METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING TUBULAR BAGS WHICH ARE FILLED WITH A MIXTURE OF LIQUID AND SOLID FILLING MATERIAL COMPONENTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a tubular bag machine and to a method for operating a tubular bag machine (01) for the continuous production of tubular bags (20), which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling components (29, 30). A formatting device (18), by means of which the bag shape of the tubular bag (20) open at the top seal is formatted, is disposed below the wiper device (16), the formatting device (18) comprising at least two formatting elements (19), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced between an open position and a formatting position. The horizontal distance between the formatting elements (19) is larger in the open position than in the formatting position. The formatting elements (19) are moved to the open position before and/or while filling the tubular bag (20) with filling material (29, 30). The formatting elements (19) are moved to the formatting position while and/or after filling the tubular bag (20) with filling material (29, 30) and before producing the top seam to remove air from the air bubble (32) in the top area of the tubular bag (20) via filling material components (29, 30).

Claims

1. A method for operating a tubular bag machine (01) for the continuous production of tubular bags (20), which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling components (29, 30), the tubular bag machine (01) having a) a biaxially driven transverse sealing device (12), the transverse sealing jaws (13, 14) of the transverse sealing device (12) sealing a film web (03) after forming a film tube (34) having a bottom seal (31) and a top seal, b) a compressing device (09) which is disposed above the transverse sealing device (12), the compressing device (09) comprising at least two compressing elements (21, 22), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced horizontally between a closed position and an open position, and the compressing elements (21, 22) compressing the film tube (34) in a liquid-proof manner in the closed position, c) a wiper device (16), which is disposed below the transverse sealing device (12), the wiper device (16) comprising at least two wiper elements (17), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced horizontally between a wiping position and an open position, the wiper elements (17) in the wiping position wiping solid filling components (30) downward, which are in the sealing zone on the inner side of the film tube (34), characterized in that a formatting device (18), by means of which the bag shape of the tubular bag (20) open at the top seal is formatted, is disposed below the wiper device (16), the formatting device (18) comprising at least two formatting elements (19), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced between an open position and a formatting position, and the horizontal distance between the formatting elements (19) being larger in the open position than in the formatting position, and the formatting elements (19) being moved to the open position before and/or while filling the tubular bag (20) with filling material (29, 30), and the formats ting elements (19) being moved to the formatting position while and/or after filling the tubular bag (20) with filling material (29, 30) and before producing the top seam to remove air from the air bubble (32) in the top area of the tubular bag (20) via filling material components (29, 30).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the formatting elements (19) of the formatting device (18), which abut against the outer side of the tubular bag (20) in the formatting position, are vertically displaced at the same vertical speed as the film tube (34).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wiper device (16) remains in the open position until the formatting device (18) is moved to the formatting position.

4. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the wiper elements (17) of the wiper device (16), which abut against the outer side of the tubular bag (20) in the wiping position, are vertically displaced along a trajectory section (33) at a higher vertical speed than the tubular bag (34).

5. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one air-permeable venting channel is formed between the inner surfaces of the tubular bags (20) in the wiping position of the wiper device (16), air being able to escape the air bubble (32) in the top area of the tubular bag (20) via the venting channel.

6. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the top seal of the tubular bag (20) is transversely sealed using the transverse sealing device (12) as soon as the air from the air bubble (32) in the top area of the tubular bag (20) has escaped via the air-permeable venting channel between the inner surfaces of the tubular bag (20) safe an insignificant remainder.

7. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the compressing device (09) forms two retaining zones (24, 25) in the closed position, the film tube (34) being compressed in a liquid-tight manner in the lower retaining zone (24), and the film tube (34) being compressed so tightly in the upper retaining zone (25) while maintaining a liquid-permeable residual gap that solid filling components (30) cannot pass through the residual gap.

8. A tubular bag machine (01) for the continuous production of tubular bags (20), which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling components, having a) a biaxially driven transverse sealing device (12), the transverse sealing jaws (13, 14) of the transverse sealing device (12) sealing a film web (03) after forming a film tube (34) having a bottom seal (31) and a top seal, b) a compressing device (09) which is disposed above the transverse sealing device (12), the compressing device (09) comprising at least two compressing elements (21, 22), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced horizontally between a closed position and an open position, and the compressing elements (21, 22) compressing the film tube (34) in a liquid-proof manner in the closed position, c) a wiper device (16) which is disposed below the transverse sealing device (12), the wiper device (16) comprising two wiper elements (17), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced horizontally between a wiping position and an open position, the wiper elements t 17) in the wiping position being able to wipe solid filling components (30) downward, which are in the sealing zone on the inner side of the film tube (34), characterized in that a formatting device (18), by means of which the bag shape of the tubular bag (20) open at the top seal is formatted, is disposed below the wiper device (16), the formatting device (18) comprising at least two formatting elements (19), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced between an open position and a formatting position, the horizontal distance between the formatting elements (19) being larger in the open position than in the formatting position.

9. The tubular bag machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the horizontal distance between the formatting elements (19) in the open position and/or the horizontal distance between the formatting elements (19) in the formatting position is adjustable.

10. The tubular bag machine according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the formatting elements (19) of the formatting device (19) each comprise several rotatably stored rolls (26), the rolls (26) being disposed subjacent so as to be parallel to one another, and the rolls (26) of the two formatting elements (19) together forming a roll chute contactable on two sides of the tubular bag (20).

11. The tubular bag machine according to any one of the claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the formatting device (1) and the transverse sealing device (12) are vertically driven using a shared drive device.

12. The tubular bag machine according to any one of the claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the wiper elements (17) of the wiper device (16) are resiliently mounted on the transverse sealing jaws (13, 14) of the transverse sealing device (12), the wiper elements (17) springing back when surpassing a certain excess pressure in the air bubble (32) in order to form an air-permeable venting channel between the inner surfaces of the tubular bag (20), through which air from the air bubble (32) in the top area of the tubular bag (20) escapes.

13. The tubular bag machine according to any one of the claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the compressing device (09) comprises two pairs of compressing elements (21, 22) for forming two retaining zones (24, 25), the compressing elements (21, 22) of each pair being superjacent, the first pair of compressing elements (21) compressing the film tube (34) in a lower retaining zone (24) in the closed position of the compressing device (09) so as to be impermeable to liquid, and the second pair of compressing elements (22) compressing the film tube (34) so tightly in an upper retaining zone in the closed position of the compressing device (09) that the film tube (34) retains solid filling components (30) while maintaining a liquid-permeable residual gap.

14. The tubular bag machine according to any one of the claims 8 to 13, characterized in that the compressing elements (21, 22) of the compressing device (09) are designed in the manner of compressing rolls.

15. The tubular bag machine according to any one of the claims 8 to 14, characterized in that the compressing rolls (21) are at least partially driven by motor.

Description

[0020] An embodiment of the invention is schematically illustrated in the drawings and is described in the following by means of an example.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a schematically illustrated tubular bag machine having a formatting device;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of the tubular bag machine according to FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged side view of the tubular bag machine according to FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the tubular bag machine according to FIG. 1 in three different process stages;

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the movement curve of the transverse sealing jaw and the wiper device of the tubular bag machine according to FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged side view of the transverse sealing jaws and the wiper device of the tubular bag machine according to FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a tubular bag machine 01 according to the teachings of the invention for executing the method according to the invention. From a supply role 02, a film web 03 is unspooled and formed to a film tube at a forming device 04. The film tube is sealed at the longitudinal seam using a longitudinal sealing device 05. A film dispenser device 06 ensures the continuous supply of the longitudinally sealed film tube. The film tube is guided over a tube-shaped filling tube 07 after having been formed at forming device 04, the inner side of the film tube gliding off of the outer side of filling tube 07. At the lower end of filling tube 07, a spreader element 08 is fastened which laterally spreads the film tube having an initially circular cross section. Via Filling tube 07, liquid and solid filling material, such as a mixture of kraut and brine or vegetables and brine, can be supplied from above. For this purpose, the filling material can be collected in the film tube above a compressing device 09. The maximal and minimal filling level of the filling material in the film tube can be measured and/or controlled using two level sensors 10 and 11. Below compressing device 09, a transverse sealing device 12 having two transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 is located, a severing device 15 being integrated in transverse sealing jaw 14 in addition, the individual bags being able to be severed from the film tube using severing device 15 after the top seam has been transversely sealed. Below transverse sealing device 12, a wiper device 16 having two wiper elements 17 are located. By operating wiper device 16, solid filling components located in the sealing zone on the inner side of the film tube can be wiped downward to prevent these filling components, such as vegetable pieces, from being sealed in in the seal groove.

[0028] Below wiper device 16, a formatting device 18 having two formatting elements 19 is located, tubular bags 20 still open at the top seam being able to be formatted in shape by means of formatting elements 19 after it having been filled with filling material.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of the part of tubular bag machine 01 below filling tube 07. Compressing device 09 consists of two pairs of compressing rolls 21 and 22, respectively, the compressing rolls of each set being disposed opposite each other. Compressing rolls 21 and 22 together are stored in a utility frame 23, which can be opened and closed horizontally. In the position shown in FIG. 2, compressing device 09 is in its compressing position. In this compressing position, both lower compressing rolls 21 compress the film tube so tightly in a lower pressure zone 24 that liquid filling components from above cannot flow 2U downward. Both compressing rolls 22 have a distance in the compressing position of compressing device 09 illustrated in FIG. 2 so that the gap formed between compressing rolls 22 enables liquid filling components to flow off, whereas solid filling components are retained above retaining zone 25 formed by both compressing rolls 22. By operating compressing device 09, the amount of filling material, which is to be filled into next tubular bag 20, can be precisely dosed with the aid of sensors 10 and 11. Once the desired amount of filling material has been collected in the filling tube above compressing device 09, compressing device 09 can be opened to the open position from compressing position in FIG. 2, so that the dosed amount of liquid and solid filling portions slides downward into the next tubular bag. Transverse sealing device 12 having both transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 and severing device 15 is located below compressing device 09. For sealing the film tube at the bottom seam and/or the top seam, transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 can be vertically displaced between the open position illustrated in FIG. 2 and a sealing position compressing the film tube. At the same time, the transverse sealing jaws can be vertically displaced in order to follow the trajectory of film tube continuously conveyed vertically downward. Below transverse sealing device 12, wiper device 16 having both wiper elements 17 are located. Thereto, formatting device 18 having both formatting elements 19 is connected. Formatting elements 19 each consist of several rotatably stored rolls 26, which are held superjacent on a frame 27. Using corresponding operating means 28, both frames 27 can be moved vertically following the movement of the film tube and at the same time be moved horizontally so as to change the distance between both formatting devices 19.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a side view of tubular bag machine 01 having filling tube 07, compressing device 09, transverse sealing device 23, wiper device 16 and formatting device 18. Tubular bags 20 are filled with a mixture of liquid filling portions 29 and solid filling portions 30. The function of tubular bag machine 01 for executing the method according to the invention is to be described in more detail using FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c.

[0031] In FIG. 4a, formatting device 18 is in its open position and comprises a maximal distance between both formatting elements 19. In this wide open position of formatting device 18, tubular bag 20, which is initially transversely sealed only at bottom seam 31, is filled with the mixture of liquid filling portions 29 and solid filling portions 30. The filling with filling portions 29 causes tubular bag 20 to bulge widely at first, and an air bubble 32 forms in tubular bag 20 above the liquid level of the liquid filling portions 30.

[0032] In order to not seal in the air from air bubble 32 in tubular bag 20, formatting device 18 is subsequently moved into its formatting position, which is shown in FIG. 4b. In the formatting position, formatting elements 19 have a smaller distance so that the air is pressed upward toward filling tube 07 from air bubble 32. A large portion of the air from air bubble 32 escapes from tubular bag 20 in the process, since the top seam has not yet been transversely sealed. Once the liquid filling components have maximally risen to the top via the formatting elements 19 having been moved to their formatting position, the at first still open wiper elements are moved together horizontally in order to resiliently abut against the film web of the film tube from the outside. As soon as wiper element 16 is moved together to its wiping position, transverse sealing jaws 14 are vertically accelerated in conjunction with wiper elements 17 attached thereto so that the wiper elements are moved downward past the film tube at a differential speed. The speed of wiper elements 17 is faster in the vertical direction than the vertical direction of the conveyor speed of the film tube, so that the solid filling components on the inner side are wiped downward by compressed wiper elements 17. As a result, the solid filling components can be removed from the seal zone. At the same time, the volume in tubular bag 20 available for receiving air bubble 32 is further reduced, so that the pressure in air bubble 32 increases and the air from air bubble 32 is pressed upward on the inner side of the film tube by wiper elements 17.

[0033] Once the air is essentially entirely pressed out of air bubble 32, as illustrated in FIG. 4c, transverse sealing jaws 14 of transverse sealing device 12 are moved together and the top seam of tubular bag 20 is sealed, whereby tubular bag 20 is closed. Subsequently, tubular bag 20 is separated by the drive of severing device 15 and can fall downward through the formatting chute formed by formatting elements 19. At the same time, compressing rolls 21 and 22 of compressing device 09 are moved to their open position, so that filling components 29 and 30 can slide down from above and fill next tubular bag 20.

[0034] FIG. 5 shows the trajectory of transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 and wiper elements 17 attached thereto in a schematic view. Along a first trajectory section 33, wiper elements 17 already abut against film tube 34 and are moved vertically downward in conjunction with transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 at a vertical speed, which is higher than the vertical conveyor speed of film tube 34. By moving wiper elements 17 relative to film tube 34, solid filling components 30 are wiped downward and at the same time, air from air bubble 32 is pressed out of tubular bag 20 before producing the top seam. Along a second trajectory section 35, transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 are also moved together and the top seam of tubular bag 20 and the bottom seam of following tubular bag 20 are sealed. Transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 in conjunction with wiper elements 17 are driven downward at the same vertical conveyor speed as film tube 34, so that there is no relative movement between film tube 34 on the one hand and transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 and/or wiper elements 17 as a result.

[0035] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged schematic view of transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14 with severing device 15 and wiper elements 17 attached below transverse sealing jaws 13 and 14. Wiper elements 17 are displaceably mounted in a resilient manner, so that the air pressure, which increases in air bubble 32 when wiper elements 17 are displaced along first trajectory section 33, ensures that the air pushes wiper elements 17 slightly apart so that the air can escape air bubble 32.