HANDLING OF FOOD PRODUCTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of handling food products, in which at least one respective product is placed onto a carrier that has a base and a tab pivotable relative to the base about a kink line, the carrier together with the product disposed thereon is fed to a pick-up region that is disposed in a working region of a transfer device, and the carrier together with the product disposed thereon is picked up by the transfer device, is then fed by means of the transfer device to an insertion region of a packaging machine, and is inserted there with a downward movement of the transfer device into a package component, wherein the carrier is moved past a folding contour, which is arranged in the insertion region, during the downward movement and in so doing, on the one hand, the tab is pivoted relative to the base by cooperation with the folding contour and, on the other hand, the carrier is secured against lifting by a holding device of the transfer device that is effective at or in the region of the kink line.

Claims

1-42. (canceled)

43. A transfer device for picking up carriers on each of which at least one food product is disposed and which each have a base and a tab pivotable relative to the base about a kink line, wherein the kink line extends in parallel with a longitudinal axis of the transfer device when the carrier is picked up, wherein the transfer device has a support for a respective carrier and a holding device that is arranged and configured to secure the carrier against a lifting off from the support.

44. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the transfer device is a robot gripper.

45. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the holding device is arranged off-center; or wherein the holding device is arranged laterally off-center and next to a product holding-down device of the transfer device.

46. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the transfer device has a free pivot region at the side of the holding device, in which free pivot region the holding device is the most outwardly disposed component of the transfer device.

47. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the support is formed by at least one claw that can be brought under the base of a respective carrier to pick up the carrier.

48. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the support is formed by two claws movable relative to one another in a direction in parallel with the longitudinal axis between an open position and a closed position.

49. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the holding device has a holding edge that faces the support and that extends in parallel with the longitudinal axis.

50. A transfer device in accordance with claim 49, wherein the holding edge of the holding device extends laterally outside the support.

51. A transfer device in accordance with claim 49, wherein the holding device is set back inwardly in an upper region with respect to a lower region, which comprises the holding edge, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.

52. A transfer device in accordance with claim 51, wherein the holding device has an outwardly angled lower region whose free lower end is formed by the holding edge.

53. A transfer device in accordance with claim 49, wherein the holding edge has a rectilinear course or wherein the holding edge is provided with a corrugated or toothed holding contour that has a plurality of projections disposed on a line.

54. A transfer device in accordance with claim 49, wherein the holding device extends downwardly, starting from a carrier section of the transfer device, and is provided with the holding edge at its free end.

55. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the holding device is at least approximately effective in a plane that is defined by a support surface of the support.

56. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the holding device is deflectable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis under elastic deformation.

57. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the transfer device is provided with a positioning device that is configured, when the carrier is picked up, to displace a respective food product disposed thereon relative to the carrier.

58. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein the holding device can be driven to make a movement relative to the support.

59. A transfer device in accordance with claim 43, wherein at least one pivot device is integrated into the transfer device and is configured to pivot the tab of a respective picked-up carrier, which is secured against lifting by means of the holding device, relative to the base,

60. A transfer device in accordance with claim 59, wherein the pivot device comprises a holder, which is arranged outside a free pivot region of the transfer device, for an inwardly projecting pivoting member for pivoting the tab.

61. A transfer device in accordance with claim 59, wherein the pivot device is movable in a direction in parallel with the longitudinal axis between a passive position, which is disposed outside a free pivot region of the transfer device, and an active position.

62. A transfer device in accordance with 59, wherein the pivot device is attached to the support.

63. A transfer device in accordance with claim 59, wherein the support is formed by two claws movable relative to one another in a direction in parallel with the longitudinal axis between an open position and a closed position, wherein each claw carries a pivot device, and wherein the pivot devices are in their passive positions when the claws are in the open position and are in their active positions when the claws are in the closed position.

64. A packaging machine for packaging food products, wherein the products are each disposed on a carrier that has a base and a tab pivotable relative to the base about a kink line, wherein the packaging machine comprises a pick-up region, a transfer device, and an insertion region, wherein the carriers, in each case together with the product disposed thereon, can be fed to the pick-up region, can be picked up by the transfer device, can be fed by means of the transfer device to the insertion region and can be inserted with a downward movement of the transfer device into a package component, wherein the insertion region comprises one or more parallel insertion rows along which the package components can be moved through the insertion region in a transport direction and which each have one or more insertion spaces at which a respective carrier together with the product disposed thereon can be inserted by the transfer device into a package component, and wherein a folding abutment projecting upwardly beyond the level of a respective package component is arranged laterally next to each insertion space and said folding abutment defines, with its upper side and its inner side facing the insertion space, a folding contour which a respective carrier abuts with its tab during the downward movement and by which the tab is pivoted relative to the base.

65. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein the folding abutment can be removed from the packaging machine or wherein the position of the folding abutment is at least adjustable relative to the respective insertion space.

66. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein the folding abutment is arranged at the side of the respective insertion space facing away from the pick-up region.

67. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein the folding abutment is configured as a folding strip extending in the transport direction,

68. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 67, wherein the folding strip extends over a plurality of insertion spaces of the respective insertion row.

69. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein the insertion region comprises a plurality of insertion rows, each having a plurality of insertion spaces, and wherein a folding strip extending over a plurality of insertion spaces is arranged at each insertion row.

70. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein the folding contour extends exclusively vertically, or wherein the folding contour extends exclusively vertically with the exception of a chamfered or rounded inlet section at the upper side of the folding abutment, or wherein the folding contour comprises a vertically extending operative section.

71. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein the folding contour comprises, at least in an upper region, a non-vertically extending operative section that is directed towards the respective insertion space and that extends at least partly obliquely or in a curved manner.

72. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein the folding contour at the inner side of the folding abutment comprises at least one operative section configured as an undercut or as a projection.

73. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein a pivot abutment is arranged in the insertion region or, with respect to the transport direction, adjoining the insertion region for the or each insertion row, said pivot abutment defining a pivoting contour that changes in the transport direction and that is shaped such that, on a moving past of a respective carrier inserted into a package component, the tab of said respective carrier is pivoted further in the direction of the base of the carrier by cooperation with the pivoting contour.

74. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein the pick-up region comprises a conveying device via which the carriers, in each case together with the product disposed thereon, can be fed and which has, at least in the pick-up region, a curved support or a support having a reduced width for the carriers that enables an overhang of the carriers at both sides.

75. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 74, wherein the conveying device comprises an endless conveying means that serves as a support and that is guided in the pick-up region via a curved guide having a reduced width compared to the endless conveying means.

76. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 75, wherein the curved guide comprises one or more elevation strips for the endless conveying means, said elevation strips extending in the transport direction and each comprising a run-on ramp, a run-out ramp and therebetween an elevated support section for the endless conveying means.

77. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 64, wherein at least one buffer space for at least one carrier is arranged at the side of the pick-up region facing away from the insertion region, wherein a respective carrier can, as required, be placed on the buffer space and picked up from the buffer space by means of the transfer device.

78. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 77, wherein the buffer space is provided with a support for the carriers that enables an overhang of the carriers at both sides.

Description

[0130] The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawing. There are shown:

[0131] FIG. 1 schematically, a plan view of a possible embodiment of a packaging machine in accordance with the invention;

[0132] FIG. 2 a perspective view of an insertion region together with the pick-up region and buffer spaces of a packaging machine in accordance with a possible embodiment;

[0133] FIG. 3 a similar view to FIG. 2, wherein a fed product carrier is shown in the pick-up region for illustration;

[0134] FIG. 4 a section perpendicular to the transport direction through the pick-up region of the packaging machine in accordance with FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0135] FIG. 5 a product carrier that is disposed on a buffer space of the packaging machine of FIGS. 2 to 4;

[0136] FIGS. 6a and 6b a possible embodiment of a transfer device in accordance with the invention in different positions;

[0137] FIGS. 7a to 7c a further embodiment of a transfer device in accordance with the invention in different positions;

[0138] FIG. 8 the cooperation between the holding device of a transfer device and a folding contour of the packaging machine based on a possible design of the folding contour;

[0139] FIG. 9 representations corresponding to FIG. 8 with differently designed folding contours; and

[0140] FIG. 10 a representation corresponding to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 with a further folding contour.

[0141] FIG. 1 schematically shows, in a plan view, a region of a packaging machine that comprises a feed region 17 and an insertion region 21, wherein a buffer region with here two schematically shown buffer spaces 65 is furthermore arranged at the side of the feed region 17 facing away from the insertion region 21.

[0142] Packaging machines for packaging food products are generally known so that they do not have to be looked at in detail here. The usual components of the packaging machine 23 are therefore not shown. These components are in particular a deep-drawing station for forming, for example, trough-shaped depressions in a film web and a sealing station for sealing the depressions into which products have previously been inserted at an insertion region.

[0143] In the packaging machine 23 in accordance with the invention, this insertion takes place at the insertion region 21 shown in FIG. 1, and indeed by means of a transfer device, not shown, in the form of a pick-and-place robot in whose working region the buffer region, the pick-up region 17, and the insertion region 21 are disposed.

[0144] Products (not shown) fed at the pick-up region 17 in a feed direction Z and disposed on a product carrier are picked up by means of the robot and are inserted into the depressions, also designated as package components here, that each form an insertion space 53 in the insertion region 21.

[0145] The insertion region 21 here comprises a format of 3×3 package components 53, and indeed three insertion rows 51 that extend in parallel with one another in the transport direction T and that each have three insertion spaces 53 arranged behind one another.

[0146] Each insertion row 51 is provided with a folding strip 55 that extends in the transport direction T and that is in each case arranged at the side of the respective insertion spaces 53 that faces away from the pick-up region 17. The folding strips 55 each form a folding abutment for a respective product carrier and each define a folding contour.

[0147] The pick-up region 17 is provided with a curved guide 63 that is provided here by two elevation strips that are spaced apart in parallel, that extend in parallel with the feed direction Z, and thus in parallel with the transport direction T, and that each form an elevated support section 63b for a conveyor band, not shown, of a conveying device forming the pick-up region 17.

[0148] The curved guide 63 and the folding strips 55 will be described in more detail below in connection with the further Figures.

[0149] Following the insertion region 21, viewed in the transport direction T, a pivot abutment 69 is provided for each insertion row 51. As described in the introductory part, this pivot abutment 69 is provided with a pivoting contour that ensures that, after the insertion of the carriers into the package components, when the packaging machine 23 performs its next work cycle, the tabs of the carriers are pivoted further in the direction of the base of the carrier by cooperation with the pivoting contour of the pivot abutments 69.

[0150] The packaging machine can have a plurality of such insertion regions 21 that are arranged behind one another in the transport direction T. A robot is then associated with each such insertion region 21 and picks up the carriers to be packaged, in each case together with the product disposed thereon, from a respective pick-up region 17. The structure that supports the robot and that can be integrated into the support frame of the packaging machine 23 is also designated as a robot cell, i.e. the packaging machine 23 can have a plurality of robot cells arranged behind one another in the transport direction T.

[0151] The packaging machine 23 works in cycles. A work cycle consists of a standstill phase and a movement phase, also designated as advancing, in which the package components are moved on a format by format basis. During a respective standstill phase, the package components located at the insertion spaces 53 and previously produced e.g. by deep-drawing are filled at the insertion region 21 with the respective products disposed on a carrier. At the same time, during a respective standstill phase at the deep-drawing station of the packaging machine, a format of depressions is formed in the material web and, at the sealing station disposed downstream, a format of filled package components is sealed by a material web also designated as a top film.

[0152] A format of package components does not have to be completely filled at an insertion region 21. The insertion of carriers, in each case together with the product disposed thereon, into a format can be distributed over a plurality of insertion regions 21 arranged behind one another.

[0153] FIG. 2 shows the three folding strips 55 at the insertion region 21 that each have a narrow upper side 55a and an inner side 55b facing the respective insertion spaces 53. A robot gripper of the robot serving as a transfer device 19 is partly shown above the insertion region 21.

[0154] The pick-up region 17 is provided with the mentioned elevation strips 63 that together form the curved guide for a conveyor band, not shown here. Each elevation strip 63 has a run-on ramp 63a, an adjoining support section 63b, and an in turn adjoining run-out ramp 63c.

[0155] FIG. 2 furthermore shows the buffer region with the two buffer spaces 65, said buffer region being provided at the side of the pick-up region 17 facing away from the insertion region 21. Furthermore, a further, identically designed section that comprises the buffer region, the pick-up region, the insertion region and the robot and that adjoins the insertion section of the packaging machine shown here in the transport direction T is partly shown in FIG. 2.

[0156] FIG. 3 shows the pick-up region 17, again without the mentioned conveyor band, to illustrate that the curved guide formed by the elevation strips 63 has a reduced width compared to the width of a product carrier 10. A product carrier 10 thus projecting at both sides can consequently be picked up safely and reliably by means of the transfer device.

[0157] The product carrier 10 is configured as a so-called L board here that has a base 11, which is provided with viewing openings, and a tab 15 that can be pivoted relative to the base 11 about a kink line 13 that is indicated as a dashed line here.

[0158] The feeding of these product carriers 10, on each of which products not shown here have been placed, takes place in an orientation of the carriers 10 such that the kink line 13 extends perpendicular to the transport direction T. The insertion of the carriers 10 into the package components takes place with the kink line 13 aligned in parallel with the transport direction T so that the carriers 10 have to be rotated by 90° after the picking up and before the insertion. This takes place by the transfer device described in more detail elsewhere.

[0159] The cross-section extending perpendicular to the transport direction T through the pick-up region 17 in accordance with FIG. 4 illustrates the different curvatures of the conveyor band 61 that forms a component of the conveying device by which the carriers 10, each provided with a product 16 disposed thereon, are fed to the pick-up region 17. The product 16 is schematically shown here as a shingled portion composed of a plurality of slices previously—as initially explained—cut off from a food product, for example bacon, by means of a high-performance slicer. The overlapping/shingled arrangement cannot be seen in FIG. 4 since it takes place perpendicular to the course of the kink line 13 (cf. FIG. 3).

[0160] The curvature of the conveyor band 61 changes in the transport direction T. Before running onto the elevation strips 63, the conveyor band 61 is at the lowest, normal level and is consequently not curved. In the region of the run-on ramp 63a and the run-out ramp 63c (cf. FIG. 3), the conveyor band 61 is at an approximately medium level and is already slightly curved.

[0161] The conveyor band 61 has the most pronounced curvature at the uppermost level when the conveyor band 61 is disposed on the support sections 63b of the elevation strips 63. FIG. 4 shows that, with respect to the width of the carriers 10, the curvature is sufficiently pronounced in order thus to achieve an exposure of the lower sides of the marginal regions of the carrier 10 at both sides, in other words to achieve a lateral overhang of the carrier 10 over that region of the conveyor band 61 that serves as a support 59 for the carrier 10.

[0162] In FIG. 5, it can be seen that the carrier 10 disposed on the buffer space 65 has been rotated by 90° after the picking up from the pick-up region 17 (cf. FIG. 3) so that the kink line 13 extends in parallel with the transport direction T. The carrier has therefore been picked up and rotated by means of the transfer device, but for the time being it has not been inserted into one of the package components at the insertion region 21, but has been temporarily “parked” on one of the buffer spaces 65. For this purpose, the buffer space 65 is provided with a support 67 that comprises three support webs 68 spaced apart in parallel. Viewed in the transport direction T, a lateral overhang over the two outer support webs 68 hereby results, in other words an exposure of the lower sides of the marginal regions of the carrier at both sides, so that the robot gripper forming the transfer device can engage under the base 11 of the carrier 10 with its two movable claws. For this purpose, the two outer support webs 68 are provided with outwardly slanting slopes.

[0163] FIG. 5 furthermore shows four openings 11a which are formed in the base 11 of the carrier 10 and through which the product arranged in the final package between the base 11 and the pivoted tab 15 is also visible to a purchaser from the side facing downwardly here in FIG. 5.

[0164] Robot grippers 19 serving as transfer devices, such as those shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b and 7a to 7c, are known with respect to their basic design and their basic functionality so that it is not necessary to look more closely at details in this respect.

[0165] The grippers 19 are each provided with a receiver for picking up a carrier 10 in the form of two claws 39 that are movable relative to one another in parallel with a longitudinal axis L (cf. FIG. 6a) of the gripper 19 between an open position (FIG. 6a) and a closed position (FIG. 6b). A pneumatic drive, which will not be looked at in detail here, is used for this movement of the claws 39.

[0166] As the comparison of FIGS. 6a and 6b shows, the claws 39 are moved under the base 11 of a respective carrier 10. Furthermore, a product holder 41 (cf. FIG. 6a) is moved downwardly to fix a food product, not shown here, disposed on the base 11 of the carrier 10. This takes place before the movement of the two claws 39 toward one another so that the carrier 10 does not slip, i.e. the carrier 10 together with the product disposed thereon remains in the respective desired position relative to the gripper.

[0167] Both in the embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 6a and 6b and in the embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 7a to 7c, the gripper 19 is in each case provided with a panel-shaped holding device 31 that is provided with openings and that is e.g. composed of sheet metal or plastic. The holding device 31 is fastened to a carrier section 45 that is in turn attached to a frame 46 along which the carrier section 45 and thus the holding device 31 can be moved perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L by means of a drive, not shown. Alternatively, provision can be made that the holding device 31 can be moved relative to a holding section in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, wherein this holding section is then either additionally movable itself or arranged in a stationary manner.

[0168] With respect to a vertical center plane of the gripper 19 extending centrally through the two claws 39, the holding device 31 is arranged off-center. A straight-line holding edge 43 formed by the lower end of the holding device 31 and extending in parallel with the longitudinal axis L is thus located laterally—viewed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L—outside the range of movement of the claws 39.

[0169] The holding device 31 is angled outwardly in a lower region 31b provided with the holding edge 43 and therefore does not extend in the vertical direction with this lower region 31b. In contrast, an upper region 31a of the holding device 31, via which the holding device 31 is fixed to the carrier section 45, extends in the vertical direction.

[0170] With respect to an upwardly facing support surface, which is defined by the claws 39, for the carrier 10, the holding device 31 is arranged such that the holding edge 43 of the holding device extends approximately in the plane defined by this support surface. When the carrier 10 is disposed on the claws 39, the carrier 10 is consequently acted on from above by the holding device 31 by means of its holding edge 43.

[0171] When picking up a respective carrier 10, the gripper 19 is positioned relative to the carrier 10 such that the holding edge 43 acts on the carrier 10 along the kink line 13.

[0172] As already mentioned in the introductory part, a kink line 13 can already be present in the form of a deliberate weakening of the carrier 10 between the base 11 and the tab 15. However, it is also possible to intentionally produce such a weakening by means of the holding device 31 when picking up the carrier 10. As the small representations at the left in FIG. 6a show, the holding edge 43 can for this purpose be provided with a holding contour 43a that deviates from a rectilinear course and that can, for example, have a corrugated, a toothed or a serrated course.

[0173] With the grippers 19 in accordance with FIGS. 6a and 6b, the folding of the carrier 10, i.e. the pivoting of the tab 15 relative to the base 11, takes place by cooperation with a respective folding strip 55 of the packaging machine, as described in more detail below.

[0174] The gripper in accordance with FIGS. 7a to 7c differs from that of FIGS. 6a and 6b in that the gripper 19 itself is capable of pivoting the tab 15 relative to the base 11. For this purpose, the gripper 19 is provided with a pivot device 33 at each of its two claws 39. Apart from this, the two grippers 19 do not differ so that reference is in this respect made to the statements on FIGS. 6a and 6b.

[0175] Each pivot device 33 comprises a holder 47 that is fastened to the respective claw 39 and that supports an elongated pivoting member 49 extending in parallel with the longitudinal axis L. This “pivot finger” 49 can thus be jointly moved by means of the respective claw 39 in parallel with the longitudinal direction L, and indeed between a passive position in accordance with FIG. 7a corresponding to the open position of the two claws 39 and an active position in accordance with FIG. 7b corresponding to the closed position of the two claws 39. This active position of the pivoting members 39 corresponds to a starting position in which the pivoting members 39 are pushed under the tab 15 to be pivoted. Starting from this starting position in accordance with FIG. 7b, the pivoting members 49 can each be moved by means of a drive into an end position in accordance with FIG. 7c in which the tab 15 of the carrier 10 has been pivoted by means of the pivoting members 49 into an approximately perpendicular position relative to the base 11 of the carrier 10.

[0176] The working movement of the pivoting members 49 between the starting position in accordance with FIG. 7b and the end position in accordance with FIG. 7c is a linear movement that is in each case effected by means of a pneumatic cylinder 50. Alternative movement sequences for the pivoting members 49 are possible, for example, rotary movements or pivot movements.

[0177] On a pivoting of the tab 15 by means of the pivoting members 49, the carrier 10 is secured against a lifting off from the claws 39 by the holding device 31 effective at the bending line 13 (cf. FIG. 7a) with its holding edge 43.

[0178] FIGS. 8 and 9 each schematically illustrate the cooperation of the holding device 31 with the folding contour 29, which is defined by the respective folding abutment 55, for pivoting the tab 15 relative to the base 11 of a respective carrier.

[0179] In each case, the rear side of a claw 39 of the otherwise not shown gripper 19 is shown, with which gripper 19 the respective carrier has been picked up and is to be inserted into a provided package component 25 by a downward movement. The package component 25 is formed by a depression 28 that was previously formed at a deep-drawing station of the packaging machine by a deep-drawing in a material web 27 in the form of a bottom film.

[0180] The folding abutment 55 that is, for example, formed by a folding strip in accordance with FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2 and 3 has an upper side 55a and an inner side 55b that faces inwardly, i.e. towards the insertion space 53, and that extends in the vertical direction here. The folding contour 29 is here consequently formed by a vertical operative section 57 of the folding abutment 55. The folding abutment 55 is arranged in an overlapping manner with the corresponding lateral boundary of the depression 28 so that an imaginary downward extension of the folding contour 29 ends within the depression 28.

[0181] As already mentioned in connection with FIGS. 6a and 6b and 7a to 7c, the panel-shaped holding device 31 that is, for example, formed by a metal sheet or a plastic sheet is angled at its lower region 31b so that the vertically extending upper region 31a is offset inwardly with respect to the holding edge 43 formed at the free end of the lower region 31b, i.e. away from the vertical plane defined by the vertical operative section 57 of the folding contour 29. It is hereby ensured that neither the holding device 31 itself nor the carrier section 45, to which the holding device 31 is fastened with its upper region 31a, can abut the abutment strip 55 when the gripper 19 and thus the holding device 31 are moved downwardly.

[0182] The holding edge 43 is effective at the kink line 13 between the tab 15 and the base 11 of the carrier so that, as the middle representation in FIG. 8 shows, the tab is pivoted about the kink line 13 relative to the base 11 through the cooperation of the holding edge 43 and the inner side 55b of the folding abutment 55. In this respect, the gripper 19 is programmed such that it moves on a folding path that ensures that the holding edge 43 moves close to the inner side 55b of the folding abutment 55 during the downward movement.

[0183] The inwardly facing slope at the upper side 55a of the folding abutment 55 ensures that the holding edge 43 would be deflected inwardly if the gripper 19 were located closer to the folding abutment 55 during its downward movement.

[0184] As the representation at the right in FIG. 8 shows, the tab 15 has been pivoted by 90° relative to the base 11 into a position at a right angle to the base 11 through the cooperation of the holding device 31 and the folding abutment 55. As soon as the claws 39 of the gripper 19 are moved apart, the carrier 10 together with the product disposed thereon falls into the depression 28. On the further movement of the package component 25 in the packaging machine, the upwardly pivoted tab 15 is pivoted further in the direction of the base 11 by means of the pivot abutment 69 (cf. FIG. 1) in order to reach the desired end position that is required to enable the sealing of the package at the sealing station.

[0185] FIG. 9 shows three possible alternative embodiments of the folding abutment 55.

[0186] At the left in FIG. 9, a folding abutment 55 arranged in an inclined manner is shown by way of example and is provided with an inclined operative section 35 at its inner side. The movement of the gripper 19 to insert the carrier 10 into the package component 25 can differ here from a pure vertical downward movement. The gripper 19 can e.g. first be moved further outwardly and then, during its downward movement, can be moved inwardly at the same time in order, in this way, to pivot the tab 15 through the cooperation of the holding edge 43 and the oblique operative section 35.

[0187] In the examples in accordance with the middle representation and the right representation in FIG. 9, the folding abutment 55 is in each case again provided with a vertical operative section 57 of the folding contour 29 that is, however, adjoined in the lower region by an undercut 37 formed at the inner side of the folding abutment 55. By means of the holding edge 43, the holding device 31 presses the region of the tab 15 adjoining the kink line 13 into the undercut 37, whereby the holding tab 15 is aligned in accordance with the area upwardly bounding the undercut 37 and is in each case pivoted further inwardly in accordance with the two examples shown herein.

[0188] The movement of the holding edge 43 into the undercut 37 can either be achieved by a suitably controlled transverse movement of the gripper 19 that takes place as soon as the region of the undercut 37 is reached during the downward movement. Alternatively, the holding device 31 can be deflectable by elastic deformation so that the movement of the gripper 19 can be controlled such that, during the downward movement, the holding device 31 is deflected inwardly when it cooperates with the folding abutment 55 via its holding edge 43. The return force of the elastic deformation of the holding device 31 that takes place in this respect then ensures that the lower region 31b of the holding device 31 automatically presses the lower region of the tab 15 into the undercut 37 as soon as the latter is reached during the downward movement.

[0189] In the middle example of FIG. 9, the undercut 37 is bounded by a lower run-out slope so that the holding device 31 can automatically move out of the undercut 37 via its holding edge 43 when the gripper 19 is moved further downwardly in the vertical direction.

[0190] In the rightmost example in FIG. 9, the undercut 37 is provided with a step in the lower region so that a transverse movement of the gripper 19 away from the inner side of the folding abutment 55 is required to be able to move the carrier 10 further downwardly in the direction of the package component 25.

[0191] In the embodiment of FIG. 10, in contrast to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, to which reference is made in order to avoid a repeat description with respect to the agreements, a projection 38 is formed as an operative section at the inner side 55b of the folding abutment 55. The projection 38 comprises an upper part section 38a that leads inwardly and a lower part section 38b that leads back outwardly again from the upper part section 38b. Both part sections 38a, 38b are straight, wherein a curved design would alternatively be possible.

[0192] On the downward movement of the gripper, the lower region 31b of the holding device 31 is first elastically deflected inwardly by the upper part section 38a, but then returns into the starting position due to the return force, wherein the tab 15 of the carrier 10 is aligned at the lower part section 38b and is thus pivoted beyond an angle of 90° in the direction of the base 11.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0193] 10 carrier [0194] 11 base [0195] 11a opening [0196] 13 kink line [0197] 15 tab [0198] 16 product [0199] 17 pick-up region [0200] 19 transfer device [0201] 21 insertion region [0202] 23 packaging machine [0203] 25 package component [0204] 27 material web [0205] 28 depression [0206] 29 folding contour [0207] 31 holding device [0208] 31a upper region [0209] 31b lower region [0210] 33 pivot device [0211] 35 inclined operative section [0212] 37 operative section as an undercut [0213] 38 operative section as a projection [0214] 38a upper part section of the projection [0215] 38b lower part section of the projection [0216] 39 support [0217] 41 product holding-down device [0218] 43 holding edge [0219] 43a holding contour [0220] 45 carrier section [0221] 46 frame [0222] 47 holder [0223] 49 pivoting member [0224] 50 working cylinder [0225] 51 insertion row [0226] 53 insertion space [0227] 55 folding abutment [0228] 55a upper side [0229] 55b inner side [0230] 57 vertical operative section [0231] 59 support of the conveying device [0232] 61 endless conveying means [0233] 63 curved guide [0234] 63a run-on ramp [0235] 63b support section [0236] 63c run-out ramp [0237] 65 buffer space [0238] 67 support of the buffer space [0239] 68 web [0240] 69 pivot abutment [0241] L longitudinal axis [0242] T direction of transport [0243] Z feed direction