Accessory for packaging equipment

Abstract

 The present invention relates to an accessory (1) for packaging equipment employed for packaging liquid, pasty or granulated materials such as milk, yogurt or granulated herd into plastic pouches, said equipment comprising a package forming section in which the package is formed from a continuous web of polymer film, is filled, is sealed and is separated by cutting from the web and under which package forming section is adapted a platform such as a conveyor on which the finished packages are dropped for transfer to the next process step. The invention is implemented so that said accessory comprises a package forming section for the packaging equipment and a package receiving section (1) adaptable between said package forming section of the packaging equipment and said platform, whereby said package receiving section serves for supporting the package being formed at least during the sealing step of the package top end.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an accessory for packaging equipment employed for packaging liquid, pasty or granulated materials such as milk, yogurt or granulated herd into plastic pouches, said equipment comprising a package forming section in which the package is formed from a continuous web of polymer film, is filled, is sealed and is cut off from the web and under which package forming section is adapted a platform such as a conveyor on which the finished packages are dropped for transfer to the next process step.

[0002] conventionally, such packaging equipment is operated by guiding the polymer film, which is paid off from a roll, over idler rolls into a folding section in which the film is double-folded with the help of guides. In the next section of the equipment, the open side of the vertically aligned, double-folded polymer film is sealed by means of a vertical sealing unit. The bottom of the pouch is sealed in a horizontal sealing unit simultaneously with the top end sealing of the preceding pouch which is already ready-filled with material being packaged. Between the sealing points of the preceding pouch top end and the bottom of the next pouch to be filled, said horizontal sealing unit incorporates a cutting device suited for separating the pouches from each other. After the sealing of the pouch bottom, the material such as a liquid, pasty or granulated substance to be packaged is metered into the pouch. Materials conventionally packaged in pouches are, e.g., milk, yogurt and granulated herds. Subsequent to fill-in, the top end of the pouch is sealed and the above-described separation by cutting occurs.

[0003] During the pouch top end sealing and separation of the finished pouch by cutting, the pouch already filled with the material being packaged is allowed to hang freely, and immediately after separation by cutting, the pouch can drop by gravitation onto the platform such as a conveyor for transfer to the next process step. The weight of the ready-filled, freely hanging pouch imposes a stress on the top end of the package being sealed thereby causing possible creases and other deformations which in turn deteriorate the integrity of the seal being made.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to achieve an accessory for this type of packaging equipment, said accessory serving for integrity improvement of the seal being made to the top end of the package. The accessory according to the invention is characterized in that said accessory comprises a package forming section for the packaging equipment and a package receiving section adaptable between said package forming section of the packaging equipment and said platform, whereby said package receiving section serves for supporting the package being formed at least during the sealing step of the package top end.

[0005] An embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the receiving section comprises a support structure designed to bear the weight of the package, said support structure serving to hold the package stationary at least during the sealing and separation by cutting steps of the package top end.

[0006] Another embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the package support structure comprises a cup-like assembly which is essentially conformant to the package size and is adapted to open at its bottom.

[0007] A still another embodiment of the invention is characterized in that said support structure bottom is hingedly mounted at its one side so that when the support structure bottom is still closed, the package will be held in the cup-like assembly, and when the bottom is opened, the package can drop off from the cup-like assembly.

[0008] The goal of the invention is herein achieved by supporting the package during the sealing and separation by cutting steps of the package top end, whereby the polymer film material will be freed from gravity-induced stresses and thereof resulting creases that would deteriorate the integrity of the seal. By virtue of the present invention, a seal with superior integrity over conventional techniques is achieved resulting in seals with reduced tendency to leak.

[0009] In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the annexed drawings in which

Figure 1 is a side view of a package receiving section according to the invention; and

Figure 2 is a front view of the package receiving section shown in Fig. 1.

[0010] Referring to Fig. 1, the receiving section for packages, particularly those made from polymers for liquid material packages, is mounted in packaging equipment (not shown) between the sealing/separating section and the underlying platform such as a conveyor. The receiving section can be attached, e.g., at a suitable point on the frame beam 2 of the equipment. The receiving section includes a mounting arm 5 suited for the mounting method shown in Fig. 1 on the frame beam 2.

[0011] The receiving section 1 proper comprises a cup-like assembly 3 having a bottom flap 4. The shape of the supporting cup 3 may be slightly downward tapering, however, still permitting free entry of the package into and finally through the receiving section. In the illustrated embodiment the supporting cup 3 is partially open by its front, yet so bordered that the package cannot slip out through the open front side. The bottom flap 4 is made hingedly rotatable in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The maximum opening angle α of the bottom flap is advantageously in the range 60-75 , approx. 68 in the case shown in Fig. 1. Thus, Fig. 1 shows the bottom flap 4 in two extreme positions, namely, fully closed and fully open. The rotary actuator 7 of the bottom flap 4 such as a pneumatic rotary actuator and the support member of the supporting cup 3 are connected via a mounting flange 6 to the above-mentioned mounting arm 5.

[0012] The receiving section 1 according to the invention for packages (plastic pouches) operates as follows: the plastic pouch ready filled and waiting for sealing of its top end and separation from the next pouch is lowered into the supporting cup 3, whose bottom flap 4 is herein closed, that is, in its upper position, so deep that the pouch bottom will remain resting on the bottom flap 4. Immediately as the weight of the pouch is settled on the bottom flap 4, the pouch top end is sealed and simultaneously cut off from the next pouch above. After these operations, the bottom flap 4 opens and the pouch drops on a platform such as a conveyor (not shown). All the above-described steps occur at a very high speed, because the capacity of typical packaging equipment discussed herein may amount to 40-50 pouches per minute, for instance. To accomplish this speed, the rotary movement of the bottom flap is synchronized with the other functions of the packaging equipment so that when the next pouch is pulled downward for the sealing/separation steps, the bottom flap is already reclosed and as these steps are again repeated, the bottom flap opens and so forth.

[0013] To a person versed in the art, it is obvious that the invention is not limited by the above-described exemplifying embodiments, but rather may be varied within the scope and spirit of the annexed claims. Hence, it is obvious that the different details of the construction such as the shape, size and other details of the cup 3 may be modified as required. Additionally, it is possible to adapt the receiving section for accommodating several pouches in parallel prior to their dropping from the receiving section.

Claims

1. An accessory (1) for packaging equipment employed for packaging liquid, pasty or granulated materials such as milk, yogurt or granulated herd into plastic pouches, said equipment comprising a package forming section in which the package is formed from a continuous web of polymer film, is filled, is sealed and is separated by cutting from the web and under which package forming section is adapted a platform such as a conveyor on which the finished packages are dropped for transfer to the next process step, characterized in that said accessory comprises a package forming section for the packaging equipment and a package receiving section (1) adaptable between said package forming section of the packaging equipment and said platform, whereby said package receiving section serves for supporting the package being formed at least during the sealing step of the package top end.

2. An accessory as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the receiving section (1) comprises a support structure (3, 4) designed to bear the weight of the package, said support structure serving to hold the package stationary at least during the sealing and separation by cutting steps of the package top end.

3. An accessory as defined in claim 2, characterized in that said package support structure comprises a cup-like assembly (3) which is essentially conformant to the package size and is adapted to open at its bottom (4).

4. An accessory as defined in claim 3, characterized in that said support structure bottom (4) is hingedly mounted at its one side so that when the support structure bottom is still closed, the package will be held in the cup-like assembly, and when the bottom is opened, the package can drop off from the cup-like assembly.

Drawing