PACKAGING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A PACKAGING, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging machine for producing a packaging (20) from a paper-containing web material (2) and a covering web (3), comprising a first pre-tensioning device (4) for pre-tensioning and stretching the web material (2) in a transport direction (16) of the web material, a second pre-tensioning device (5) for pre-tensioning and stretching the web material (2) in a second direction (17) transverse to the transport direction (16), a shaping device (6) for producing a depression (21) in the web material (2), wherein the depression (21) is designed to receive a filler, a filling device (7) which fills filler into the depression (21), a covering web device which provides the covering web (3) in order to provide a cover (31) for the depression (21), a fixing device (10) which fixes the covering web (3) on the web material (2), and a discharge device (8) which discharges the produced packaging out of the packaging machine.

Claims

1. A packaging machine for producing a package (20) from a web material (2) comprising paper and a covering web (3), with a first pretensioning device (4) for pretensioning and expanding the web material (2) in a transporting direction (16) of the web material, a second pretensioning device (5) for pretensioning and expanding the web material (2) in a second direction (17) transverse to the transporting direction (16), a forming device (6) for producing a depression (21) in the web material (2), wherein the depression (21) is configured to receive a filling, a filling device (7) which places the filling into the depression (21), a covering web device which provides the covering web (3) for providing a cover (31) for the depression (21), a fixing device (10) which fixes the covering web (3) on the web material (2), and an output device (8) which outputs the produced package from the packaging machine.

2. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pretensioning device (4) is arranged upstream from the second pretensioning device (5), in the transporting direction (16) of the web material (2).

3. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pretensioning device (4) comprises a draw roll device (40) with a first draw roll (41) and a second draw roll (42), between which the web material (2) is guided, and a pretensioning roll (45), wherein the pretensioning roll (45) can be moved perpendicular to a center axis of the pretensioning roll

4. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a dancer roll arrangement (44) with a first, second, and third roll, wherein one of the rolls is the pretensioning roll (45) and another of the rolls is the first draw roll (41).

5. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second pretensioning device (5) comprises a plurality of retaining grippers (50) which are arranged on the sides of the web material (2).

6. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the forming device (6) comprises a die (62), a hold-down clamp (61), a punch (63), and a final forming device for the final forming of the formed depression (21) from the die (62).

7. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a third pretensioning device (9) which pretensions and expands the covering web (3) in a transporting direction (18) of the covering web.

8. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material of the covering web (3) comprises paper or wherein the covering web (3) is produced completely from paper.

9. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing device (10) is arranged movably in order to enable alignment relative to the depression (21) formed in the web material (2).

10. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a heating device (11) which is arranged downstream from the first and second pretensioning device (4, 5) and upstream from the forming device (6), in the transporting device of the web material (2).

11. A method for producing a package (20) from a web material (2) comprising paper and a covering web (3), wherein the package has a depression (21) for receiving a filling, comprising the steps of: a first pretensioning and expansion of the web material (2) in a transporting direction (16) of the web material, a second pretensioning of the web material (2) in a second direction (17) transversely to the transporting direction (16), forming the web material (2) to produce the depression (21) in the web material, and fixing the covering web (3) on the web material (2) in order to cover the depression and provide the package.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the web material (2) is unreeled continuously from a web reel (22) and the first pretensioning of the web material (2) is effected by a draw roll device (40), through which the web material (2) is guided, and a pretensioning roll (45).

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the covering web (3) is pretensioned and expanded before the step of being fixed on the web material (2) in a transporting direction (18) of the covering web.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the web material (2) and the covering web (3) is produced completely from paper and at least the web material (2) is preheated before a joining step with the covering web (3).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] A preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a device for producing and filling a package with a packaging machine according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, and

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a detail of the packaging machine from FIG. 1 in the region of a second pretensioning device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] A packaging machine 1 according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention and a production method according to the invention are described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0028] The packaging machine makes it possible to produce a package 20 comprising paper. The package can here be produced completely from paper and in particular contain no plastics or the like.

[0029] As can be seen from FIG. 1, the packaging machine 1 makes it possible to produce a package 20 from a web material 12 comprising paper and a covering web 3 comprising paper.

[0030] In order to produce the package 20, a depression 21, which is then sealed by a cover 31 provided by the covering web 3, is introduced into the web material 2 after a filling has been introduced into the depression 21. The packages 20 produced in this way can then be discharged from the packaging machine 1, for example by means of a conveyor belt 13.

[0031] The packaging machine 1 hereby comprises a web reel 22 onto which the web material 2 is reeled and from which the web material is continuously unreeled. The packaging machine 1 moreover comprises a first pretensioning device 4 for pretensioning and expanding the web material in a transporting direction 16 of the web material, and a second pretensioning device 5 for pretensioning and expanding the web material 2 in a second direction transversely to the transporting direction 16. This second expansion is indicated in FIG. 2 by the arrows 17.

[0032] The packaging machine 1 moreover comprises a forming device 6 for producing the depression 21 in the web material 2. The forming device is shown schematically in FIG. 2 and comprises a hold-down clamp 61, a die 62, and a punch 63. The forming device is hereby configured to preferably perform a two-stage forming step in which the depression is first preliminarily formed and then the depression is finally formed.

[0033] The preliminary forming is preferably performed by means of compressed air and the final forming by means of the punch 63. It is moreover also possible that detailed structures are additionally introduced into the depression which are preferably introduced by means of high pressure.

[0034] The packaging machine 1 furthermore comprises a filling device 7 which places a filling to be packaged, for example a foodstuff, into the produced depression 21.

[0035] After filling, the depression 21 must be covered and sealed by means of the cover 31 from the covering web 3. For this purpose, a fixing device 10 is provided which is a sealing device in this exemplary embodiment.

[0036] Before the actual sealing process, the covering web 3 and the web material 2 with the produced depression 21 are again aligned relative to each other. The alignment can be effected, for example, by means of printed marks on both webs. The fixing device 10 is moreover also provided movably, as indicated in FIG. 1 by the arrows 19. As a result, precise sealing of the covering web 3 to the web material 2 can be enabled. A printed mark scanner 14 is hereby provided for aligning the fixing device 10.

[0037] After the covering web 3 has been fixed on the web material 2, the packages which are still joined together on the covering web 3 are transported onward to an output device 13 which has, for example, a die cutter 8 or the like for separating the packages 20. The packages 20 can then be discharged from the packaging machine 1.

[0038] As can be seen from FIG. 1, a third pretensioning device 9 is provided on the covering web 3. The third pretensioning device 9 tensions and expands the covering web 3 such that it does not have any creases or the like. The covering web 3 is here expanded by means of the third pretensioning device 9 just in the transporting direction 18 of the covering web.

[0039] In contrast, the web material 2 is expanded by the first pretensioning device 4 in the transporting direction 16 and by the second pretensioning device 5 in the second direction 17 transversely to the transporting direction 16. The first pretensioning device 4 hereby comprises a draw roll device 40 and a dancer roll arrangement 44. The dancer roll arrangement 44 comprises three rolls. The draw roll device 40 comprises two rolls, namely a first draw roll 41 and a second draw roll 42, wherein the web material 2 is guided between the first and second draw roll 41, 42.

[0040] The first draw roll 41 of the draw roll device 40 here forms the third roll of the dancer roll arrangement 44 such that the draw roll device 40 and the dancer roll arrangement 44 share a roll.

[0041] The dancer roll arrangement 44 moreover also comprises a first roll 46 which is arranged immovably and a pretensioning roll 45. The pretensioning roll 45 can here move in a direction perpendicular to a center axis of the pretensioning roll 45, as indicated in FIG. 1 by the double-headed arrow 15. It is here possible that the web material 2 is unreeled continuously and, on the other hand, is expanded between the pretensioning roll 45 and the draw roll device 40 in the transporting direction 16.

[0042] After the web material 2 has been expanded in the transporting direction 16, a second expansion transverse to the transporting direction is effected by means of the second pretensioning device 5. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the second pretensioning device 5 comprises a plurality of retaining grippers 50 which are arranged at the sides of the web material 2. The retaining grippers 50 here clamp the web material 2 at the sides and expand the web material 2 in the second direction 17 transverse to the transporting direction 16.

[0043] The web material 2 is thus expanded in two successive steps in two directions oriented perpendicularly to each other. As a result, it is ensured that a crease-free web material is fed to the forming device 6 and moreover that no microscopic cracks or the like or creases can occur during the forming process. Additionally, the prevention of creases is further promoted by the forming process being performed in two stages, wherein the hold-down clamp 61 can be lifted off the web material 2 for the final forming step such that material can flow into the die 62 for the final forming step.

[0044] In order to further facilitate the forming step in the forming device 6, a heating device 11 is also additionally provided. The heating device 11 is provided downstream from the draw roll device 40 and upstream from a device 12 for applying adhesive, in the transporting direction. This device 12 here enables adhesive to be applied precisely to regions of the web material 2 on which it is intended for the covering web 3 to be fixed later in order to provide the cover 31.

[0045] It should moreover be noted that for the forming step the web material is moved on in discrete steps, which can be performed, for example, by transport grippers (not shown) on the side of the web material or also by the retaining grippers 50 of the second pretensioning device 5.

[0046] It should furthermore be noted that, depending on the material chosen for the web material 2 and the covering web 3, different fixing devices 10 can be provided. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the web material 2 and the covering web 3 are produced completely from paper and fixing is effected by means of the adhesive from the device 12 for applying the adhesive. It would, however, also be conceivable that the web material 2 can be a composite material of paper and a plastic film and the fixing device 10 can then be, for example, an ultrasound fixing device. Hot-air welding or laser welding, or alternatively also a thermal contact method, would also be possible.

[0047] A novel method for producing a package 20 from a material comprising paper can thus be provided by means of the packaging machine 1 according to the invention. The web material 2 providing the depression 21 is here expanded in two directions and additionally the covering web 3 provided for the cover 31 is also expanded in one direction.

[0048] The joining process between the covering web 3 and the web material 2 can hereby be assisted owing to the use of paper as the basic material, in particular when the web material 2 and the covering web 3 are 100% made of paper, and preferably further by heating and/or moistening at least the regions at which the covering web 3 is later joined with the web material 2. It may then hereby also be possible to completely dispense with a device 12 for providing adhesive. This device 12 is, for example, also not required if a plastic coating or the like, which is heated in the fixing step and thus enables a bond between the web material 2 and the covering web 3, is provided on at least one web.