Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
  • B65B31/04—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied
  • B65B31/041—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied the nozzles acting from above on containers or wrappers open at their top
  • B65B31/042—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied the nozzles acting from above on containers or wrappers open at their top the nozzles being arranged for insertion into, and withdrawal from, the container or wrapper
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/001—Packaging other articles presenting special problems of foodstuffs, combined with their conservation
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
  • B65B3/02—Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
  • B65B31/04—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied
  • B65B31/046—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied the nozzles co-operating, or being combined, with a device for opening or closing the container or wrapper
  • B65B31/048—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied the nozzles co-operating, or being combined, with a device for opening or closing the container or wrapper specially adapted for wrappers or bags
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
  • B65B43/08—Forming three-dimensional containers from sheet material
  • B65B43/10—Forming three-dimensional containers from sheet material by folding the material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
  • B65B43/26—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks
  • B65B43/30—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks by grippers engaging opposed walls, e.g. suction-operated
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
  • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
  • B65B51/14—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by reciprocating or oscillating members
  • B65B51/146—Closing bags
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
  • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
  • B65B51/16—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by rotary members
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
  • B65B55/02—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
  • B65B55/025—Packaging in aseptic tunnels
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
  • B65B55/02—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
  • B65B55/04—Sterilising wrappers or receptacles prior to, or during, packaging
  • B65B55/10—Sterilising wrappers or receptacles prior to, or during, packaging by liquids or gases

Definitions

• This invention relates to an industrial procedure for filling alcoholic beverages, in particular wine, into stand-up type pouches made from polylaminate material.
• This invention also relates to a filling machine designed to perform the procedure.
• the machine according to the invention comprises certain operating stations which are able to perform various advanced functions during the filling steps, at the end of which there is a final product of high quality, which is especially necessary in the presence of high quality wines.
• This invention can be applied in the field of machines for filling beverages such as wines or the like in containers and in particular in paper-based polylaminate containers.
• cellulose-based polylaminate container This is a packaging system for foodstuffs which is widely used throughout the world for the conservation of a wide variety of beverages and liquid foodstuffs such as milk and fruit juices.
• the polylaminate packaging is a container which, depending on the commercial life-span of the product, can consist of paper, plastic and aluminium or paper and plastic.
• the first type allows a long conservation of the foods, of between six and twenty four months, at ambient temperature, whilst the container made of paper and plastic is used for the short-term conservation of fresh foods at low temperatures.
• the cellulose-based polylaminate containers are currently made using machines for the production of beverage containers, also for single use, where the machines comprise means for making containers made from polylaminate material, starting from a sheet of polylaminate material made of paper, generally comprising two main folds facing each other and sealed at the edges, a bottom fold joined with the main folds and withdrawn between the two main folds along a median line and an opening positioned between the two main folds in a counter-opposed position with respect to the base fold.
• Patent document US 2011/167763 Al also describes a system which allows the filling and closing by heat sealing, of stand-up type containers.
• These machines comprise filling means designed to introduce a predetermined quantity of liquid in the container, closing means designed for closing the opening after introduction of the liquid, as well as means allowing a predetermined quantity of inert gas to be injected into the container, after introducing the liquid .
• the prior art machines do not allow finished containers with a high quality to be obtained and consequently the beverages contained therein are easily perishable especially if they are alcoholic beverages, in particular wine, which is notoriously much more subject to oxidation phenomena and deterioration, compared with other beverages.
• the present invention provides a procedure and a machine which makes it possible to eliminate or at least reduce the drawbacks described above.
• the machine for implementing the procedure according to the invention substantially comprises means which allow the making in series of containers which can be filled with alcoholic beverages, in particular wine, starting from a continuous sheet of cellulose-based polylaminate material made—e-f—paper having an extremely robust laminar structure; it not being possible to use this material according to the prior art procedures and with the prior art machines.
• the machine for implementing the procedure according to the invention uses a plurality of workstations, including a station for pre-shaping the container, a station for dosing gas in the presence of ultraviolet ray lamps, a station for dosing the alcoholic beverage, in particular wine, a further station for dosing inert gas positioned immediately upstream of a closing station in which the container is hermetically closed by heat or ultrasound sealing.
• Figure 1 illustrates a schematic side view showing the layout of the different workstations of an automatic packaging machine of containers made from polylaminate material filled with an alcoholic beverage, in particular wine;
• Figure 2 illustrates a schematic perspective view of certain operational steps of the machine for implementing the procedure according to the invention
• Figure 3 illustrates a schematic view from below of a portion of the machine for implementing the procedure according to the invention wherein a filled container is moved through a tunnel for bringing together the open flaps of the container;
• Figure 4 illustrates a schematic perspective view of the structure of the tunnel of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 illustrates a schematic front view of the outlet of the tunnel of Figure 3;
• Figure 6 illustrates a schematic side view of the upper portion of a container made according to the invention, with particular reference to the first sealing of the upper portion;
• Figure 7 schematically illustrates the first sealing operation of the upper portion of the container as shown in Figure 6;
• Figure 8 illustrates a schematic side view of the upper portion of a container made according to the invention, with particular reference to the second sealing of the upper portion;
• Figure 9 schematically illustrates the second sealing operation of the upper portion of the container as shown in Figure 8;
• FIG. 10A, 10B, IOC and 10D illustrate schematic side views in which the different sealings made on the container are respectively shown according to the procedure of the invention.
• Figure 1 shows a machine for implementing the procedure according to the invention designed for packaging and filling containers made from polylaminate material, indicated overall with the number 10.
• the machine for implementing the procedure according to the invention generally comprises a machine for packaging containers made of polylaminate material, where the containers are initially made in known fashion starting from a continuous sheet of cellulose-based polylaminate material which is unwound from a reel 11, which passes between rollers positioned at an initial station 12 in which the sheet is folded into two main flaps alongside each other.
• a similar machine, with a circular structure, is described in the above-mentioned patent document US 2012/0008884 Al .
• a first important feature of the invention is the type of polylaminate material which is used for implementing the procedure according to the invention.
• the conventional polylaminate materials used for producing containers also for single use, for long-life food products are not suitable for the production of containers for alcoholic beverages, in particular wine.
• the conventional containers are equipped with a layer of paper with a low basic weight, in particular less than 100g/m2, which is not able to adequately withstand the sophisticated sealing procedures to which the containers must be subjected after filling with the aim of guaranteeing the perfect seal, sterility and substantial absence of oxygen inside the container.
• cellulose-based polylaminate materials wherein the cellulose layer comprises cardboard with a basic weight of between 150 and 250 g/m2.
• excellent results can be obtained using a cellulose-based polylaminate material wherein the cellulose layer comprises cardboard with a basic weight of 180g/m2.
• a sheet made of polylaminate material which can be used for implementing the procedure according to the invention has the following structure, starting from the outer side towards the inner side of the finished container:
• LDPE low-density polyethylene
• LDPE low-density polyethylene
• LDPE low-density polyethylene
• LLDPE film 25 micron 23g/m2.
• the sheet folded previously is intercepted inside a second workstation 13 by a component which pushes it at its lower folded edge, in such a way as to form a bottom fold folded inside and upwards.
• the shaped container which is still in the form of a continuous sheet which in a vertical section is now substantially "W"-shaped, is subjected to a first heat- sealing process of two counter-opposing vertical edges 40, 41 (see Figures 10A to 10D) , using conventional heat- sealing devices, which operate cyclically during the continuous feed of the sheet.
• the sheet pre-shaped and with the vertical edges 40, 41 heat sealed is then subjected to operations for separating the various containers by cutting with conventional counter-opposing blades, creating a series of substantially rectangular, closed containers.
• the separated containers each of which has a base with a "W"-shaped vertical cross-section and two vertical heat-sealed sides, are now close to a plurality of further workstations for filling and closing the individual containers.
• the container which is formed possesses a rigidity which is much greater than that of conventional containers of the stand-up type used for food products.
• the means conventionally used for opening containers with the aim of being able to fill them the means comprising a mechanism with suckers acting on the counter-opposing flaps of the container and a jet of air acting in the container (see, for example, patent document US 2012/0008884 Al), are not absolutely sufficient to guarantee the complete opening of the containers used in the procedure according to the invention, due to the greater rigidity of the latter.
• the machine designed to implement the procedure according to the invention therefore has, as well as the conventional system with suckers and a jet of air to perform a preliminary opening of the containers, the following additional workstations, the operation of which is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2:
• station 15 wherein the mouth of the opening 21 is mechanically opened by inserting in the mouth of each container a truncated cone-shaped tool with an elliptical cross section, that is hollow inside, as well as sending a high pressure jet of air inside the truncated cone-shaped tool with the aim of further widening the base of the container;
• station 16 for injecting sterilising gas, in particular nitrogen, inside each container 21 station 16 for injecting sterilising gas, in particular nitrogen, inside each container 21.
• sterilising gas in particular nitrogen
• the prior art systems for example that described in patent document US 2012/0008884 Al, have a single nozzle which blows an inert gas, for example nitrogen, inside the container 21 with the aim of reducing the presence of oxygen inside the container 21.
• the elimination of the oxygen inside the container must be as accurate as possible with the aim of avoiding the formation of oxidation reactions of the product inside the containers once they are closed.
• the station 16 comprises an elongated cylindrical nozzle 25 which is inserted to the bottom inside each container 21 and emits a high pressure jet of inert gas, in particular nitrogen, at the base of the container. This allows a further final opening of the base of the container, and guarantees the almost total elimination of the oxygen present inside the container.
• the nozzle 25 during its movement is subjected to the action of a pair of UV lamps 26 which guarantee the constant disinfection;
• nozzle 31 comprising a flat element that is hollow inside, which is movable in the same direction of movement as the containers, which sprays an inert gas in the closing area of the container, with the aim of avoiding the presence of oxygen in the closing area;
• a station 19 for sterilising the closing area in which the upper portion of each container 21 is inserted inside a sterilising tunnel 35 having a structure with the shape of an elongated tunnel inside of which there is a fork 36 that definitively moves together the upper edges of the container 21 moved forward.
• the tunnel 35 is also equipped with a series of holes (not shown in the Figures) through which an inert gas, for example nitrogen, is sprayed in the sealing area with the aim of avoiding the presence of oxygen;
• pre-sealing station 20 positioned at the outlet of the tunnel 35, and in which the upper part of the container 21 passes through a pair of pre-heating rollers 3.0 which definitively close the container, preparing it for the entrance into the sealing stations .
• each container 21 moves forward pushed by gripping means of the conventional type forming part of automatic filling machines for liquid food products.
• the conventional systems for filling containers of the stand-up type there are generally one or two sealing stations, in particular heat sealing, which are typically identical, the aim of the second sealing operation being solely that of strengthening the effects of the first sealing.
• the procedure according to the invention which uses a cellulose-based polylaminate material wherein the cellulose layer has a basic weight of less than 150g/m2
• the conventional sealing system is not sufficient to guarantee the total seal of the container filled with an alcoholic beverage, in particular wine.
• the machine 10 comprises a sealing station 38 inside of which there are two sealing systems which perform different operations.
• the first sealing system comprises a sealing unit 55 with counter-opposing plates 56, 56' rotatable about a common pin 57.
• Each plate 56, 56' is equipped with a shaped sealing area 58, 58' raised relative to the profile of the plate, which is able to perform high temperature sealing of a predetermined shaped area 60 of the container 21.
• the high temperature sealing (at about 250°C) allows any liquid residue present in the sealing area to be eliminated, thereby avoiding the formation of possible bubbles which can result in an imperfect seal of the container 21.
• the sealing which acts on a limited surface, can, according to the invention, be performed by heat as described above; however, the sealing can also be performed by ultrasound or by electro-induction.
• the second sealing system comprises a sealing unit 65 having a pair of counter-opposing plates 66, 66', which are movable linearly in the same direction and in opposite directions.
• the final closed container 21 has, in effect, three different types of sealings; more specifically, the initial sealing areas 40, 41 of the vertical edges of the container, the high temperature sealing area 60 of the upper shaped edge of the container, and the low temperature sealing area 67 of the upper flaps of the container.
• the container reaches a final cutting station 43, wherein a pair of side portions of the upper part of the container 21 are cut and separated from the container, which adopts the shape of a bottle.
• the container is then sent to further steps for storage .
• this succession of steps ensures that the filling of the liquid foodstuff, in particular wine, takes place under conditions which are absolutely favourable for keeping it inside- the container, creating the ideal conditions for its perfect conservation in this particular type of container created specifically for single-use consumption.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
• Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
• Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
• Package Closures (AREA)
• Distillation Of Fermentation Liquor, Processing Of Alcohols, Vinegar And Beer (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=46939910

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (15)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (19)

• 2012
  • 2012-08-10 IT IT000169A patent/ITVR20120169A1/it unknown
• 2013
  • 2013-08-09 WO PCT/IB2013/056531 patent/WO2014024172A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2013-08-09 CN CN201380050309.5A patent/CN104684810B/zh active Active
  • 2013-08-09 US US14/420,552 patent/US20150203222A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-08-09 EP EP13777147.3A patent/EP2882652B1/en active Active
  • 2013-08-09 ES ES13777147.3T patent/ES2610008T3/es active Active

Patent Citations (6)

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