METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SEALING PACKAGES

Abstract

A device for sealing packages, including a product feed and a packaging feed for a tubular packaging material; and a method for sealing packages. Such devices are used, for example, as tubular bag machines. The packages can be produced by type for improved recyclability while simultaneously maintaining a high load-bearing capacity of the package closures with the aid of a closure element made of the same material as the rest of the package by welding the closure element and the package in the closure region.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A device for sealing packages, comprising: a product feed unit; a packaging material feed unit for a tubular packaging material; a transporting apparatus for at least one sealing tape and/or sealing elements formed as sealing strips; and a sealing device by which at least one package is encloseable in at least one sealing region with a sealing element formed as a sealing strip and by which a materially bonded connection of the sealing strip to the package is produced.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the sealing device includes a welding device.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the welding device is an ultrasonic welding device.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein the sealing device includes an adhesive-bonding device.

17. The device according to claim 13, further comprising a cooling apparatus for cooling a region of the connection of a package to at least one sealing element formed as a sealing strip.

18. The device according to claim 13, wherein the device is configured to seal packaging nets.

19. The device according to claim 13, wherein the device is configured to seal the packages with sealing elements formed from the same material as the packages so as to produce packages of a single type.

20. A method for sealing packages, comprising the steps of: enclosing one end of a package with a sealing element formed as a sealing strip; and connecting the sealing strip to the package by welding and/or adhesive bonding.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the connecting step includes ultrasonic welding of the sealing strip and the package.

22. The method according to claim 20, further including, in a sequence of steps, producing at least one sealing strip by cutting the at least one strip to length from at least one sealing tape and bending the at least one sealing strip around the package in a sealing region.

23. The method according to claim 20, including using a device for sealing packages, which device comprises: a product feed unit; a packaging material feed unit for a tubular packaging material; a transporting apparatus for at least one sealing tape and/or sealing elements formed as sealing strips; and a sealing device by which at least one package is encloseable in at least one sealing region with a sealing element formed as a sealing strip and by which a materially bonded connection of the sealing strip to the package is produced.

24. A package comprising a tubular body designed to be filled with pourable products, wherein the package is sealed in a region of both ends by respectively at least one sealing element, wherein the package is of a single type made from thermofusible plastic or starch or cellulose, wherein the sealing elements are thermally welded to the package.

Description

[0078] Exemplary embodiments of the device for sealing packages according to the invention and the method for sealing packages according to the invention are illustrated in the following drawings, in which:

[0079] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a device for sealing packages according to the invention,

[0080] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the sealing region of two tubular packages,

[0081] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a roll of sealing tape with a subsequent transporting apparatus and part of a forming device,

[0082] FIG. 4 shows a perspective detailed view of a forming device for a sealing strip during and after the sealing strip has been pushed in,

[0083] FIG. 5 shows a perspective detailed view of the sealing region of a package with a sealing strip pushed on, and

[0084] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section in the sealing region of a package, wherein the package is arranged in the region of the welding device and the bending device of a device for sealing packages according to the invention.

[0085] A block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a device for sealing packages (1) according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The device for sealing packages (1) has a packaging means storage apparatus (2), a packaging means feed unit (3), and a product feed unit (4). The tubular packaging means stored in the region of the packaging means storage apparatus (2) can be fed by means of the packaging means feed unit (3) to those apparatuses of the device for sealing packages (1) which are designed for filling and sealing the packages.

[0086] The device for sealing packages (1) according to the invention furthermore has a clamping device (5) by means of which the tube of packaging material can be clamped and hence can be immobilized. The device for sealing packages (1) moreover has a sealing device (6) which is formed as a welding device and by means of which a package can be welded or fused in a sealing region with a sealing element formed as a sealing strip.

[0087] The device for sealing packages (1) moreover has a sealing tape stock (8) from which the sealing tape can be transported by means of a transporting apparatus (9) into the region of a cutting device (10). The sealing tape can be cut to length by means of the cutting device (10) into sealing strips of a defined length. The sealing strip can be formed into a U shape by means of a forming device (11). The sealing strip which is pushed over the package in the sealing region can be bent around the package with the aid of a bending device (12) and can then be welded to the package by means of the sealing device (6) formed as a welding device. In order to increase the production rate, the device for sealing packages (1) moreover has a cooling apparatus (13) by means of which the sealing region can be cooled after welding the package and the sealing strip.

[0088] The device for sealing packages (1) furthermore has a separating device (7) by means of which filled and/or sealed packages can be separated from the packaging means tube of the packaging means stock.

[0089] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the sealing region (22) of two tubular packages (20) which have a tubular packaging means (21) in the form of a net. In the sealing region (22), the packages (20) are enclosed with a sealing element (23) formed as a sealing strip which is in each case welded or fused to the package (20).

[0090] A perspective view of sealing tape stock (8), formed as a roll of sealing tape, with an adjacent transporting apparatus (9) and part of the forming device (11) is illustrated in FIG. 3. The sealing tape can be unreeled from the roll of sealing tape by means of the transporting apparatus (9) and can be transported into the region of the cutting device (10) (not shown) and the forming device (11). The sealing element (23), formed as a sealing strip and separated from the sealing tape by means of the cutting device (10), can be formed by means of the pusher (11a) of the forming device (11).

[0091] FIG. 4 shows a perspective detailed view of a forming device (11) for a sealing element (23) formed as a sealing strip on the left-hand side of the drawing while the sealing strip is being pushed into the die (11b) by means of the pusher (11a), and on the right-hand side after the sealing strip has been pushed into the die (11b). The die (11b) of the forming device (11) has two rectangular recesses into which in each case one sealing strip can be pushed by means of a pusher (11a) formed as a bending pin and can be formed into a U shape. The die (11b) illustrated is designed for the simultaneous forming of two sealing strips.

[0092] A perspective detailed view of the sealing region (22) of a package (20) with a pushed-on, U-shaped sealing element (23) formed as a sealing strip is illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0093] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section in the sealing region (22) of a package (20). The package (20) is arranged in the region of the sealing device (6) formed as an ultrasonic welding device and of the bending device (12) of a device for sealing packages (1) according to the invention. The sealing element (23) formed as a sealing strip is bent around the package (20) in the sealing region (22). The sealing strip can here be bent around the package (20) by means of the bending device (12) by being pressed against the end side of the sealing device (6) formed as an ultrasonic welding device by means of the bending device (12). In order to assist the folding of the sealing strip down around the package (20), in the illustrated embodiment of a device for sealing packages (1) according to the invention, the end side of the ultrasonic welding device (6) is rounded into a U shape.

[0094] Drive elements employed in the region of the device can be formed, for example, as pneumatic piston/cylinder arrangements. However, alternatively or additionally, it has also been considered to implement some or all of the drives as electric motors. It is preferably considered to implement corresponding electrical drives as stepping motors. Stepping motors of this type assist a very precise approach to a preselected position and hence a very high degree of repeatability when performing movements.

[0095] The abovementioned drives can be used, for example, for positioning the clamping device (5). Other possible applications consist of positioning the sealing device (6) and/or the cutting device (10) and/or the forming device (11). Likewise, corresponding drives for the weighing device (12) and/or the separating device (7) and/or the forming device (11) and/or the ultrasonic welding device (6) can be used.