitated and the result of the reforming operation will be improved. This method may be realised, for example, by means of a conveyor of the type which will now be described. Fig. 3 shows a conveyor which, in its entirety, carries reference numeral 19.

Said conveyor 19 is of chain type, is endless and runs around two chain wheels. Only the first chain wheel, carrying reference numeral 20, will be shown later in Figs. 5 and 6. The conveyor 19 includes carriers 21, and these carriers 21 are wedge-shaped with the base placed most proximal in towards the chain wheels and the tips are placed in an outward direction towards the periphery of the conveyor. The base of the carriers includes means for interlinking to form a chain. It is thus the carriers 21 which in themselves form the links of the chain or link units.

Once the cushion-shaped packaging containers 10 with their intended contents have been separated from the tube, they are conveyed in a conventional manner down into wedge-shaped pockets 22 corresponding to the packaging containers 10 and formed between the carriers 21. This takes place, seen in Fig. 3, in the right-hand end of the conveyor 19. The packaging container 10 arrives obliquely from above and is tipped down into a pocket 22. The procedure entails that the transverse sealing fin 12 which will constitute the top fin 12 of the finished packaging container will come into abutment against the lower edge of the pocket, while the bottom end of the packaging container 10, at the second sealing fin 13, will be facing outwards, see Fig. 5. All of the carriers 21 are identical and the height is such that, when a finished, wedge-shaped packaging container 10 is located in a pocket 22, the carrier 21 extends preferably almost all the way up to or all the way up to the previously described fold lines 17, 18. It thus preferably extends up or almost up to the planar bottom surface 16 of the packaging container when it is finally folded. The reason is that the intention is to create as great a support as possible for the packaging container 10, at the same time as access will be permitted for the forming and sealing jaws which finally fold the packaging container 10.

The chain is indexed and the indexing takes place in the direction of the arrow illustrated in Fig. 3. On the indexing, the packaging container 10 will shortly arrive at the final folding station (not shown) which, as was previously mentioned, consists of a fold line sealing stage as well as a subsequent stage for inward folding and sealing of the corner flaps 13, 14.

Each one of the first and second chain wheels, where the first chain wheel 20 may be seen in Figs. 5 and 6, actually comprise a pair of chain wheels disposed a distance from one another (only of the wheels in the pair is visible). Between the chain wheels which constitute the first chain wheel 20, a cam disc 23 is disposed. A cam disc profile 24 constitutes the outer axial defining surface of the cam disc.

In the following disclosures, the carriers 21 will be described in greater detail with reference to Figs. 4a-c. The carriers 21, which constitute the links in the chain, are linked in one another in that each carrier 21 displays at the bottom sleeve portions which cooperate with corresponding sleeve portions in adjacent carriers. In this preferred embodiment, each carrier 21 displays three sleeve portions 25 distributed so that they make a triangle. The geometric centre axes of the sleeve portions are disposed to be substantially parallel with the geometric centre axes of the chain wheels. A first and a second of these sleeve portions 25a, 25b, which form the base of the triangle, are placed in line with one another so that their geometric centre axes substantially correspond and at at least the distance of one sleeve portion from one another. The third sleeve portion 25c is placed in an opposing end of the base of the carrier and, seen in the longitudinal direction along the centre axes of the other two, this third sleeve portion 25c is placed in between the two others 25a, 25b. Thus, three carriers 21 may be linked together in that the first two sleeve portions 25a, 25b of the central carrier accommodate between them a sleeve portion, corresponding to the third sleeve portion 25c, from a neighbouring carrier. Further, the third sleeve portion 25c of the central carrier extends in between two sleeve portions corresponding to the first two 25a, 25b on a neighbouring carrier on the other side. The interlinking takes place with shafts and other journaling elements through the sleeve portions. As was previously mentioned, the carrier 21 is cuneiform or wedge-shaped and has a first and second substantially planar abutment surface 26, 27 of an extent substantially transversely of the direction of movement of the carrier. Because of the wedge-shape of the carrier 21, the surfaces 26, 27 incline. The first surface 26 inclines forwards in relation to the direction of movement of the conveyor 19 and the second surface 27 inclines rearwards in relation to the direction of movement. Further, the carrier 21 is hollow and has a through-going opening in a direction which is substantially parallel with the centre axes of the sleeve portions. Grooves 28 are provided in the abutment surfaces 26, 27 into the hollow cavity. The means for configurational stabilisation according to the present invention will be described below and with continued reference int. al. to Figs. 4a-c.

Each carrier 21 is in communication with a rotary element 29. Said rotary element 29 has a first and a second end, where the first end is in the form of a stirrup with two legs, or in other words a fork 30. Transversely of both of the legs 30, there is provided a through-going opening 31 whose geometric centre axis constitutes the axis of rotation of the entire element. For the sake of simplicity, the pivot point is marked with a P, see Fig. 4c. The rotary element 29 is thus journalled and this is put into effect in that the through-going opening 31 is journalled on the same shaft as the sleeve portions 25a, 25b for interlinking of the carriers 21. In the closed state, one leg 30 of the rotary element 29 will be journalled on the shaft on either side of a third sleeve portion 25c from a neighbouring carrier 21. The journaling on the shaft takes place by means of sleeves or sliding bearings 42.

In the outer end of the legs 30 or the fork of the rotary element 29, a wheel 32 is journalled by means of a shaft. This wheel is designed to be able to abut against the previously described profile 24 of the cam disc 23. In the same end and on the same shaft, a rod 33 is journalled. In the end of the rod 33 facing away from the journaling end, a fork groove 34 is provided. This fork groove 34 is disposed to cooperate with a shaft 35 which will be described later.

Said rod 33 is disposed within the cavity in the carrier 21 and is resiliently tensioned in by means of a helical spring 36. In the fork groove of the rod, the shaft 35 is disposed and the rod 33 will thereby be displaceable substantially upwards and downwards seen in Fig. 4c. The shaft 35 is fixedly connected to the carrier 21 at approximately two thirds of the total height of the carrier 21. The helical spring 36 is tensioned in between a lower flange on the rod 33 and an upper block 43 which abuts against the shaft 35. The arrangement with the spring 36 ensures that the wheel 32 will be urged against the profile 24 of the cam disc 23. The other end of the rotary element 29 includes a flange 37, and an arm 38 is fixedly clamped on the flange. The arm 38 is in the form of a blade or plate which may be slightly resilient and, in an unloaded state, it has its extent in substantially the same direction as the rod 33 within the carrier 21. In this position, the arm 38 abuts against a wedge-shaped recess 39 provided for this purpose out of the first planar surface 26 and has an extent to about three quarters of the length of the surface, see Figs. 4b, 4c.

The rotary element 29 is further designed so that there is an angle between the end where the wheel 32 and the rod 33 are journalled and the end where the arm 38 is secured. When the wheel 32 runs over the profile 24 of the cam disc 23, the rotary element 29 may, depending upon the geometry of the profile, be pivoted about its pivot point P, which results in the arm 38, which is fixedly tensioned in the rotary element 29, altering its position in relation to the carrier 21. In particular, the arm alters its position between a surface 26 of a carrier and a surface 27 on a neighbouring carrier. With reference to Fig. 5 and 6, the design of the cam disc 23 and its profile 24 will be described in broad terms. The wheels 32 of the carriers 21 come into abutment against the profile 24 when they are rotated with the chain wheel 20. Along the greater part of the profile 24 of the cam disc, the arm 38 remains "unloaded", i.e. it is not urged against any packaging container but is located in its open position. In this position, the arm 38 in theory abuts against the surface 26 of the carrier 21. In reality this is true of the two straight portions of the conveyor 19, but at the chain wheels, the carriers 21 are angled away from one another and the distance between them becomes greater so that the wedge-shaped pocket 22 becomes wider, i.e. more obtuse. This will have as a result that the arm 38 of a carrier 21 in its open position does not abut against the surface 26 but is rather located more proximal the surface 27 of a sequentially rearward carrier 21, as may be seen in Fig. 5. On the upper half of the cam curve profile, there is an undulating portion 39 where the wheels 32 first go down in a trough. This movement causes the rotary element 29 to be rotated so that the arm 38 opens the pocket sufficiently for a packaging container 10 to have room between the arm 38 and the surface 27 of the sequentially rearward carrier 21. This implies that it moves in a direction towards the surface 26. The position is designated A and a packaging container 10 in the conveyor 19 is here sent into the pocket 22 for further transport towards final folding, please see the arrow. Thus, the arm 38 does not abut against the packaging container 10, but the packaging container 10 enters into the pocket 22 as was mentioned by way of introduction by means of a tipping movement which causes the packaging container 10 to be deformed when it lands.

The trough is followed by a ridge in the profile 24 and when the wheel 32 rolls over the ridge, a rotation is caused in the rotary element 29 which will have as a result that the arm 38 now comes into abutment against the packaging container 10 and urges it against the surface 27 of the rearward carrier 21, see position B. The pressure which is thereby applied on the cushion-shaped packaging container "fleshes out" it and is sufficient to achieve a configurationally stable packaging container, see Fig. 7. The arm 38 also holds the packaging container 10 in position so that it remains in its position on indexing up to the reforming station where the final folding takes place.

The reforming station (not shown) is placed on the upper straight portion of the conveyor 19 in the Figure. There, the carriers 21 have closed together again, i.e. their tops have approached one another and the angle between the carriers has been reduced. Thus, in this position they are placed close together and the pocket 22 between them is wedge-shaped. The wedge-shape is substantially the same as the wedge-shape obtained by the packaging containers 10 in the reforming station. Just before this reforming station, the profile 24 levels out and the arm 38 releases the pressure against the packaging container 10 and returns to its "unloaded" state against the surface 26. This is shown in position C. In the first stage in the reforming station, the fold line sealing is made along the lines 17, 18 and effective from this point, the packaging container 10 fills out the pocket and receives support from both the surface 26 and a surface 27 of a sequentially rearward carrier. Once the arm 38 has released and immediately before the fold line sealing is carried out, a possible adjustment is realised of the packaging container in the lateral direction, see the arrows in Fig. 7. This is put into effect using shaping blocks (not shown) which are applied from the sides. The pressure is applied as has been shown by means of a moveable pressure device in the form of an arm 38 so that the configuration of the packaging container is stabilised in that an excess pressure is created in the container 10. The arm 38 presses substantially in the centre of the packaging container, seen in Fig. 7, and thereby abuts against a first 40 of the major surfaces 40, 41 of the packaging container. The term major surfaces is thus here taken to signify those surfaces of the cushion-shaped packaging container 10 which extend between the transverse seals 12, 13 and are substantially parallel with them. The second major surface 41 comes into abutment against the counter abutment which, in the preferred embodiment, consists of the planar surface 27 of the carrier 21. The apparatus which has been described in detail shows how the method according to the present invention may be reduced into practice. It should be obvious to the skilled reader of this specification that the present invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment, but that numerous variations and modifications are conceivable without departing from the scope of the appended Claims. In the example, the handling of a packaging container which has formed from a tube and sent down into the conveyor after separation from the tube has been described. However, the present invention is not restricted to this type of packaging container. An alternative is that the packaging containers are formed from blanks. Each blank is then formed into a "tube" by a longitudinal sealing which is either of the overlapping or praying type. Bottom sealing, filling and top sealing take place in stations upstream of the reforming station for final folding. In that case, the conveyor 19 may be otherwise designed and the packaging container may be located in the conveyor 19 also during the filling and sealing stages. The pressure is then applied during at least a part of the transport up to the first reforming stage. Thus, between the immediately preceding station and the station where the first reforming stage is put into effect. The immediately preceding station could be the station for sealing after filling, i.e. the sealing of the second transverse joint or seam 13, but it could just as well be some other.

Further, the packaging containers may be of the type which have two or more longitudinal seals and which may be formed from two packaging material webs which are placed above one another and sealed. The seals may then, for example, be placed in the sides of the cushions so that the major surfaces will be without seals.

It should be understood that the means for applying the pressure can naturally include pressure devices each operating from their own direction, instead of one pressure device and one counter abutment. Similarly, it should be understood that the pressure device may include more than one arm.

The spring and cam mechanism may naturally be designed in another manner than that described above or be substituted by, for example, a servomotor control of the arm.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of configurationally stabilising cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) produced from laminates of plastic, said cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) being manufactured from a web of packaging material which has been reformed into a tube so that the one longitudinal edge of the material web has been joined together with the other longitudinal edge, whereafter the tube has been filled with the intended contents, sealed along transverse, mutually spaced apart sealing zones and thereafter separated from the tube by means of incisions in the sealing zones so that cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) have been obtained, the method comprising the steps of arranging the cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) in a conveyor (19) for further transport to a reforming station in which the cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) are to be reformed into wedge- shaped packaging containers (10), and, during at least a part of the stay-time of the packaging container in the conveyor (19) up to the first reforming stage, applying a pressure on the cushion-shaped packaging container (10), said pressure being sufficient to realise a configurationally stable packaging container.

2. A method of configurationally stabilising cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) produced from laminates of plastic, each cushion-shaped packaging container (10) being designed as a tube of packaging material which has been formed in that a first longitudinal edge has been joined together with a second longitudinal edge in a longitudinal seal, said tube being further sealed in a first and a second transverse zone and filled with the intended contents, the method comprising the steps of arranging the cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) in a conveyor (19) for further transport to a reforming station in which the cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) are to be reformed into wedge-shaped packaging containers (10), and, at least under a part of the transport up to the first reforming stage, applying a pressure on the cushion-shaped packaging container (10), said pressure being sufficient to realise a configurationally stable packaging container.

3. A method of configurationally stabilising cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) produced from laminates of plastic, each cushion-shaped packaging container (10) being designed with at least one sealed longitudinal joint, the tube being further sealed in a first and second transverse zone and filled with the intended contents, the method comprising the steps of arranging the cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) in a conveyor (19) for further transport to a reforming station in which the cushion-shaped packaging containers (10) are reformed into wedge-shaped packaging containers (10), and, at least during a part of the transport up to the first reforming stage, applying a pressure on the cushion-shaped packaging container (10), said pressure being sufficient to realise a configurationally stable packaging container.

4. The method as claimed in Claims 1, 2 and 3, including the step of applying said pressure on major surfaces (40, 41) of the packaging container (10).

5. The method as claimed in Claim 4, the application of the force on the packaging container (10) being put into effect by means included in the conveyor (19).

6. The method as claimed in Claim 5, the provision of means on the conveyor (19) including the provision of a moveable pressure device (38) and a counter abutment (27).

7. The method as claimed in Claim 6, the provision of a moveable pressure device (38) and a counter abutment (27) including the provision of an arm (38) which is disposed to cooperate with at least one surface (27) of a carrier (21) in the conveyor (19).

8. The method as claimed in Claim 7, the application of the arm (38) being put into effect by means of a spring and cam mechanism which cooperates with the carrier (21) in the conveyor (19).