WO2023215926A1

WO2023215926A1 - Device for producing two-layer or multi-layer vacuum film packagings and/or two-layer or multi-layer film packagings to which shielding gas has been applied, for foodstuffs

Info

Publication number: WO2023215926A1
Application number: PCT/AT2023/060151
Authority: WO
Inventors: Constantin KUCHLER; Valentina Kuchler
Original assignee: S.A.M. Innovations Gmbh & Co Kg
Priority date: 2022-05-12
Filing date: 2023-05-10
Publication date: 2023-11-16
Also published as: AT525795B1; AT525795A4

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for producing two-layer or multi-layer vacuum film packagings and/or two-layer or multi-layer film packagings to which shielding gas has been applied, for foodstuffs, in particular in the form of cold cuts, comprising a treatment chamber (3) having a hood-shaped upper part (1) and a lower part (2), wherein the upper part (1) and the lower part (2) are movable relative to one another between an open loading position and a closed operating position, as well as a welding apparatus located in the chamber (3) for welding the individual film layers together. The device is designed to process single-sheet films that have been previously cut to packaging size, and therefore a feeder-conveyor unit (4) is provided and located laterally adjacently to the lower part (2), and a further conveyor unit (5) is provided inside the lower part (2), which further conveyor unit can be synchronously driven together with the feeder-conveyor unit (4) preferably by means of a shared drive (6) in order to convey prepared packagings made of multi-layer single-sheet films and comprising foodstuffs located between the film layers completely into the chamber (3) for treatment purposes and to convey same out of the chamber.

Description

DEVICE FOR PRODUCING TWO-LAYER OR MULTIPLE-LAYER VACUUMIZED AND/OR FUMINATED WITH PROTECTIVE GAS FILM PACKAGING FOR FOOD

Technisches GebietTechnical area

The invention relates to a device for producing two- or multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food, in particular in the form of cold cuts, comprising a treatment chamber having a hood-shaped upper part and a lower part, the upper and lower parts being positioned relative to one another between an open one Loading position and a closed operating position can be moved, as well as a welding device arranged in the chamber for welding the individual film layers together.

Stand der TechnikState of the art

The applicant's previous cold cuts and packaging systems produce fresh cold cuts of, for example, sausage and/or cheese, often in the area of deli counters directly in the customer area and pack them in two- or multi-layer transparent film packaging made from individual sheet film sections welded together. A lower individual sheet film is placed as the first layer, the clippings are then placed on top and at least a second layer in the form of another individual sheet film is placed on top and the two layers are welded together. It is also possible to provide additional intermediate layers made of additional individual sheet films in order to separate individual types or portions of cold cuts from one another, with all layers then being welded together during the welding process. Manufacturing directly in the area close to the customer means that the freshness of the products is visible, the packs can be produced on site and sold on the same day. However, the simple welding also allows oxygen to enter the packaging, which means that the goods no longer have a shelf life, in contrast to conventional self-service goods, which are packaged in a protective atmosphere. In addition, the oxygen supply causes the goods to turn gray quickly within a few hours. It is then no longer possible to sell such unsightly packaging. Completely sealed packages that have been packaged under a modified atmosphere are therefore increasingly preferred. So-called “Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) packages can be sold in a longer period than the current 1-3 days without graying or fading of the goods.

The machines on the market for producing such MAP packs are currently only used in large central production facilities and in industry and involve a high investment volume. In industry, too, three devices are needed to represent the process: a "slicer" with which the goods are cut, possibly a connecting device that transports and passes the cut goods to the packaging device, and a packaging device that packs the goods in a protective atmosphere . Since these systems are very cost-intensive, the goods are often placed manually from the slicer into the packaging device. In addition to the high cost, the devices for central production are also significantly larger and louder, which is why they cannot be used in customer areas. Devices in the prior art are only operated with tensioned film rolls, from which the finished packs are punched out during the gassing and welding process. Such an industrial plant that works with continuous film webs is, for example, in the

E.P

1772384

A

disclosed. The gassing chambers must also be able to withstand high pressure during vacuuming and gassing, which is why pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders are usually used for opening and closing, which are correspondingly large, expensive and loud, which also makes use close to the customer area impossible. The use of film webs, from which the packs are only separated after the fumigation and welding process, also leads to more film waste, which is why these devices are not very sustainable in terms of the amount of plastic waste generated.

There is no device that can be used directly in supermarkets and that can produce multi-layer packs packaged under a protective atmosphere. You are therefore dependent on the central supply of standard self-service goods, which are cut in central warehouses. This means that individual requests cannot be addressed or, for example, the cutting thickness can be varied according to customer requirements. This means that it is difficult to sell self-service goods from local, regional producers with often only small quantities.

Darstellung der ErfindungPresentation of the invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to create contemporary packaging for sausage and cheese in the food trade by realizing a new, compact, fully automatic packaging device, which can also be used in supermarkets and can be integrated into existing systems with slicers in the customer area. It should be possible to produce multi-layer MAP packs of, for example, sausage or cheese, individually and at the customer's request, in a very small space. In addition to its compact design, the device should also be inexpensive to purchase and quiet in operation. Unnecessary packaging waste should be avoided and the device should be easy to use and easy to clean.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the device is designed for the processing of individual sheet films that have been cut in advance to the pack size and therefore a feed conveyor unit is provided, which is arranged laterally next to the lower part, and a further conveyor unit is provided within the lower part, which is connected to the feed conveyor unit can preferably be driven synchronously via a common drive in order to transport prepared packs of multi-layered individual sheet films with food located between the film layers completely into the chamber and out again for treatment. In all devices known in the prior art, film webs are always used, which are stretched from a dispenser roll to a waste roll, these film webs being passed through the fumigation space and a punch. If multi-layer packs are to be produced, additional stretched film strips with respective dispenser rolls and waste rolls must be woven into the system, which significantly lengthens the production line. The goods then have to be fed at different points, which complicates the entire process. The gassing chamber usually consists of an upper part and a lower part, between which the at least two film webs with the product in between are clamped and vacuumed and gassed. The advantage of the present invention is that an individual two- or multi-layer packaging including the product can be produced on the applicant's already known slicer machines and then fed to the device according to the invention. The prepared packaging consists of individual sheet films that have already been cut to pack size with product stored in between, which are transported together via the feed conveyor unit over the edge of the lower part of the treatment chamber. There, the synchronously running conveyor unit arranged in the lower part of the treatment chamber takes over the entire packaging and transports it to the middle of the chamber, after which the vacuuming, gassing and welding process is carried out. The finished MAP pack is then transported back out of the treatment chamber by the conveyor unit. Either a further delivery conveyor unit or, for example, a chute can be arranged in the outlet area, via which the finished MAP packs are transported further.

It is a further advantageous feature that the hood-shaped upper part can be lowered or raised along guides aligned normally to the lower part, with a continuous sealing surface being formed in the lowered operating position between the upper edges of the lower part and the lower edges of the upper part. This represents a particularly inexpensive, space-saving and easy-to-clean design. For example, three or four guide rods can be provided for the hood-shaped upper part, along which the upper part can be placed on the lower part or lifted from it. The sealing surface can be formed, for example, by a circumferential elastic sealing band, which is arranged on the upper part or lower part.

According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the upper part can be moved between the loading position and the operating position by means of an electric drive using a toggle lever device. The toggle lever device makes it possible to build up the necessary pressure for the chamber without having to use expensive, structurally larger and, above all, noisy pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders during operation. The toggle lever device can be driven via a spindle using an electric drive and, in the operating position, build up the necessary pressure between the upper and lower parts, which is necessary for gassing.

It is also a preferred feature that the welding device has a heatable welding frame, which is movably mounted in the upper part and can be moved via a drive between a starting position and a welding position essentially parallel to the direction of movement of the upper part, a counter frame for the welding frame being arranged in the lower part so that the film layers are pressed together around the entire packaging in the welding position between the welding frame and the counterframe. The welding frame can be adjusted, for example, via an electric drive in the same direction as the hood-shaped upper part. The drive is preferably arranged outside the hood-shaped upper part and is connected to the welding frame via guide rods through the upper part, the guide rods being movable relative to the upper part.

A further preferred feature of a possible embodiment is that the lower part has a bottom surface and four side walls to form the upper edges for the sealing surface to the upper part, the conveyor unit being fixable together with the counter frame on the bottom surface in the lower part, preferably with the aid of magnetic connections . This means that the counter frame together with the conveyor unit can be completely removed from the lower part and the lower part can be easily cleaned.

It is a further advantageous feature that the transport level of the packaging on the feed conveyor unit and the conveyor unit is higher than the upper edges of the side walls of the lower part. In order for the prepared packaging consisting of cuttings and individual sheets of film to be transported into the treatment chamber, it must be transported over the edge of the lower part. Therefore, at least the last roller of the feed conveyor unit in the conveying direction and the first and last roller of the conveyor unit located in the lower part must be designed such that the actual transport level of the packaging lies above the upper edge of the side walls of the lower part. It is also useful if guide ramps are arranged in sections in the transfer area, which additionally prevent the edges of the individual sheet films from getting caught on the side walls.

According to a further preferred feature, it is provided that the conveyor unit has a holding frame for the storage of at least four conveyor rollers and for the counterframe, with two conveyor rollers being arranged outside the counterframe and two conveyor rollers within the counterframe and one below the other via conveyor belts and/or drive belts are coupled to one another, and one of the external conveyor rollers can be connected to a drive shaft projecting through the lower part to the outside by means of a releasable coupling, whereby all conveyor rollers can be driven in the same direction via the one drive shaft. In this way, a conveyor unit with a counter frame can be created very easily, which is a compact component that can be easily removed for cleaning. Because the conveyor device only has to be coupled to the drive shaft at one point, the entire interior of the lower part can be designed to be essentially flat, which facilitates easy cleaning.

Finally, it is a further advantageous feature that the lower part can be pushed out or removed like a drawer from the device in a maintenance position, the drive shaft protruding from the lower part preferably being able to be coupled or decoupled via at least one gear with a common drive for the feed conveyor unit. This allows easy access for maintenance and cleaning of the base and conveyor unit. The gear for the coupling to the common drive, like the gear of the drive with which it can be brought into engagement, can have chamfers of the teeth facing one another, so that the teeth of the two gears center themselves and are guided into one another when they are pushed together laterally during the coupling process become. This easily avoids misalignments during the coupling process.

Kurze Beschreibung der ZeichnungenBrief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described in greater detail using exemplary embodiments and with the help of the accompanying figures. Show it
1 shows a schematic side view of a possible embodiment of a device according to the invention,
2 shows a top view of the lower part of a further possible embodiment of a device according to the invention,
3 shows a schematic side sectional view through the device from FIG. 1 in the open loading position,
4 shows a schematic side sectional view through the device from FIG. 1 in the closed operating position,
Fig. 5 is a schematic side sectional view through the device from Fig. 1 in the closed operating position during the welding process and
Fig. 6 is a schematic exploded view of a possible embodiment of the lower part with conveyor unit.

Weg(e) zur Ausführung der ErfindungWay(s) of carrying out the invention

A first possible embodiment of a device according to the invention is shown schematically in a side view in FIG. The treatment chamber 3 (see FIGS. 3 to 5) is formed by a hood-shaped upper part 1 and a lower part 2. Gas lines (not shown) lead into this treatment chamber 3 and are used to vacuum the chamber 3 and to introduce protective gas. In Fig. 1 the device is shown in the open loading position. In this position, a prepared food package consisting of two or more layers of individual sheet films with cold cuts of, for example, sausage and/or cheese in between can be transported via the feed conveyor unit 4 in the direction of the lower part 2. The prepared package is pushed by the feed conveyor unit 4 over the upper edge 8 of the lower part into the chamber 3 and taken over in the chamber 3 by the conveyor unit 5, which moves synchronously with the feed conveyor unit 4. This is achieved in a simple manner in that both the feed conveyor unit 4 and the conveyor unit 5 are driven by a common drive 6 via several gears. After the treatment, the conveyor unit 5 also serves to transport the finished vacuumed and/or gassed and welded MAP pack out of the chamber 3 opposite the feed conveyor unit 4, where the finished MAP pack can slide down a slide 27.

The hood-shaped upper part 1 can be moved via a toggle lever device 11 along guides 7 aligned perpendicularly to the lower part 2. The toggle lever device 11 is actuated via a drive 10, which drives a spindle, for example, and thus ensures that the hood-shaped upper part 1 is lowered or raised.

2 shows a schematic top view of the lower part of a further possible embodiment of a device according to the invention. The hood-shaped upper part 1, which can be moved along the guides 7, is not shown in this view, as is the welding frame 12 (see FIGS. 3 to 5) and the

respective drives

10, 13.

In this device, in addition to the feed conveyor unit 4 and the conveyor unit 5 for the further transport of the packaging, a further delivery conveyor unit 28 is provided. The conveyor unit 5 is arranged in the lower part 2 together with a counter frame 14 for the welding frame 12. The counter frame 14 and the welding frame 12 can have several cross struts in order to be able to produce different pack sizes with the device. The entire lower part 2 can be pulled out of the device like a drawer using the handle 30 and removed for maintenance and cleaning.

3 to 5 show the individual positions of the device in more detail in schematic sectional views. In Fig. 3, as in Fig. 1, the device is shown in the open loading position. A schematically drawn housing 31 is provided to protect the entire upper part from access by the user and, above all, to cover the entry area and exit area of the packs during operation before lowering the upper part in order to prevent injuries. The prepared packs of multi-layer individual sheet films, which come, for example, from a slicer with a film dispenser, are brought to the lower part 2 on the feed conveyor unit 4 in the transport level 18. The upper edges 8 of the lower part 2 are lower than the transport level 18, so that the prepared package can be easily transported over it and taken over by the conveyor unit 5. The conveyor unit 5 transports the prepared package to the middle of the treatment chamber 3 and stops there.

The hood-shaped upper part 1 is then lowered via the drive 10 of the toggle lever device 11 until the position according to FIG. 4 is reached. In this position, the lower edges 9 of the upper part 1 meet the upper edges 8 of the lower part 2 and form a circumferential sealing surface, whereby the treatment chamber 3 is now sealed. A vacuum can now be created in the chamber 3 via the gas lines and a protective gas can then be introduced via the same or additional gas lines. Especially during gassing, an overpressure arises in the treatment chamber 3, which is why a corresponding counterpressure must be maintained so that the chamber 3 remains sealed for the entire process. In the prior art, this is achieved primarily through pneumatic cylinders of correspondingly large dimensions that are noisy and expensive to operate. By using the toggle lever device 11, this counterpressure can also be maintained in a simpler manner, with a cheaper and quieter electric drive 10 being able to be used to adjust the toggle lever device.

After vacuuming and/or gassing, the edges of the individual sheet films are welded together. Fig. 5 shows the position with the welding frame 12 lowered. The welding frame 12 is moved between a starting position and a welding position via a drive 13 located above the hood-shaped upper part 1. The welding frame 12 is connected to the welding frame 12 via guide rods 29. The guide rods 29 are passed through the upper part 1 and are movable relative to it. In the welding position, the welding frame 12 is pressed onto the counter frame 14 in the lower part 2 and heated, whereby the films are welded together. The welding frame 12 is then raised again via the drive 13 and the hood-shaped upper part 1 is moved back into the loading position according to FIG. 3. The finished MAP pack can now be moved out of the treatment chamber 3 via the conveyor unit 5 and delivered to the chute 27.

6 shows an exploded view of the drawer-shaped lower part 2 and the conveyor unit 5. The shop-shaped lower part 2 has an essentially flat bottom surface 15 and circumferential side walls 16. The lower part 2 can be inserted into or removed from the device using a handle 30. In the conveyor unit 5, the counter frame 14 is also fixed in a holding frame 19. In the holding frame 19 there are also two conveyor rollers 20 arranged outside the counter frame 14 and two conveyor rollers 21 arranged inside the counter frame. One of the outer conveyor rollers 20 can be connected to a drive shaft 25 in the lower part 2 via a coupling 24. The holding frame 19 is also releasably held in position in the lower part 2 via magnetic connections 17 arranged in the bottom surface 15. The outer conveyor roller 20, which can be connected to the clutch 24, is connected to the closest inner conveyor roller 21 via a drive belt 23. The two inner conveyor rollers 21 are connected to one another by means of conveyor belts 22 and the second inner conveyor roller 21 is connected to the second outer conveyor roller 20 again via a drive belt 23. All

conveyor rollers

20, 21 can thus be driven synchronously via the drive shaft 25. The entire conveyor unit 5 can be easily removed from the lower part 2 and both the conveyor unit 5 and the lower part 2 can be easily maintained and cleaned.

The drive shaft 25 in the lower part is connected via a gear to another gear 26, which serves for coupling to the drive 6 of the device. In the embodiment shown, the gear 26 creates the coupling between the conveyor unit 5 and the drive 6 as well as between the feed conveyor unit 4 and the drive 6 when it is pushed in, whereby both can be operated by means of a common drive 6. So that the coupling takes place without problems in any gear position, the teeth of the gear 26 as well as the teeth on the gears on the drive 6 and on the feed conveyor unit 4 are laterally chamfered in the relevant coupling areas, as a result of which they center themselves and slide into one another.

List of reference symbols:

1 hood-shaped top
2 bottom part
3 treatment chamber
4 feed conveyor unit
5 conveyor unit
6 Drive (feed conveyor unit and conveyor unit)
7 tours
8 upper edges lower part
9 lower edges top
10 Drive (toggle lever device)
11 toggle lever device
12 welding frames
13 Drive (welding frame)
14 counter frames
15 floor space
16 side walls
17 magnetic connections
18 transport level
19 holding frames
20 outer conveyor rollers
21 inner conveyor rollers
22 conveyor belts
23 drive belts
24 clutch
25 drive shaft
26 gear
27 slide
28 delivery conveyor unit
29 guide rods
30 handle
31 housing

Claims

Device for producing two- or multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food, in particular in the form of cold cuts, comprising a treatment chamber (3) having a hood-shaped upper part (1) and a lower part (2), the upper (1 ) and lower part (2) can be moved relative to one another between an open loading position and a closed operating position, as well as a welding device arranged in the chamber (3) for welding the individual film layers together , characterized in that the device is for processing individual sheet films that have been cut in advance to the pack size is designed and therefore a feed conveyor unit (4) is provided, which is arranged laterally next to the lower part (2), and a further conveyor unit (5) is provided within the lower part (2), which is connected to the feed conveyor unit (4), preferably via a common Drive (6) can be driven synchronously in order to transport prepared packs made of multi-layer individual sheet films with food between the film layers completely into the chamber (3) and out again for treatment.
Device for producing multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food according to claim 1, characterized in that the hood-shaped upper part (1) can be lowered or raised along guides (7) aligned normally to the lower part (2), whereby In the lowered operating position, a continuous sealing surface is formed between the upper edges (8) of the lower part (2) and the lower edges (9) of the upper part (1).
Device for producing multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper part (1) can be moved between the loading position and the operating position by means of an electric drive (10) with the aid of a toggle lever device (11). .
Device for producing multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the welding device has a heatable welding frame (12), which is movably mounted in the upper part (1) and via a drive (13) can be moved between a starting position and a welding position essentially parallel to the direction of movement of the upper part (1), a counter frame (14) for the welding frame (12) being arranged in the lower part (2), so that the film layers in the welding position between welding frames (12) and counter frame (14) are pressed together around the entire packaging.
Device for producing multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food according to claim 4, characterized in that the lower part (2) has a bottom surface (15) and four side walls (16) to form the upper edges (8) for the sealing surface to the upper part (1), the conveyor unit (5) being fixable together with the counter frame (14) on the bottom surface (15) in the lower part (2), preferably with the aid of magnetic connections (17).
Device for producing multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food according to claim 5, characterized in that the transport level (18) of the packaging on the feed conveyor unit (4) and the conveyor unit (5) is higher than the upper edges (8 ) of the side walls (16) of the lower part (2).
Device for producing multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the conveyor unit (5) has a holding frame (19) for the storage of at least four conveyor rollers (20, 21) and for the counter frame (14), with two conveyor rollers (20) being arranged outside the counter frame (14) and two conveyor rollers (21) inside the counter frame (14) and with each other via conveyor belts (22) and/or drive belts (23). are coupled, and one of the external conveyor rollers (20) can be connected by means of a releasable coupling (24) to a drive shaft (25) which protrudes outwards through the lower part (2), whereby all conveyor rollers (20, 21) via the one drive shaft (25 ) can be driven in the same direction.
Device for producing multi-layer vacuum-packed and/or gassed with protective gas film packaging for food according to claim 7, characterized in that the lower part (2) can be pushed out or removed like a drawer from the device in a maintenance position, the drive shaft protruding from the lower part (2). (25) can preferably be coupled or decoupled via at least one gear (26) with a common drive (6) for the feed conveyor unit (4).