WO2009080293A1

WO2009080293A1 - Packaging machine

Info

Publication number: WO2009080293A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/010855
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexander Biechteler
Original assignee: Ulma Packaging Technological Center, S. Coop
Priority date: 2007-12-20
Filing date: 2008-12-18
Publication date: 2009-07-02
Also published as: DE102007062542A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a chain guide (1) for a continuously revolving film transport chain in packaging machines, wherein the chain guide is a molded part configured in the shape of a C-profile and made of abrasion-resistant, slide-promoting plastic. The molded part comprises at least one cleaning opening (4) ending in the region of a sliding guide configured in the molded part.

Description

LEADERSHIP FOR A FOLIENT TRANSPORT CHAIN IN PACKAGING MACHINES

The invention relates to a chain guide for an endlessly rotating film transport chain in packaging machines.

In known packaging machines, the products, such as food, are usually introduced into trays manually or automatically. The troughs are formed from a thermoplastic film web, a so-called lower film web, in a mold, subsequently demoulded and then the products are introduced into the demolded troughs. After the introduction of the products, the wells are, for example, by means of a thermoplastic or metallic film, a so-called top film, sealed or sealed. The packaging machine has both tools for forming the packaging and tools for closing the packaging.

For transporting the lower foils to be formed and the already formed troughs, link chains with gripper mechanisms designed as transport chains are used, which grip the lower foil on its longitudinal sides and transport it to the various processing stations of the packaging machine.

The respective transport chain is received in a chain guide fixedly connected to the packaging machine. The chain guide consists of one or more, a relatively high sliding property having plastic part, which is received in a support casing made of stainless steel.

Another chain guide consists of at least one plastic part, which communicates with a holder made of stainless steel. Significant disadvantages are associated with the structure of a chain guide consisting of several individual parts, which consist in particular in the fact that bacteria-containing product residues or residues of cleaning agent can collect in interstices and / or at contact surfaces of the structure. Especially with a closed chain guide, it is impossible to clean the cavity of the chain guide in the assembled state. Another disadvantage in the prior art is the multi-part design of the known chain guide. This makes the production of a corresponding chain guide consuming and expensive.

In the prior art, an embodiment, as previously mentioned, is known, which is characterized in that the chain guide consists of two mutually parallel guide rails. These two guide rails are kept free from the machine frame by spacers.

The outer region of the chain guide is unfavorably designed insofar as the cleaning agent does not run off after a cleaning process on the surfaces lying in the horizontal plane or on bending edges of the chain guide structure, but adheres to it. Furthermore, such a chain guide mounted on the machine frame has no means for influencing the voltage course of the thermoplastic lower film held by the gripping means of the transport chain, in particular during the formation of the troughs (whenever a tool is used).

The invention has for its object to provide for the transport chain in a packaging machine, in particular a food packaging machine, a chain guide that offers better conditions with respect to the required hygiene standards during operation and during cleaning compared to known chain guides.

The object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

Thereafter, the chain guide is a molding made of plastic, which has at least one cleaning opening, the mouth of which lies in the region of a sliding guide formed in the molded part. In contrast to the above-mentioned solution of the prior art, the invention is characterized in that the chain guide now consists of a molded part, which forms the sliding guide. In the prior art, two separately provided rails with spacers from the machine frame or a separate receiving device for the sliding guide had to be positioned accordingly. be defined. In addition to a significant reduction in the cost of mounting a trained as a molded sliding guide against two guide rails, which must be secured with spacers on the frame, a further improvement of the hygienic conditions is connected because not so many individual elements must be cleaned and in particular by the spacers formed danger sources for the deposition of microorganisms, dirt or the like are no longer available or can be reduced to a considerable extent. Furthermore, the design of the sliding guide as a molded part has the advantage that the alignment of such an element is easily possible, so that when assembling the machine itself a considerable installation effort is saved. The solution according to the invention also offers considerable advantages for the maintenance of such a sliding guide since it is only necessary to assemble a molded part if the sliding guide would have to be exchanged. Also, the maintenance effort is considerably lower, since due to the individual suspension of the individual rails of the sliding guide in the prior art, it may of course also come to loosening of fasteners, which could then lead to a disturbance in the movement of the sliding guide according to the prior art. This problem also no longer occurs in the solution according to the invention.

The arrangement of the cleaning openings according to the invention causes the chain guide, but also the guided in her chain over the entire length of the chain guide is optimally cleanable. The cleaning process is thereby faster and more efficient, the necessary cleaning breaks are correspondingly shorter by the proposal according to the invention.

In this case, the chain guide according to the invention has a molded part which has sufficient inherent rigidity. Although the incorporation of the cleaning holes of course, the stability the Fortnteils impaired, the arrangement is such that a sufficient inherent rigidity of the molded part remains, by which it is possible to attach the molded part as a chain guide directly on the corresponding machine parts of the packaging machine, usually the frame of the packaging machine. The cumbersome mounting using the support casing according to the prior art can thus be dispensed with, the assembly is easier and less expensive, since a smaller number of parts is needed. However, since the molded part has sufficient inherent rigidity, the multi-part construction of the chain guide, as known in the prior art, is dispensed with and thus at the same time the associated hygiene problems due to the concealed surfaces, for example between the sheath and the chain guide avoided.

Thus, the invention achieves a packaging machine whose chain guide is equipped with a smaller number of components, a reduced assembly cost, a faster and more efficient cleaning and a higher hygiene.

It should be noted at this point that, of course, the invention also includes a solution in which the chain guide is provided with the incorporated cleaning openings and which is attached to the packaging machine by means of a support jacket.

In a preferred variant of the invention it is provided that the chain guide is designed in the manner of a C-profile. Of course, instead of a C-profile and a U-profile (with the same effect) providable. The interior of the Cs or U takes on the transport chain, wherein the first or second profile leg (the lower and upper profile leg) of the C-profile covers the transport chain at least partially. Preferably, the C-profile-like molded part obtained by an extrusion or drawing process and thereafter incorporated, for example, in a machining step, the cleaning opening.

In a preferred variant of the invention, it is provided that the chain guide can be connected directly to the packaging machine, in particular its frame, by fastening means inserted in openings. According to this variant of the invention, an additional supporting jacket is not necessary. The chain guide according to the invention is sufficiently intrinsically rigid to reliably support the weight of the transport chain, including the film web and the goods loaded in the troughs of the film web. By arranging the chain guide directly on the packaging machine, the assembly effort is reduced accordingly.

The chain guide may on the one hand extends at least one longitudinally and consist of at least one arc-shaped molded part. In a longitudinally extending training a chain guide is connected to one longitudinally extending frame profile of a packaging machine, while each formed as an arcuate molded part chain guide end of the respective longitudinally extending molded part is arranged around an endlessly rotating film transport chain of the packaging machine from the transport direction in an opposite direction redirect.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the surface of the profile leg having at least one cleaning opening of the chain guide designed as a C-profile may have an inclination in the direction of the vertically extending profile web of the C-profile in order to drain the cleaning agent from the outer surface of the chain guide after a cleaning process enable. For a total sufficient cleaning of the chain guide, for example by means of superheated steam or high-pressure cleaning, both in the first (for example the upper) and in the second (for example the lower) profile leg at least one cleaning opening may be included, which is preferably designed such that Also, all inner areas of the chain guide and the film transport chain itself are included in the cleaning process.

It has proven to be advantageous if a plurality of cleaning openings are provided in the molded part and arranged according to a predetermined sequence. Thus, the mouths of the introduced in the first profile leg cleaning openings can be arranged diametrically opposite those introduced in the second ProfiIschenkel cleaning openings and connected by at least one incorporated into the inside of the profile web, open channel.

Another predetermined sequence provides that the mouths of the provided in the first profile leg cleaning openings are offset from the mouths of the provided in the second profile leg cleaning openings opposite. Such an arrangement increases the stability of the chain guide according to the invention.

It has also proven to be advantageous for the cleaning process when the cleaning openings are formed in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the chain guide and have the shape of a slot, wherein other configurations are not excluded. Such an arrangement ensures that the largest possible areas of the chain guide are open for cleaning purposes, so both area of the chain guide, in particular of the inner, the C-like profile of cleaning fluid can be reached. According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the chain guide for connection to the packaging machine has a plurality of the profile web of the C-profile preferably vertically penetrating, formed for example in the manner of a slot openings for receiving in each case a fastening means. The respective chain guide is releasably connected with the packaging machine, in particular with the respective frame profile of the packaging machine, thereby advantageously conferring stability and static security to the chain guide. The openings formed as a slot are arranged transversely to the guide of the film transport chain, between the respective opening and the fastening means, for example, the shaft of a screw means, a sufficient clearance is available to adjust the chain guide transversely to the transport direction of the film transport chain can. In addition to this, for the purpose of the partial cross-clamping of the lower foil, in the profile web of the respective chain guide at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the respective opening, a threaded through bore ending therein is provided for receiving a tensioning means. The clamping means is effective on the shank of the screw means, which is designed in the manner of an abutment, whereby a relative adjustment of a chain guide to the other chain guide is given and thus the tension of the lower film can be influenced transversely to the transport direction.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a lubricious, abrasion-resistant plastic is provided, from which the chain guide is formed. This is preferably a polyamide-12 produced from laurolactam, but it is also possible to use polyethylene (high-pressure polyethylene) or even epoxy resin.

With the construction according to the invention, a chain guide equipped with excellent sliding properties is advantageously created, which meets the required hygiene standards does justice. In particular, the removal of residual product residues in hard-to-reach areas of the chain guide and on the transport chain can easily be effected by suitable means, for example by superheated steam.

In particular, from the cleaning process resulting, baking-containing cleaning agent can proceed unhindered over the cleaning openings according to the invention and of the inventively designed surface of the ProfiIschenkel the chain guide.

Another advantage over the prior art is given by the solution according to the invention in that by means of the existing adjusting means, the voltage curve of the film underlay can be influenced, in particular during the formation of the packaging troughs, ie during their production process.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment.

In the drawings show:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention designed according to the chain guide;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the chain guide according to Fig.l, which is rotated about its longitudinal axis and

Fig. 3, the chain guide according to the invention according to Fig.l in a further perspective view. In Figs. 1 to 3, the chain guide 1 consists of at least one molded part of lubricious, abrasion-resistant plastic. The molding is formed in the manner of an elongated C-profile. The plastic is advantageously a polyamide 12 produced from lauryl lactam.

In accordance with the structural conditions in the packaging machine, the molded part may, in addition to its separate longitudinal extent, also be embodied separately in a curved manner, for example in the area of the return / deflection of the transport chain. Over its length, the molded part has a plurality of cleaning openings 4 extending in the planar surface region of the profile limb 1.2, approximately parallel to the profile web 1.1, the mouth of which lies in the region of the sliding guide 5 formed in the molded part.

For better drainage of the cleaning agent from the interior of the sliding guide 5 more cleaning openings 4 may be included in the profile leg 1.3 of the formed as a C-shaped molding. The existing in the respective profile limb 1.2 and 1.3 cleaning openings can be set in number and size so that the cleaning agent reaches each inner region of the chain guide and can flow out of this, without affecting the strength and rigidity of the chain guide in a negative way.

A first variant of the arrangement of the cleaning openings 4 is that the mouths of existing in the profile limb 1.2 openings the cleaning openings 4 are arranged in the profile leg 1.3 existing cleaning openings 4 diametrically opposite one another. A second arrangement variant of the cleaning openings 4 consists in that the openings of the cleaning openings 4 present in the one profile limb 1.2 are offset in relation to the mouths of the cleaning openings 4 present in the other profile limb 1.3. In the first arrangement variant, the mouths of the existing in the profile limb 1.2 and 1.3 cleaning ports 4 are connected by at least one incorporated into the inside of the profile web 1.1, open channel 4.1. Also in the second arrangement variant, the mouths can be connected by corresponding incorporated, open connection channels (not shown).

In a further embodiment of the invention form the profile leg 1.2 and 1.3 in the direction of the vertically extending profile web 1.1 an inclination 6. It is thereby achieved that the cleaning agent can drain off or drip off after completion of the cleaning process of the respective ProfilSchenkel.

To connect the respective chain guide 1 with the packaging machine several the profile web 1.1 vertically penetrating, designed in the manner of a slot openings 2 for receiving in each case a fastening means, for example a threaded screw present.

The connection of the chain guide with a suitable carrier means of the packaging machine can be made such that the profile leg 1.3 of the chain guide 1 does not rest on its full length on the support means, but only in sections, so that in particular the support of the support lying opposite cleaning openings 4 of the chain guide 1 are free. Also, the openings 2 are formed so that a sufficient clearance is present transversely to the chain guide 1 between the openings 2 and the fastening means, not shown, in order to adjust the chain guide 1 relative to the carrier means of the packaging machine can.

In a further embodiment of the invention, as shown in particular Fig.l shows, for the purpose of sectionally clamping the Bottom film, provided in the profile web 1.1, namely at right angles to the respective opening 2, a direction in the opening 2 and directed to the fastening means, not shown threaded through hole 3. In the respective threaded passage bore a clamping means 7 is received, with which, as already mentioned, the tension of the thermoplastic lower film can be influenced transversely to its transport direction.

The claims now filed with the application and later are attempts to formulate without prejudice to the attainment of further protection.

If, on closer examination, in particular also of the relevant prior art, it appears that one or the other feature is beneficial for the purpose of the invention, but not of decisive importance, it is of course already desired to formulate such a feature , in particular in the main claim, no longer having.

The references cited in the dependent claims indicate the further development of the subject matter of the main claim by the features of the respective subclaim. However, these are not to be understood as a waiver of obtaining independent, objective protection for the features of the dependent claims.

Features that have hitherto been disclosed only in the description may be claimed in the course of the method as of essential importance to the invention, for example to distinguish from the prior art.

Features that have been disclosed only in the description, or even individual features of claims that include a plurality of features, at any time for the purpose of distinction from the prior art in the first claim can be taken, even if such features have been mentioned in connection with other characteristics or achieve particularly favorable results in connection with other characteristics.

Claims

Claims:

1. Chain guide for an endlessly circulating film transport chain in packaging machines, characterized in that the chain guide (1) is a molded plastic part consisting of molding, which has at least one cleaning opening (4) whose mouth in the region of a formed in the molded part sliding guide ( 5) is located.

2. Chain guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the chain guide extends from at least one longitudinal and / or arc-shaped molded part.

3. chain guide according to one or both of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chain guide

(1) is designed in the manner of a C-profile and / or the molded part has sufficient inherent rigidity.

4. chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one Surface of the at least one cleaning opening (4) having ProfiIschenkels (1.2) forms a slope (6) in the direction of the vertically extending profile web (1.1).

5. Chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cleaning opening (4) is contained in a first profile limb (1.2) and / or second profile limb (1.3) of the formed as a C-shaped molding.

6. Chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at several existing in the molding cleaning openings (4), these are arranged according to a predetermined sequence and / or the mouths of the cleaning openings (4) are arranged diametrically opposite one another.

7. Chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mouths of the cleaning openings (4) are arranged offset opposite and / or the mouths of the cleaning openings (4) with at least one in the inside of the profile web (1.1) incorporated, open Channel (4.1) are connected.

8. Chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chain guide is connected by openings (2) inserted fastening means directly to the packaging machine, in particular the frame is connectable.

9. chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chain guide (1) for connection to the packaging machine, the profile web (1.1) preferably vertically penetrating Has openings (2) for receiving in each case a fastening means.

10. Chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that transversely to the chain guide (1) between the respective opening (2) and the fastening means a sufficient clearance is present.

11. Chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the profile web

(1.1) for the purpose of sectionally clamping a thermoplastic lower film, transversely to the transport direction and at right angles to the longitudinal axis (1.2) of the respective opening (2) in at least one of the openings (2) ends a threaded through-bore (3) for receiving a clamping means (7) ,

12. Chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the molded part consists of abrasion-resistant, lubricious plastic.

13. Chain guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic is a made of laurolactam polyamide 12 or poly ethylene or epoxy resin.

14. Packaging machine, characterized by a chain guide (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims.

15. Packaging machine according to claim 14, characterized in that the packaging machine has tools for forming the packaging and / or for cutting and / or closing the packaging, such as for welding or sealing.