PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A PACKAGE

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a package having a package lower part for receiving a product and having a lid part attached to the package lower part for closing the package. The lid part includes a label and a carrier layer section, wherein the label adheres to the carrier layer section, and wherein the lid part is adhered to the package lower part by means of the label. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a package.

Claims

1. A package comprising a package lower part for receiving a product, and a lid part attached to the package lower part for closing the package, wherein the lid part comprises a label and a carrier layer section to which the label is adhered, wherein the lid part is adhered to the package lower part by means of the label.

2. The package according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer section is manufactured so as to be adapted to an opening formed by the package lower part for inserting the product.

3. The package according to claim 1, wherein the label forms a peripheral adhesive edge on the lid part, which corresponds to a package edge formed on the package lower part.

4. The package according to claim 1, wherein the package lower part is a plastic tray and the label is a plastic label.

5. The package according to claim 1, wherein the package lower part is a cardboard tray and the label is a paper label.

6. The package according to claim 1, wherein the package lower part is a cardboard tray and the label is a plastic label.

7. The package according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer section is made of a plastic foil.

8. The package according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer section has a thickness x defined by 30μm≤x≤50 μm.

9. The package according to claim 1, wherein the lid part has at least one ventilation hole for the product received in the package.

10. The package according to claim 1, wherein the lid part is configured to be transparent at least in regions.

11. The package according to claim 1, wherein the product comprises a fruit or a vegetable.

12. A method of manufacturing a package, comprising: providing a label roll comprising prefabricated labels and a carrier layer, the labels adhering to the carrier layer; and providing package lower parts that are each loaded with a product; separating the labels from the carrier layer so that carrier layer sections adhering to respective undersides of the labels are simultaneously separated from the carrier layer, wherein the respective labels together with the carrier layer sections remaining adhered thereto from the carrier layer form lid parts; and adhering the lid parts to the package lower parts by means of the labels provided thereon to form closed packages.

13. A method of manufacturing packages, the method comprising: separating prefabricated labels from a carrier layer to which the labels are adhered so that carrier layer sections adhering to respective undersides of the labels are simultaneously separated from the carrier layer, wherein the respective labels together with the carrier layer sections remaining adhered thereto from the carrier layer form lid parts; and adhering the lid parts to package lower parts, which are each loaded with a product, by the labels of the lid parts to form closed packages.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Embodiments according to the disclosure are explained in more detail with reference to the following figures. In the figures:

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a labeler for manufacturing a package according to the disclosure;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a package according to the disclosure;

[0040] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the package shown in FIG. 2;

[0041] FIG. 4A shows labels glued to a carrier layer from above; and

[0042] FIG. 4B shows the carrier layer with labels from 4A from below.

[0043] Identical components are shown throughout the figures with the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a feeding device 1 and a labeler 2 arranged in a transport direction T at the end of the feeding device 1. In FIG. 1, the feeding device 1 is a line unifier. By means of the feeding device 1, package lower parts 3, which are not yet provided with a lid, are fed to the labeler 2. Two guide rails 4 are positioned so as to converge to each other in such a way that at the downstream end of the guide rails 4 a gap or opening is formed for the package lower parts 3, which is only slightly wider than the width of the package lower parts 3 themselves.

[0045] This enables the package lower parts 3 transported on the feed device 1 by means of a transport belt 5 running along it to be precisely fed to the labeler 2. This in turn allows for a label 6 with a carrier layer section 7 adhering to its underside to be precisely adhered in combination to a supplied package lower part 3 in order to seal the package lower part 3.

[0046] A sensor 8 provided on the labeler 2 is configured to detect a leading edge of a package lower part 3 to be labeled and sealed while the package lower part 3 is transported along the guide rails 4. The sensor 8 may be configured as a light barrier or proximity sensor and is connected to a controller 9 and transmits the signal to it, namely the detection of the leading edge of the package lower part 3. The controller 9 controls the movement of the label 6 to be dispensed, including the carrier layer section 7 adhering thereto, by means of the speed and path of a label roll 10 attached to the labeler 2 towards and along a dispensing edge 11, in order to detach the label 6 together with the carrier layer section 7 from the label roll 10 and apply it to the package lower part 3.

[0047] Preferably, the speed of the label roll 10 during the dispensing process onto the package lower part 3 is identical to the speed of the conveyor belt 5.

[0048] Upstream of the labeler 2, a stopper device 12 is arranged on the feeding device 1 in front of the guide rails 4 to stop package lower parts 3 while the conveyor belt 5 is running. Stopped package lower parts 3 may thus be released piece by piece for the labeling process at the labeler 2.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a finished package 13. The package lower part 3 of the package 13 is filled with a product P, in this case tomatoes. The package 13 of FIG. 2 has a lid part 14 that is attached to the package lower part 3 for closing the package 13. The lid part 14 is formed by the label 6 and the carrier layer section 7 arranged thereunder, the lid part 14 being adhered to the package lower part 3 by the label 6 provided thereon.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 2, the label 6 has a plurality of visible information 15, for example a readable bar code. Further, the lid part 14 has ventilation holes 16 to provide air circulation.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows the package 13 of FIG. 2 in section A-A. In FIG. 3, it is shown that the carrier layer section 7 is attached to an underside 17 of the label 6. The label 6 may be provided on its underside 17 with an adhesive layer, by means of which the carrier layer section 7 is held to the label 6. According to FIG. 3, the carrier layer section 7 is present as a separating layer between the product P accommodated in the package lower part 3 and the label 6 inserted as a lid. The lid part 14 inserted on the package 13 thus has a label 6 that is used both for closing the package lower part 3 and also representing an information carrier.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows that the carrier layer section 7 is made so as to be adapted to an opening 18 formed by the package lower part 3 for insertion of the product P.

[0053] In FIG. 3, the label 6 is adhered by means of a circumferential adhesive edge 19 formed thereon to a package edge 20 correspondingly formed on the package lower part 3.

[0054] FIG. 4A shows a carrier layer 21 with individual labels 6 glued thereon. The labels 6 are made from a label layer (not shown) in accordance with the round label blanks 22 shown in FIG. 4A, for example laser-cut or punched.

[0055] FIG. 4B shows the carrier layer 21 of FIG. 4A from below. FIG. 4B shows in particular that carrier layer sections 7 are incorporated in the carrier layer 21, for example punched or laser-cut. The carrier layer sections 7 are present as round carrier layer section blanks 23. The carrier layer section blanks 23 are arranged concentrically to the larger label blanks 22 to form the adhesive edge 19 of the labels 6.

[0056] Thus, the labels 6 shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B may be detached from the carrier layer 21 together with the associated carrier layer sections 7 to be used as lid parts 14 for closing package lower parts 3 by being adhered to the package edge 20 of the respective package lower parts 3 by means of the adhesive edge 19.

[0057] As those skilled in the art will understand, the controller 9, as well as any other controller, unit, component, module, system, subsystem, sensor (e.g., sensor 8), element, device, or the like described herein may individually, collectively, or in any combination comprise appropriate circuitry, such as one or more appropriately programmed processors (e.g., one or more microprocessors including central processing units (CPU)) and associated memory, which may include stored operating system software, firmware, and/or application software executable by the processor(s) for controlling operation thereof and for performing the particular algorithm or algorithms represented by the various methods, steps, functions and/or operations described herein, including interaction between and/or cooperation with each other. One or more of such processors, as well as other circuitry and/or hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various circuitry and/or hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).