Stretching Unit for Clamping and Stretching a Tubular Film, Flow-Wrapper and Method for Clamping and Stretching a Tubular Film

Abstract

A stretching unit for clamping and stretching a tubular film in a flow-wrapper, the stretching unit includes: a gripping head; two coupling rods attached to a moving means; two gripping fingers, each of the gripping fingers is attached to the gripping head and to one of the coupling rods; the gripping fingers are moved from a remote position to a clamping position by a relative linear movement between the gripping head and the moving means parallel to a center axis of the moving means.

Claims

1. A stretching unit for clamping and stretching a tubular film in a flow-wrapper, the stretching unit comprising: a gripping head; two coupling rods attached to a moving means; two gripping fingers, each of the gripping fingers is attached to the gripping head and to one of the coupling rods; wherein the gripping fingers are moved from a remote position to a clamping position by a relative linear movement between the gripping head and the moving means parallel to a center axis of the moving means.

2. The stretching unit according to claim 1, wherein the gripping fingers are moved from the remote position to the clamping position by a rotational movement of the gripping fingers.

3. The stretching unit according to claim 1, wherein of the gripping fingers is attached to the gripping head by a first pivot point, and each of the gripping fingers is attached to the coupling rods by a second pivot point, wherein the relative linear movement between the gripping head and the moving means results in a rotational movement of the gripping fingers.

4. The stretching unit according to claim 1, wherein the moving means is attached to a first driving means, wherein the first driving means is a pneumatic cylinder.

5. The stretching unit according to claim 1, wherein the gripping head is connected with a second driving means, wherein the second driving means is an electric motor, or a linear motor, or a linear servo motor.

6. The stretching unit according to claim 5, wherein the moving means is provided as a driven rod and/or wherein the gripping head is attached to the second driving means via a further moving means, wherein the further moving means is a tube, the tube being arranged parallel to the moving means and at least partially coaxial with the moving means.

7. The stretching unit according to claim 1, wherein a movement of the moving means along the center axis of the moving means is limited by a mechanical stop.

8. A flow-wrapper comprising the stretching unit according to claim 1.

9. A method for clamping and stretching the tubular film in a flow-wrapper utilizing the stretching unit, according to claim 1, wherein in a first step, moving the moving means of the stretching unit relative to the gripping head of the stretching unit in a first direction, towards the tubular film, and thereby moving the gripping fingers from the remote position to an intermediate position; in a second step, moving the gripping head relative to the moving means in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction and thereby moving the gripping fingers from the intermediate position to the clamping position and thereby clamping the tubular film; wherein the tubular film is stretched by a further movement of the gripping head in the second direction.

10. A method for clamping and stretching the tubular film in the flow-wrapper utilizing the stretching unit, according to claim 1, wherein in a first step, the gripping fingers are rotated in a gripping plane orthogonal to a transport direction of the tubular film towards each other from the remote position to an intermediate position; in a second step, the gripping fingers are rotated in the gripping plane towards each other from the intermediate position to the clamping position, wherein the tubular film is clamped between the gripping fingers, wherein the gripping fingers are linearly moved in the gripping plane to stretch the clamped tubular film.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the tubular film is not clamped between the gripping fingers in the remote position and in the intermediate position.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein a rotation of the gripping fingers in the gripping plane and the stretching is caused by a relative movement between the gripping head and the moving means parallel to a center axis of the moving means.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the gripping head is moved by an electric motor, a linear motor, or a linear servo motor and/or wherein the moving means is moved by a pneumatic cylinder.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a driving force of the electric motor and/or the linear motor and/or the linear servo motor is controlled depending on material properties and/or a geometry of the tubular film.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein in the second step, the movement of the gripping head in the second direction is limited, wherein the movement of the gripping head in the second direction is limited by a path setting of the electric motor and/or the linear motor and/or the linear servo motor.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein in the second step, the movement of the gripping head is limited.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the movement of the gripping head in the second direction is limited.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the movement is limited by a maximum force/torque setting of the electric motor and/or the linear motor and/or the linear servo motor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a flow-wrapper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIGS. 2A-2C schematically illustrate a gripping unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and a method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a gripping unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In the different figures the same parts are always provided with the same reference signs and are therefore usually named or mentioned only once.

[0049] In FIG. 1, the flow-wrapper 1 according to the invention is schematically shown. A flow wrapper 1 is a packaging machine, which forms a plane film web 4 into a tubular film 4, which is transported along a form-fill tube 2. Two ends of this tubular film 4 are sealed together by a longitudinal sealing means 5. Subsequently, the packaging item is filled into the tubular film 4 and a cross-seal is applied to the tubular film 4 to close the package. Simultaneously or after applying the cross-seal, the finalized packages 7 are cut off the tubular film 4. The flow-wrapper 1 comprises a frame/housing 8, at which a form shoulder 3, a form-fill tube 2 and longitudinal sealing means 5 and cross-sealing means 6 are provided. The flow-wrapper 1 may comprise gusset-forming means to form the bottom and/or the top of each package.

[0050] A web of a film 4, especially a weldable plastic film 4, is supplied from a reel 9, which supplies the plane film 4 continuously or intermittently to a form shoulder 3, which shapes the film web 4 into a rather tubular form around a form-fill tube 2. In the context of the present invention, a “tubular form” of the packages 7 or of the film 4 means any cross-sectional form including a circular form or another form, and especially a rectangular or generally a polygonal form. Longitudinal sealing means 5, which are provided downstream from the form shoulder 3, seal the edges to the tubular film 4 together. After sealing, the bottom of the package 7 can be formed by a special bottom forming means, for example gusset-forming means. Finally, cross seals, extending preferably perpendicularly to the direction of flow of the tubular film 4, are applied, especially by means of cross-sealing means 6. These cross sealing means 6 apply to the package 7 not only an upper/second cross-seal closing the top of the package 7, but these cross-sealing means 6 advantageously also provide, preferably simultaneously a lower/first cross-seal defining the bottom of the subsequent, upstream package 7. The packages 7 produced are separated from one another by a cutting means 6, which are preferably incorporated into the cross-sealing means 6. Between the application of the bottom- and top-cross-seal of each package 7, the package 7 is filled with the product. Prior the application of the cross seal, the package 7/tubular film 4 is clamped and stretched by a stretching unit 10. Stretching of the tubular film 4 provides that the tubular film 4 is arranged flattened in the cross-sealing means 6, which is crucial for a straight and tight cross-seal.

[0051] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C schematically illustrate a gripping unit 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and a method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A illustrates the gripping unit 10 in a remote position A. The preferably rubber-coated and/or roughened gripping surfaces 17 of the gripping fingers 16 are not in contact with each other and offer enough space to position a tubular film 4 between the gripping surfaces 17 and transport the tubular film 4 in a transport direction T. When the tubular film 4 is arranged between the gripping surfaces 17 of the gripping fingers 16, a first driving means (see FIG. 3) moves the moving means 12 in a first direction D1 along the center axis H of the moving means 12 relative to the gripping head 14. The moving means 12 is here provided as a driven rod. The first driving means is here provided as a pneumatic cylinder.

[0052] Here, the gripping head 14 partially encloses the coupling rods 15, which are rotatably connected to the moving means 12. The gripping fingers 16 are rotatably connected to the gripping head 14 at the first pivot points 18 and rotatably connected to the coupling rods 15 at the second pivot points 19. Due to the relative movement between the coupling rods 15 and the gripping head 14, the gripping fingers 16 rotate around the first pivot points 18 in a gripping plane G from the remote position A towards the intermediate position B.

[0053] FIG. 2B shows the gripping fingers 16 already rotated in the gripping plane G by the movement of the moving means 12 relative to the gripping head 14 in the first direction D1 into the intermediate positon B. The gripping surfaces 17 have been moved towards each other, but are still separated, so that the tubular film 4 is not clamped between the gripping fingers 16, but preferably in the direct vicinity of the tubular film 4. The position of the stretching unit 10 shown here is the intermediate position B. In this position, the moving means 12 has preferably reached a mechanical stop (not shown here, see FIG. 3), which impedes a further movement of the moving means 12 in the first direction D1.

[0054] After the gripping fingers have reached the intermediate positon B, the gripping head 14 is moved in the second direction D2, which is opposite but parallel to the first direction D1, by a second driving means (see FIG. 3). The second driving means is preferably a linear motor, preferably a servo motor and here connected with the gripping head 14 via a further moving means 3. The further moving means 3 is here a tube that is arranged parallel to the center axis H of the moving means 12 and preferably coaxially to the means 12 more preferably partially enclosing the moving means 12.

[0055] The movement of the gripping head 14 in the second direction D2 relative to the moving means 12 causes the gripping fingers 16 to further rotate until the tubular film 4 is clamped between the gripping surfaces 17, shown in FIG. 2C.

[0056] FIG. 2C shows the stretching unit 10 in the clamping position C. The tubular film 4 is clamped between the gripping fingers 16. For stretching the clamped tubular film 4, the gripping head 14 further moves in the second direction D2. All in all, this results in a smooth process of clamping and stretching of the tubular film 4, which leads to a significant increase in efficiency. Further, since the first driving means and the second driving means produce forces that are antiparallel to each other, the gripping unit 10 is operated with balanced forces, which advantageously prolongs the lifetime of the stretching unit 10.

[0057] Preferably, the tubular film 4 is released when the tubular film 4 is cross-sealed, i.e., when the cross-sealing means (see FIG. 1) clamps the tubular film 4 for cross-sealing. Preferably, for releasing the tubular film 4, the the gripping head 14 is moved in the first direction D1 by the second driving means. Preferably, the moving means 12 is fixed in its position, so that the movement of the gripping head 14 is relative to the driving means 12. Preferably, for fixing the moving means 12 in its position, the first driving means is utilized. Here, the movement of the gripping head 14 in the first direction D1 relative to the moving means 12 causes the gripping fingers 16 to rotate away from each other. Preferably, the stretching unit 10 is moved from the clamping position C to the intermediate position B. Preferably, the moving means 12 are moved in the second direction D2 relative to the gripping head 14, which leads to a further rotation of the gripping fingers 16 away from each other. The stretching unit is thereby preferably moved from the intermediate position B to the remote position A.

[0058] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a gripping unit 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this illustration, the first driving means 21 and the second driving means 20 are shown. Here, the first driving means 21 is a pneumatic cylinder and the second driving means 20 is an electric linear servo motor. This has the advantage that the clamping and stretching movement can be carried out very quickly, powerfully and accurately. In contrast to driving the gripping unit 10 with pneumatic cylinders only, no separate additional sensor has to be installed to detect the spatial position of the gripping fingers 16. To the left and in the middle of the gripping unit 10, fastening devices are visible for fastening the gripping unit 10 in a flow-wrapper (see FIG. 1). FIG. 3 further shows the mechanical stop 22. The mechanical stop 22 limits the movement of the moving means 12 towards the tubular film. Here, the mechanical stop 22 comprises two flanges. When the moving means 12 is moved along its central axis, one flange of the mechanical stop 22 is moved. Here, the other flange of the mechanical stop 22 is fixed. The movement of the moving means 12 is here limited by a contact of the two flanges. Preferably, the position of the mechanical stop 22 can be adjusted to adapt the stretching unit 10 to different sizes and geometries of the tubular film. Preferably, the position of one of the flanges of the mechanical stop 22 can be adjusted to adapt the stretching unit 10 to different sizes and geometries of the tubular film.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0059] 1 Flow-wrapper

[0060] 2 Form-fill tube

[0061] 3 Form shoulder

[0062] 4 Film/tubular film

[0063] 5 Longitudinal sealing-means

[0064] 6 Cross-sealing means and/or Cutting means

[0065] 7 Package/Pouch

[0066] 8 Frame/Housing

[0067] 9 Reel

[0068] 10 Gripping unit

[0069] 12 Moving means

[0070] 13 Further moving means

[0071] 14 Gripping head

[0072] 15 Coupling rod

[0073] 16 Gripping finger

[0074] 17 Gripping surface

[0075] 18 First pivot point

[0076] 19 Second pivot point

[0077] 20 Second driving means

[0078] 21 First driving means

[0079] 22 Mechanical stop

[0080] A Remote position

[0081] B Intermediate position

[0082] C Clamping position

[0083] D1 First direction

[0084] D2 Second direction

[0085] G Gripping plane

[0086] H Center axis

[0087] T Transport direction