CLOSING SYSTEM FOR PACKAGES WITH CLOSEABLE INERLOCKING ELEMENT

Abstract

A system and a method for closing, in an automated way, at least one package having a reversibly closeable interlocking element comprising a first complementary element and a second complementary element extending between two extremities. The system includes a pressing element, configured to press the first complementary element against the second complementary element by sliding between the two extremities, and a counteracting element, configured to stop the second complementary element when the pressing element presses the first complementary element against the second complementary element, in such a way that the first complementary element and the second complementary element interlock with each other along their entire length.

Claims

1. A closing system to close in an automated way at least one package provided with a reversibly closeable interlocking element comprising: a first complementary element and a second complementary element and having a length that extends between a first extremity and a second extremity, said closing system comprising a pressing element and a counteracting element, wherein said pressing element is configured to press said first complementary element against said second complementary element, in a progressive way starting from the first extremity to the second extremity, said counteracting element is configured to counteract a pressure of said first complementary element against said second complementary element, by stopping said second complementary element when said pressing element presses said first complementary element against said second complementary element, in such a way that said first complementary element and said second complementary element interlock the one with the other along an entire length of the first and second complementary elements.

2. The closing system according to claim 1, wherein said pressing element is configured to press said first complementary element against said second complementary element, by sliding from said first extremity to said second extremity.

3. The closing system according to claim 1, wherein said pressing element is configured to press said first complementary element against said second complementary element, while said first complementary element and said second complementary element are made to slide together with respect to a fixed pressing element and a fixed counteracting element.

4. The closing system according to claim 1, wherein said pressing element is configured to translate along said entire length both along one direction and along an opposite direction.

5. The closing system according to claim 1, wherein said pressing element is configured to translate along the entire length both along a direction and along the opposite direction, while rotating around one of said pressing elements own axes.

6. The closing system according to claim 1, wherein said pressing element comprises a ball bearing.

7. The closing system according to claim 1, wherein said counteracting element comprises a counteracting bar.

8. The closing system according to claim 1, wherein said counteracting element comprises a ball bearing.

9. The closing system according to claim 1, wherein said counteracting element and said pressing element are placed at opposite external sides with respect to an opening of the package where said reversibly closeable interlocking element is placed.

10. A machine for producing packages provided with a reversibly closeable interlocking element, comprising a closing system according to claim 1.

11. The machine according to claim 10, wherein said closing system is placed at a welding station.

12. A method for closing, in an automated way, at least one package provided with a reversibly closeable interlocking element comprising a first complementary element and a second complementary element and having a length that extends between a first extremity and a second extremity comprising the steps of: pressing said first complementary element against said second complementary element, in a progressive way starting from said first extremity to said second extremity and simultaneously counteracting the pressure of said first complementary element against said second complementary element, by stopping said second complementary element, in such a way that said first complementary element and said second complementary element interlock with each other along an entire length of said first complementary element and said second complementary element.

13. A method for producing packages provided with a reversibly closeable interlocking element, comprising the following steps: a) introducing a product inside said packages; b) closing said reversibly closeable interlocking element according to the method of claim 12; c) welding the free extremities of said packages above said reversibly closeable interlocking element.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said step b) is carried out simultaneously to said step c).

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the product is granular or viscous.

16. A method for closing a package having a mouth and opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements extending from one end of the mouth of the package to another end of the mouth of the package for containing a granular product comprising the steps of: opening the mouth of the package and the opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements; filling the package with the granular product through the mouth and past the opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements; placing a counteracting element adjacent one of the opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements; placing a pressing element adjacent another one of the opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements; moving the pressing element relative to the package from the one end of the mouth of the package to the other end of the mouth of the package over the opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements, wherein the opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements are interlocked together; and welding the mouth of the package so that the interlocked opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements are positioned between the welded mouth and the granular product contained in the package, whereby the granular product is prevented from going inside the opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements during storage and transport of the package.

17. A method for closing a package according to claim 16 wherein: the counteracting element comprises a bar extending along an entire length of the opposing complementary reversibly closeable interlocking elements; and the pressing element comprises a roller.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0079] FIG. 1 shows a closeable package that can be obtained according to the present invention, in the closed configuration.

[0080] FIG. 2 shows a closeable package that can be obtained according to the present invention, in the open configuration.

[0081] FIG. 3 shows the stage of feeding the product at the mouth of the package, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows the step of inserting the product into the package, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows a package containing the product, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] FIG. 6 shows a section of the filled package at the X-X centerline axis illustrated in FIG. 5 of the package, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a closeable package in the closed configuration but with the closeable interlocking element partially open, according to the state of the art.

[0086] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a closeable package according to the state of the art, in which, during storage and transport of the package, the product goes in the closeable interlocking element.

[0087] FIG. 9 shows a closing system for packages with a closeable interlocking element, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] FIG. 10 shows a closing system for packages with a closeable interlocking element during a using step, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] FIG. 11 shows a closing system for packages with a closeable interlocking element during a using step, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0090] FIG. 12 shows a closing system for packages with a closeable interlocking element placed at a welding station, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0091] FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of a closeable package in the closed and welded configuration, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] FIG. 14 shows a closing system for packages with a closeable interlocking element, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0093] The present invention is described below with reference to particular embodiments as shown in the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described in the following detailed description and shown in the figures, but, on the contrary, the described embodiments merely exemplify different aspects of the present invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

[0094] Further modifications and variations of the present invention will be clear to the person skilled in the art. Therefore, the present description should be considered to include all the modifications and/or variations of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

[0095] For simplicity, identical or corresponding components are indicated in the figures with the same reference numbers.

[0096] FIG. 1 shows a package 100 made of flexible material and provided with a closeable interlocking element 110, such as those that can be made with the present invention. The package 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in the final configuration: the package contains a predetermined amount of product and is closed by means of a sealing weld 105; the closeable interlocking element 110 is closed. For example, said package 100 may be a doypack or a standup package.

[0097] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the closeable interlocking element 110 is represented by a zip closure, preferably made of plastic. The zip closure 110 is located at the mouth of the package 103, on the opposite side from the bottom of the package 104. The two ends of the package above the mouth of the package 103 are welded together and form a sealing weld 105, so as to ensure optimal conservation of the product until arrival to the end user. In FIG. 1, it can be seen that the sealing weld 105 has side cut-outs 106, which form an easy opening. The package 100 further comprises two lateral sealing welds 101, 102 to close the sides of the package.

[0098] The zip closure 110 extends lengthwise between two extremities 111, 112 that coincide with the two welded side edges of the package. The zip closure 110 includes a first complementary element 120 and a second complementary element 130 suitable for interlocking with each other to ensure sealing of the zip closure. In the examples shown in Figures from 1 to 13, the first complementary element 120 includes a male element and the second complementary element 130 includes a female element. However, it is clear that the first complementary element 120 and the second complementary element 130 are interchangeable, and a configuration with the first, female complementary element 120 and the second, male complementary element 130 could also be possible.

[0099] In FIG. 2 a package 100 having a partially open zip closure 110 is illustrated. The zip closure 110 comprises a track closing system: the first complementary element 120 comprises a protruding track suitable for interlocking with the corresponding groove of the second complementary element 130. The zip closure 110 is referred to as “partially open” because the first complementary element 120 is interlocked with the second complementary element 130 only in some parts at the lateral extremities 111 and 112. In this way, the package is sufficiently open to allow the introduction of a product into it, but the two complementary elements 120 and 130 are partially interlocked with each other and aligned, so as to facilitate subsequent closing operations.

[0100] During the process of producing a package 100 of flexible material according to the present invention, the package 100 is initially in the partially open configuration. At a later stage, a tube or another filling element 210 is conveyed to the top mouth of the package 103 (FIG. 3) and a predetermined amount of product 200 is poured into the package 100 (FIG. 4). Such product 200 may be, for example, a granular or viscous product.

[0101] The packages 100 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 contain for instance a granular product. As can be seen in FIG. 5 and more in detail in the section FIGS. 6 and 7, after the product 200 has been inserted into the package, the parts of the product having a finer grain size may get stuck inside the straps of the zip closure 110, preventing perfect adhesion. Even if the two straps of the zip closure 110 have been already partially interlocked with each other before inserting the product, it may happen that, during the later steps of transporting the package 100, some parts of the product with a finer grain size get stuck in some areas of the zip closure 110, preventing it from adhering properly in those points.

[0102] For example, FIG. 7 shows that, if the zip closure 110 has not been fully closed, when the package 100 reaches the welding bars 140 for making the sealing weld 105, the parts of the product 200 with finer grain size are stuck in the complementary elements 120 and 130 of the zip closure 110 and prevent them from interlocking at some points along the length 113.

[0103] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, if the zip closure 110 has not been fully closed, when the end user opens the package 100 by removing the sealing weld 105, some portions of the product 200 are already stuck in the two complementary elements 120 and 130 of the zip closure and thus make subsequent re-closing by the end user more difficult. A detail of the first, male complementary element 120 and of the second, female complementary element 130 is shown in FIG. 8, wherein it can be seen that some parts of granular product are located between the two complementary elements 120, 130 and prevent them from being interlocked at some points along the length 113 of the zip closure. In order to solve this problem, it is advantageous to close the zip closure 110 just after insertion of the product, by applying an external pressure on the male complementary element 120 or on the female complementary element 130, so as to facilitate the engagement with the corresponding female complementary element 130 or with the corresponding male complementary element 120, respectively. In Figs. from 9 to 13, it is schematically illustrated how to perform these operations by means of a closing system 10 for closeable packages, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0104] The closing system 10 shown in FIG. 9 comprises a pressing element 20 and a counteracting element 30 placed outside the mouth of the package 103, on opposite sides, so that, as they move in a direction perpendicular to the package 100 and move close to or away from each other, they can respectively grip or release the package. Even if the pressing element 20 and the counteracting element 30 are positioned so that they can grip the package 100 and release it once the closing operations have been performed, the package 100 is preferably held by additional holding means (not shown in FIG. 9). The holding means may be, for example, configured to transport the package 100 through the different working stations of the packaging machine and then to the station equipped with the closing system 10.

[0105] The pressing element 20 may be configured to perform a roto-translation motion, for example it may include a roller, a wheel, or a ball bearing, or it may be configured to perform a pure translation motion, as in the case of a bar or a skid. In particular, a ball bearing is illustrated in FIGS. 9-11. The counteracting element 30 may be, for example, a counteracting bar.

[0106] In FIG. 9, it is shown that, when the two upper ends of the mouth of the package 103 are in contact with each other, the ball bearing or pressing element 20 is translated in the direction perpendicular to the package, towards it, and is placed in contact with the zip closure 110. At the same time, also the counteracting bar 30 is translated in the direction perpendicular to the package, towards it, and is placed in contact with the zip closure 110, on the opposite side with respect to the ball bearing 20.

[0107] It is clear that, even if it is described that the ball bearing 20 and the counteracting bar 30 reach the package at the same time, it is also possible to implement a configuration wherein, as a first step, the counteracting bar 30 is moved close to one side of the package 100 and, at a later stage, the ball bearing 20 is moved close to the opposite side of the package, or, conversely, the ball bearing 20 may be first moved and the counteracting bar 30 later. For example, the ball bearing 20 may be placed on the outside of the package on the side corresponding to the male complementary element 120 and the counteracting bar 30 may be placed outside the package on the side corresponding to the female complementary element 130. Alternatively, it is possible to place the ball bearing 20 outside the package on the side corresponding to the female complementary element 130 and the counteracting bar 30 on the side corresponding to the male complementary element 120.

[0108] The closing system 10 can be advantageously employed when the two complementary male 120 and female 130 elements are properly aligned with each other, so as to facilitate the sliding of the ball bearing 20. FIG. 9 shows that the ball bearing 20 and the counteracting bar 30 are moved towards the corresponding complementary elements 120 and 130 to be closed, when these are already partially inserted into each other, that is, when the zip closure 110 is partially closed. Therefore, the closing system 10 has the function of completing and perfecting the interlocking between the two complementary male 120 and female elements 130, even where small granular parts are present and/or where the two complementary elements are not completely interlocked. However, it is clear that, in order to use the closing system 10 according to the present invention, it is sufficient for the two complementary elements to be aligned with each other, even without the zip closure 110 having been previously closed, either partially or completely.

[0109] As shown in detail in FIG. 10, the ball bearing 20 is then slid along the entire length of the zip closure 113 from one extremity 111 to the other extremity 112 of the package 100 along the direction D1 parallel to the package 100, so that, during this translation, it presses against the male complementary element 120 and presses it against the female complementary element 130. The ball bearing 20 may be supported and constrained to a linear movement for instance by means of a pneumatic or electric actuator. The counteracting bar 30, during this sliding step, remains stationary and stops the female complementary element 130, when the latter is pushed by the male complementary element 120, which is in turn pressed by the ball bearing 20, so that the female complementary element 130 applies a pressure equal and opposite to that applied by the male complementary element 120 due to the effect of the ball bearing 20. In this way, it is ensured that the two complementary elements 120 and 130 are interlocked with each other along the entire length of the package 113, starting from a first edge of the package provided with the lateral sealing weld 101 to the second edge of the package provided with the lateral sealing weld 102. Basically, the use of the ball bearing 20 simulates the action of the consumer's fingers on the zip closure 110 of the package 100 during the reclosing operation, after an initial use of the product.

[0110] As shown in FIG. 11, upon completion of the closure of the package 100, the ball bearing 20 and the counteracting bar 30 are moved away from each other in a direction perpendicular to the package 100, they release the newly closed package 100 and are ready to receive a new package 100.

[0111] At the end of a first closing operation, the ball bearing 20 is no longer in its initial position near the extremity 111 of the zip closure 110, but it is in its position near the extremity 112 of the zip closure 110. When the closing system 10 receives a new package 100, the steps shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are repeated with a translation of the ball bearing 20 along a direction D2 opposite to the previous direction. In this way, the process of closing the packages is optimized, because it is not necessary to bring the ball bearing 20 back to its initial position in order to proceed with closing a new package.

[0112] Although reference has been made to an initial position near the extremity 111 of the zip closure 110, it is clear that the two extremities are entirely symmetrical and that the initial position could also be near the extremity 112 of the zip closure 110.

[0113] It is also clear that it is also possible to design the closing system 10 so that the zip closure 110 of a given package 100 is closed along both directions D1 and D2 by means of the closing system 10: a first time when the ball bearing 20 is translated from the extremity 111 to the extremity 112 and a second time when the ball bearing 20 is translated from the extremity 112 to the extremity 111. In this case, the ball bearing 20, after translating along the direction D1 the first time, is not moved away from the package 100, but is left in contact with it and is translated along the direction D2, so that it presses again the complementary element 120 against the complementary element 130.

[0114] Moreover, it is also possible to design the closing system 10 in such a way that the ball bearing 20, after being translated a first time from the extremity 111 to the extremity 112 and having been used to close the zip closure 110, is moved away from the package 100 and is brought back to the initial position 111, before receiving a new closeable package 100.

[0115] The closing system 10 may be placed in a packaging machine at a welding station. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the closing system 10 may be placed below the welding bars 140, so that the welding bars 140 are located at the upper edge of the package 103 and the closing system 10 is located at the zip closure 110. In this configuration, the welding bars 140 and the closing system 10 may operate simultaneously, in such a way that, as the welding bars 140 reach the upper edge of the package 103 and weld it, the closing system 10 approaches the zip closure 110 and closes it, as described above. For example, the welding bars 140 and the closing system 10 may be configured so that, one welding bar 140 is positioned above the ball bearing 20, on one side of the package 100, and one welding bar 140 is positioned above the counteracting bar 30, on the other side of the package 100. The two welding bars 140 and the corresponding elements of the closing system 10 placed below may be simultaneously moved close to and/or moved away from the package 100, during various stages of use, for example by making a movement along a circumferential arc.

[0116] Alternatively, it is possible to design a packaging machine in such a way that, upon completion of the closing operations described above, the package 100 is moved to a welding station where the two free ends of the package 100, located above the zip closure 110, are welded to each other by means of welding bars 140.

[0117] Finally, it is also possible to design a packaging machine in which the welding station is placed upstream of the closing system. In this case, the two ends of the upper edge of the package 103 are first welded together and then the package 100 with the sealing weld 105 is moved to a station equipped with the closing system 10. However, in this configuration, as explained above, there is a risk that, during transport and storage, part of the product will go in the incompletely closed zip closure 110.

[0118] FIG. 13 shows the closeable package 100 with the closed zip closure 110 and with the two upper ends welded together to form the sealing weld 105, at the end of the packaging process.

[0119] In FIG. 14 a closing system 10′ for packages having a reversibly closable interlocking element 110 is shown, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the reversibly closable interlocking element 110 may comprise, for example, a zip closure 110. The alternative closing system 10′ comprises a pressing element 20′ and a counteracting element 30′ that are fixed and is configured in such a way that the package 100 can move relative to them along a direction D. For example, the pressing element 20′ and counteracting element 30′ shown in FIG. 14 include a wheel attached to a pin.

[0120] The pressing element 20′ and the counteracting element 30′ are configured to be initially placed in contact with the outer surface of the package 100, at an equal height of the zip closure 110 and on opposite sides of the package 100, so as to form a gap within which the package 100 is free to slide. For example, the pressing element 20′ and the counteracting element 30′ may be placed at the extremity 112 of the package, as shown in FIG. 14. However, it is clear that the two extremities are symmetrical and that the pressing element 20′ and the counteracting element 30′ could also be placed at the extremity 111 of the package. Moreover, they could be placed at any point along the length of the package 113.

[0121] After this initial positioning step, the pressing element 20′ and the counteracting element 30′ are no longer moved. The package 100 is then translated along the direction D from the initial position, with the closing system 10′ located at the extremity 112, to the final position, with the closing system 10′ located at the extremity 111. For example, the package may be held and translated by means of holding means (not shown in the figure). During this sliding step, the package 100 passes through a gap formed by the fixed pressing element 20′ and the fixed counteracting element 30′ and remains in contact therewith, so that the pressing element 20′ progressively applies a pressure on the first complementary element 120 and then, indirectly, on the second complementary element 130. In other words, the pressing element 20′ initially applies a pressure on the first complementary element 120 at the extremity 112 and, as the package 100 slides in the gap, the pressing element 20′ presses on different portions of the zip closure 110, until it presses on the portion at the extremity 111. While the pressing element 20′ presses on the first complementary element 120 and thus, indirectly, on the second complementary element 130, the latter is stopped by the counteracting element 30′. In this way, as the package 100 slides from the initial position to the final position, the zip closure 110 is closed. Although it has been described that one package is closed at a time, it is clear that the closing system could be configured to hold and close two, three, four or more packages side-by-side and to include two, three, four or more pressing elements located at said packages, each capable of sliding along a length equal to the length of a single package and of closing the corresponding package. Preferably, the two, three, four or more pressing elements may be attached to the same linear actuator.

[0122] Furthermore, even if it has been shown that the pressing element comprises only one rolling element, it is clear that it could also comprise a plurality of rolling elements, for example two, three, four or more wheels, or two, three, four or more ball bearings, or two, three, four or more casters, capable of closing a package by acting on one of the complementary elements one after the other in succession.

[0123] While the invention has been described with respect to preferred physical embodiments realized in accordance therewith, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, variations and improvements of the present invention can be made in light of the teachings above and within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0124] Furthermore, those areas that are considered to be familiar to the person skilled in the art have not been described herein, in order to not unnecessarily obscure the described invention. Accordingly, it has to be understood that the invention should not be limited by the specific illustrative embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

[0125] For example, the operation of the various stations of the packaging machines has not been described in detail, because it is considered to be known to the person skilled in the art.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0126] 10: closing system [0127] 10′: closing system [0128] 20: pressing element [0129] 20′: fixed pressing element [0130] 30: counteracting element [0131] 30′: fixed counteracting element [0132] 100: package [0133] 101, 102: lateral sealing welds of the package [0134] 103: package mouth [0135] 104: package bottom [0136] 105: sealing weld [0137] 106: lateral cuts for easy opening [0138] 110: reversibly closeable interlocking element [0139] 111, 112: extremity of the reversibly closeable interlocking element [0140] 113: length of the zip closure [0141] 120: first complementary element [0142] 130: second complementary element [0143] 140: welding bars [0144] 200: product [0145] 210: filling element [0146] D: sliding direction of the package [0147] D1, D2: sliding directions