WO2021033204A1

WO2021033204A1 - A vertical form-fill-seal machine for making a package filled with product having anticounterfeiting feature

Info

Publication number: WO2021033204A1
Application number: PCT/IN2020/050723
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ashok Chaturvedi
Original assignee: Ashok Chaturvedi
Priority date: 2019-08-20
Filing date: 2020-08-20
Publication date: 2021-02-25

Abstract

The present invention describes a vertical form-fill-seal machine for making a pouch having security against counterfeiting. The machine comprises a packaging substrate unwinder holding a flexible packaging substrate web, a security strip assembly, a tube forming assembly, a hopper, and a horizontal sealer. The security strip assembly comprises a security strip unwinder, a webs sealer unit and a web joint pressing unit. The security strip assembly makes a joint web of a security strip substrate web and the flexible packaging substrate web by sealing a first overlapped area of second longitudinal edge of the strip substrate web with first longitudinal edge of the packaging substrate web. The security strip substrate includes security features on complete or partial area of the strip substrate. The forming assembly forms a closed tube. The horizontal sealer seals bottom and top of the formed tube in sequence after filling products through the hopper.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention relates to a vertical form-fill-seal machine for making a package filled with products having security against counterfeiting. More particularly the present invention relates to a vertical form-fill-seal machine having a security strip assembly for making a package filled with products having security against counterfeiting.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[002] The sale of counterfeit products is an ever-increasing problem, nowadays. Such counterfeit products are frequently packaged so that they resemble the genuine products as closely as possible with a view to mislead the purchaser into believing that genuine products are being bought. This causes concern to the manufacturer of the genuine products. More importantly, however, the counterfeit product is often of inferior quality to the genuine product and thus their sale can seriously damage the reputation of the manufacturer of the genuine product and the consumers, in future, will be less inclined to purchase even the genuine goods.

[003] Further, in the case where the counterfeit products are, for example, products packed in flexible or rigid packages, they may not meet the quality control standards of the manufacturer of the original products and may thus constitute a risk to the safety of the user.

[004] Various other features for example a transparent window to see the product inside the package and to have a real view of the product in order to attract the customer, create trust of quality, are preferred by customers in addition to anti-counterfeiting features to gain customer attention.

[005] A large variety of products such as snack foods, seeds, ready to fry products, juices, oils etc. are packaged in pillow packs, generally made on vertical form, fill & seal machines. Such packages have centre sealing overlapping the two layers of the film / laminate in the vertical direction forming a tube. While cross sealing the tube to separate filled pouches the sealing jaws need to press two layers in most of the width of the pouch but middle portion has four layers (in region ‘p’ as shown in FIG. 7) of the packaging substrate during the heat sealing. This sometimes causes poor sealing in four layered region between the sealing jaws. The poor sealing may compromise package integrity and also cause leakages particularly in the case of liquid products.

[006] Accordingly, there is a need of a machine to manufacture a flexible package having a strip with security feature(s) against the counterfeiting, which can be manufactured with stronger transverse sealing strength, making the features less prone to counterfeiting yet keeping the packaging economical, attractive and effective enough.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[007] The present invention describes a vertical form-fill-seal machine for making a pouch having security against counterfeiting. The machine comprises a packaging substrate unwinder for providing a flexible packaging substrate of a first predetermined width from a packaging substrate web held by the packaging substrate unwinder in roll, a security strip assembly for making a joint web of a security strip substrate web of a second predetermined width and the flexible packaging substrate web, by sealing a first overlapped area of second longitudinal edge of the strip substrate web with first longitudinal edge of the packaging substrate web, the strip substrate being provided by a strip unwinder from a strip substrate web held by the strip unwinder in roll, a forming assembly configured for converting the joint web of the packaging substrate web and the strip substrate web into a continuously or intermittently formed closed tube having open top and bottom, by sealing a second overlapped area of first longitudinal edge of the security strip with second longitudinal edge of the packaging substrate web defining an interior space of the package, using a vertical sealer, a hopper configured with the forming assembly, for filling one or more products to be packed into the formed closed tube, and a horizontal sealer configured with the forming assembly, for sealing the top / bottom opening of the formed tube making the pouch of a predetermined volume. [008] The security strip assembly comprises a strip unwinder, a web sealer unit and a web joint pressing unit. The security strip is sealed on outer surface of the packaging substrate. The security strip is sealed on inner surface of the packaging substrate. The security strip substrate includes one or more security features on complete or partial area of the security strip substrate. The horizontal sealer includes a cutter for example, but not limited to, a flying knife.

Brief Description of Drawings

[009] The advantages and features of the present invention shall be better understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols and in which:

[010] FIG. 1A illustrates rear isometric view of a vertical FFS machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[011] FIG. 1 B illustrates front isometric view of the vertical FFS machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[012] FIG. 2A illustrates a security strip assembly of the VFFS machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[013] FIG. 2B illustrates a security strip unwinder of the security strip assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[014] FIG. 2C illustrates a web sealer unit of the security strip assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[015] FIG. 2D illustrates a web joint pressing unit of the security strip assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[016] FIG. 3 illustrates a vertical sealer assembly of the VFFS machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[017] FIG. 4 illustrates a process along with web path of manufacturing of the flexible package using the VFFS machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention; [018] FIG. 5 illustrates a flexible package manufactured using the VFFS machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[019] FIG. 6 and 6a illustrate section views of the package depicting the polymeric security strip substrate sealed with the inner and outer surface of a panel of the flexible package, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[020] FIG. 7 illustrates a flexible package of prior art depicting four layers during cross sealing.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the description of several views of the drawings.

Detailed Description of the Present Invention

[021] Description of the Invention for a thorough understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description in connection with the abovementioned drawings. Although the present invention is described with reference to exemplary embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but these are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Further, it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation in the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the figures and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Further, reference herein to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, characteristic, or function described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, the appearances of such phrase at various places herein are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

[022] Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 4, 5 and 6, the present invention relates to a continuous or intermittent vertical Form-Fill-Seal (“VFFS”) machine (100) for making a pouch (500) having security against counterfeiting. The VFFS machine (100) includes a packaging substrate unwinder (102), a security strip assembly (200), a forming assembly, a hopper (114), a control unit (120) and a horizontal sealer (124, 402). The packaging substrate unwinder (102) holds a packaging substrate web (160) of suitable width in roll (104). These components are mounted on a main frame (126). The control unit (120) is a programmable controller for controlling various functions and parameters of the various units /assemblies of the FFS machine (100). The machine (100) further includes one or more servo drives or any other suitable mechanism, controlled by the control unit (120) for synchronizing the speed of various units / assemblies of the machine (100).

[023] As shown in the FIG. 2A, the security strip assembly (200) includes a security strip unwinder (106), a webs sealer unit (108) and a web joint pressing unit (110). The security strip unwinder (106) holds a security strip substrate web (170) of suitable width in roll (105). The security strip substrate includes one or more security features (510) on complete or partial surface area of one or both surface of the security strip substrate (506). Further, the security strip assembly (200) is configured for making joint web of the packaging substrate web (160) and the security strip substrate web (170). Referring to FIG. 2C and 2D, the web sealer unit (108) includes a sealer (214) for sealing the longitudinal overlapped area of the packaging substrate web (160) and the security strip substrate web (170), a web sealer movement cylinder (216) for actuating the sealer (214) between sealing position and non-sealing position, and a flatbed unit (not shown in FIGs.) for providing support during sealing of the overlapped area of the webs (160, 170).

[024] According to an exemplary embodiment, the flexible packaging substrate (160) other than the security strip substrate web (170) is made of flexible substrates such as single or multilayer polymeric film or a laminate with / without a metal foil / metallization, and a fibrous substrate or combination thereof. The fibrous substrate can be at least one of a natural fibre substrate like paper (coated or uncoated), paperboard, non-woven, woven substrate of synthetic fibres.

[025] The single or multilayer polymeric films can be at least one or in combinations with Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) film, Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) film, Poly Carbonate (PC), Cast Polypropylene (CPP) film, Mylar, Nylon (PA), and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate or any other polymer or Bio degradable polymer.

[026] The metal foil in the packaging substrate (160) can be atleast one of Aluminium, Copper, Silver, any other metal or metal alloy or metalized layer of Aluminium, Aluminium Oxide, zinc sulphide, Silicon Oxide, Silver, Gold, Copper, Chrome, silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, magnesium fluoride, titanium dioxide, tin tungsten oxide and indium tin oxide or any other suitable metal.

[027] The packaging substrate (160) can be surface or reverse printed. The printed content (not shown) may be in the form of logo, trademark, picture, graphics or text or any other information as desired. The printed content may be one of text / images printed with ink, hot foil printed /stamped text / images. The substrate may also be surface treated with corona or any other suitable method or coated to increase surface energy or untreated as per the requirement of the manufacturing processes.

[028] The security strip substrate (170) may be made of flexible substrates such as single or multilayer polymeric film or a laminate with / without a metal foil / metallization, and a fibrous substrate or combination thereof. The security strip substrate (170) may be opaque, transparent or translucent based on the requirement or product to be packaged. The opaque polymeric security strip substrate (170) is one of polymeric monolayer or multilayer film or laminate, foil, paper, woven or non-woven fibrous substrate or a combination thereof, printed or unprinted says for example, the fibrous substrate can be at least one of a natural fibre substrate like paper (coated or uncoated), paperboard, non-woven, woven substrate of synthetic fibres.

[029] The single or multilayer polymeric films in the security strip (170) can be at least one or in combinations with Polyethylene (PE), Biaxially- Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate (BOPET) film, Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) film, Poly Carbonate (PC), Cast Polypropylene (CPP) film, Mylar, Nylon (PA), and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate or any other polymer or Bio degradable polymer.

[030] The metal foil in the security strip (170) can be atleast one of Aluminium, Copper, Silver, any other metal or metal alloy or metalized layer of Aluminium, Aluminium Oxide, zinc sulphide, Silicon Oxide, Silver, Gold, Copper, Chrome, silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, magnesium fluoride, titanium dioxide, tin tungsten oxide and indium tin oxide or any other suitable metal.

[031] In case of transparent security strip substrate (170), the security strip substrate (170) can be a polymeric monolayer or multilayer film / laminate having layer(s) of polymeric materials such as, but not limited to, at least one of Polyethylene (PE), Biaxially-Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate (BOPET) film, Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) film, Poly Carbonate (PC), Cast Polypropylene (CPP) film, Nylon (PA), EVOH and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate or any other polymer or Bio degradable polymer or a combination thereof.

[032] It should be appreciated that in case of transparent security strip substrate (170), a clear barrier coating of metal oxide or sulphide materials on one or both surfaces of the transparent polymeric strip substrate or on at least one layer of multilayer laminate, is applied. Vacuum metallization is one of methods of applying barrier coatings using but not limited to, Aluminium Oxide or silicon oxide or Zinc Sulphide or any other metal compound offering transparent barrier layer or combination thereof. Another type of solvent based or aqueous liquid coatings such as PVdC, EVOH, EAA, or Acrylics may be applied by rotogravure or flexographic printing or spray coating or any other suitable method. Another type of barrier coating such as Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) may also be used.

[033] The security features (510) incorporated on the polymeric security strip substrate (170) is at least one of a hologram, 3-dimensional patterns, latent image(s), optical patterns, Fresnel lenses, sterling lenses, or a combination thereof. The security feature can be covert or overt. The covert security feature requires certain filter, UV light, sensor or equipment to view the security features while overt security features are visible without any aid. The security feature can be incorporated on the security strip registered or unregistered using suitable methods known in the art such as hard embossing, soft embossing or cast & cure using UV or e-beam curing or hot stamping.

[034] The packaging substrate web (160) from roll (104) and the security strip substrate web roll (105) are pulled up through one or more guides in their individual transfer routes. Both the webs follow a common route after meeting at the web sealer unit (108) where both webs (160, 170) are joined longitudinally by sealing a first overlapped area (506a or 506b) of second longitudinal edge of the strip substrate web (170) with first longitudinal edge of the packaging substrate web (160), using the sealer (214) of the web sealer unit (108). The web sealer unit (108) is configured to seal the first overlapped area (506a or 506b) using any suitable sealing methods including, but not limited to, heat sealing. The web joint pressing unit (110) is configured to apply pressure on the joint area (506a or 506b) of the webs (160, 170) received from the web sealer unit (108), to strengthen the joint of the webs (160, 170).

[035] In FIG. 2A and 2B, the strip unwind unit (106) is configured to be attached to the web sealing unit (108) and the web joint pressing unit (110) in a fixed position. Further, the strip unwind unit (106) is operably coupled to the strip guide (256) and the adjusting screw (206) and configured to be selectively movable the strip substrate (170) through a roller (208) by using a reel nut (204) and a reel shaft (202). The reel nut (204) ant the reel shaft (202) is movable on its axis in a predetermined orientation and placed on a mounting plate (210). The mounting plate (210) on the other side carries a braking system (212) for controlling the speed of the strip unwind unit (106). [036] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the funnel shaped hopper (114) is configured with the tube forming assembly (406), for filling one or more products to be packed into the formed closed tube as shown in FIG. 1B. The product is fed by gravity in measured quantity into the chute (116) from the hopper (114) and transferred into the bottom closed tube so as to be sealed transversely on top and cut / perforated using the horizontal sealer (124), resulting in discharging packed bags in sequence.

[037] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the joint web (404) is transferred from the security strip assembly (200) to the tube forming assembly (406) through a predetermined route having a plurality of guide rollers. The forming assembly (406) includes a vertical sealer (118) having a pair of pullies (112) and a chute (116). As shown in FIG. 3, the vertical sealer (118) includes a vertical sealer movement cylinder (302) for actuating the vertical sealer (118) to move horizontally between sealing position and non-sealing position. The forming assembly (406) is configured to convert the joint web (404) into a formed tube having open top and bottom, by sealing a second overlapped area (506a or 506b) of first longitudinal edge of the security strip web (170) with second longitudinal edge of the packaging substrate web (160) defining an interior space of the package, using the vertical sealer (118).

[038] The joint web (404) moves downwards at a predetermined speed over the tube forming assembly (406) with the pull force of the pair of pulley (112). It should be contemplated that the width (180) of the joint web (404) is slightly less than the combined widths of the packaging substrate web (160) and the security strip substrate web (170). Various components of the vertical sealer (302) have already been described hereinabove hence repeated description of the vertical sealer (302) has been precluded from this disclosure for the sake of brevity.

[039] In one embodiment, the overlapped areas (506a, 506b) of the formed tube are sealed in such a way as to keep the security strip on the inner surface of the packaging substrate of the tube, as shown in FIG. 6A. In other embodiment, the overlapped areas of the formed tube are sealed in such a way as to keep the security strip (170) on the exterior surface of the packaging substrate of the tube as shown in FIG. 6B.

[040] The horizontal sealer (124, 402) is so constructed that it is provided with a pair of sealing jaws for sealing the tubular web transversely by pressure and heating and moving the web downward while keeping the web clamped to provide necessary dwell time whereby the tube is transversely sealed as it is transferred continuously without stopping the tube every time or intermittently with stoppage of tube, when it is transversely sealed. Further, subsequent to the transverse sealing of the tube by the horizontal sealer (124, 402), products such as liquid, powder or granules are fed by gravity in measured quantity into the chute (116) from the hopper (114) and transferred downward into the bottom sealed tube so as to be sealed transversely on top and cut / perforated or cut resulting in discharging packed bags individually or in strips of number of pouches separated by perforation. The type of the horizontal sealer (124, 402) may be, but not limited to, D-motion horizontal sealer as described in Indian patent application number 1189/DEL/2009. [041] The web sealer movement cylinder (216) and the vertical sealer movement cylinder may be mechanical, pneumatic, electric, hydraulic, rotary or any other actuating mechanism known in the art. The package with packed content is cut individually or in batch by a suitable cutter, to be collected for further packing and dispatch. In some embodiment, the cutter may be a part of the horizontal sealer such as horizontal sealer with flying knife.

[042] FIG. 4 illustrates a process diagram (400) along with web path of manufacturing of the flexible package using the VFFS machine (100), according to an embodiment of the present invention. Since the process path shown in FIG. 4 is already described hereinabove with respect to machine (100) and its various parts, hence repetition has been precluded for the sake of brevity of the present disclosure.

[043] FIG. 5 illustrates a flexible package (500) manufactured using the VFFS machine (100), according to an embodiment of the present invention. The package (500) includes a front panel (502, 602), a rear panel (504, 604) and the security strip (506, 606) having security features (510).

[044] FIG. 6 and 6a illustrate section views of the package (500) depicting the polymeric security strip substrate sealed with the inner and outer surface of a panel of the flexible package, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Since the package, its various parts and its section views are already covered hereinabove hence repetition of these have been precluded for the sake of brevity of the present disclosure.

[045] As described in the background section and as shown in FIG. 7, there are four layers (702, 704, 706 and 708) at the middle in the region ‘p’ during cross heat sealing which may cause poor sealing whereas in the present invention there are only three layers (602, 604, and 606) during the cross heat sealing where the strip (506, 606) is overlapping the panel (502, 602), as depicted in FIGs. 5 and 6. Because of lesser number of layers compared to prior art described in the background, at the middle during cross sealing, the quality of sealing and time taken in the cross sealing both are improved. [046] Although the machine (100) described herein is shown as a single track machine for making the package for simplify, it should be contemplated that the machine (100) can also be a double track or multi track for increasing the production capacity of the machine, without limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The double track and multi-track machines for making the package are known in the art, hence description of the double and multi-track machines are precluded for the sake of brevity of the present disclosure.

[048] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description only. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms and sequence of steps disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof.

Dated this 20^th day of Aug., 2019

Claims

I claim:

1. A vertical form-fill-seal machine (100) for making a pouch (500) having security against counterfeiting, the machine comprising:

- a packaging substrate web un-winder (102) for providing a flexible packaging substrate (160) of a first predetermined width from a packaging substrate web (160) in roll (104) held by the packaging substrate un-winder;

-a security strip assembly (200) for making a joint web of a security strip substrate (170) of a second predetermined width and the flexible packaging substrate (160), by sealing a first overlapped area (506a or 506b) of second longitudinal edge of the strip substrate (170) with first longitudinal edge of the packaging substrate (160), the strip substrate (170) being provided by a strip un-winder (106) from a strip substrate web (170) held by the strip un-winder (106) in roll;

-a forming assembly (406) configured for converting the joint web of the packaging substrate (160) and the strip substrate (170) into a continuous formed closed tube having open top and bottom, by sealing a second overlapped area (506a or 506b) of first longitudinal edge of the security strip (170) with second longitudinal edge of the packaging substrate (160) defining an interior space of the package, using a vertical sealer;

- a hopper (114) configured with the forming assembly (406), for filling products to be packed into the continuous closed tube; and

-a horizontal sealer (124, 402) configured with the forming assembly (406), for sealing the top / bottom opening of the formed tube making the pouch (500) of a predetermined volume.

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security strip assembly (200) comprises a strip un-winder (106), a web sealer unit (108) and a web joint pressing unit (110).

3. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security strip (170) is sealed on outer surface of the packaging substrate (160).

4. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security strips (170) is sealed on inner surface of the packaging substrate (160).

5. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security strip substrate (170) comprises a plurality of security features (510) on at least one surface of the strip substrate (170).

6. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the horizontal sealer (124) comprises a cutter.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein cutter is a flying knife.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the horizontal sealer (124) comprises a perforator.

9. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging substrate (160) is surface or reverse printed in the form of logo, trademark, picture, graphics or text.

10. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security strip substrate (170) is opaque, transparent or translucent.

11. The machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the security features (510) are at least one of a hologram, 3-dimensional patterns, latent image(s), optical patterns, Fresnel lenses, sterling lenses, or a combination thereof.

12. The vertical Form-Fill-Seal machine as claimed in claim 1 is a continuous or intermittent (“VFFS”) machine (100).

13. The vertical Form-Fill-Seal machine as claimed in claim 1 is a single track, a double track or multi-track machine.