Packaging machine with stackable protective covers

Abstract

A packaging machine comprising a sealing station with a sealing tool, a side frame and at least a first as well as a second upper protective cover respectively for placement onto a top side of the side frame during the manufacturing operations, wherein each of the two protective covers form a body with a lid, multiple side walls as well as a bottom. In one embodiment, the two protective covers can be stacked on one another, wherein at least one of the two protective covers forms at least one stack stop on the lid to which an edge of the floor of the other protective cover can be coupled in a removable way if the two protective covers are stacked on top of one another. In one embodiment, the packaging machine may be a deep-drawing packaging machine or a tray-sealing machine.

Claims

1. A packaging machine comprising: a sealing station with a sealing tool; a side frame; and at least a first upper protective cover and a second upper protective cover, each of said first and second upper protective cover being disposed on a top side of the side frame during manufacturing operations; wherein each of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover comprise a body with a lid, multiple side walls, and a bottom; wherein the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover are configured to be disposed in a stacked arrangement, wherein one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover is on top of the other one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover; and wherein said one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover includes at least one stack stop on the lid to which an edge of the bottom of the other one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover can be removeably engaged when the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover are in said stacked arrangement; wherein the at least one stack stop is an indentation that forms a raised ledge that is pressed into the lid of one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover; and wherein the at least one stack stop comprises at least two elements, with at least a first one of the at least two elements being disposed on a first side of the lid and at least a second one of the at least two elements disposed on a second side of the of the lid, wherein the first side and the second side are opposite sides of the lid.

2. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stack stop is formed integrally on the lid of one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover.

3. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the indentation of the at least one stack stop comprises an arc-shaped edge.

4. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the lid is positioned in a first plane, and the bottom includes a flange extending at least partially around a perimeter of the bottom that defines a second plane, and wherein said first plane is inclined in relation to the second plane.

5. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover includes a flange extending at least partially around a perimeter of the bottom, wherein the flange defines the edge for engagement with the at least one stack stop of the other one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover.

6. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the lid of at least one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover forms a support surface for the bottom of the other one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover stacked on it in the stacked arrangement.

7. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein at least the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover can be stacked on the top side of the side frame.

8. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein at least the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover can be stacked according to an orientation of the respective first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover during the manufacturing operations when they are positioned on the top side of the side frame or in an orientation that is twisted horizontally by 180 relative to the orientation during the manufacturing operations.

9. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover comprise a twisting protection device capable to align the protective covers so that the protective covers will be stacked securely in a predetermined stacking arrangement.

10. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover are formed as one part.

11. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the lid of at least one of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover comprises a window.

12. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the lid of at least one of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover has a grip.

13. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stack stop is a hand grip.

14. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the packaging machine is one of a deep-drawing packaging machine or a tray-sealing machine.

15. A packaging machine comprising: a sealing station with a sealing tool; a side frame; and at least a first upper protective cover and a second upper protective cover, each of said first and second upper protective cover being disposed on a top side of the side frame during manufacturing operations; wherein each of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover comprise a body with a lid, multiple side walls, and a bottom; wherein the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover are configured to be disposed in a stacked arrangement, wherein one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover is on top of the other one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover; and wherein said one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover includes at least one stack stop on the lid to which an edge of the bottom of the other one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover can be removeably engaged when the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover are in said stacked arrangement; and wherein the at least one stack stop is an indentation that forms a raised ledge that is pressed into the lid of one of the first upper protective cover or the second upper protective cover; wherein at least one of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover comprise a twisting protection device capable to align the protective covers so that the protective covers will be stacked securely in a predetermined stacking arrangement; and wherein the twisting protection device comprises a centering pin in a lid of a lower one of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover that is received into an opening in an upper one of the first upper protective cover and the second upper protective cover.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) In the following, an advantageous embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail making reference to a drawing, in which the individual figures show:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a packaging machine in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure and having protective covers positioned on said machine during the manufacturing operations;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a packaging machine in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure and shown during a manufacturing break and having protective covers stacked thereon;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of a protective cover in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of a lid of a protective cover in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure with stack stops formed thereon;

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic section view of the protective cover of FIG. 3 cut along the line A-A;

(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic section view of one embodiment of a protective cover similar to that of FIG. 5 in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure and having centering pins;

(8) FIG. 7 is a schematic section view of an embodiment showing two stacked protective covers during the manufacturing operations in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a schematic section view of an embodiment showing stacked protective covers twisted by 180 in relation to their manufacturing orientation in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the characteristics of the present invention, proportional relationships of the elements have not necessarily been maintained in the drawing figures.

(11) The following detailed description of the invention references specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is defined by the appended claims and the description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and shall not limit the scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

(12) FIG. 1 schematically displays a side view of an operating side with a packaging machine 1 according to the invention that is formed as a deep-drawing packaging machine. The packaging machine 1 has a machine rack 2, a forming station 3, a sealing station 4 and a cutting station 5. The forming station 3 forms troughs into a lower film that is not shown in greater detail. The troughs of the lower film are filled with products along an inserting track 6. At the sealing station 4, a lid film, which is not shown in greater detail, is sealed onto the lower film after the inside of the trough has been evacuated and/or gassed in order to increase the shelf life for example of foodstuffs. The packagings formed in the film laminate of the lower film and the lid film are separated at the cutting station 5 and transported mechanically out of the packaging machine 1 or taken out of said packaging machine manually.

(13) Certain areas directly ahead or after the forming station 3, the sealing station 4 and/or the cutting station 5 have to be protected from the operator reaching in from above, for example to avoid injuries while reaching into a lifting gear. For this purpose, protective covers 7 are positioned according to FIG. 1 ahead of and after the forming station 3 as well as ahead of and after the sealing station 4. Preferably, the protective covers 7 are checked for their presence using a recording unit E formed on the packaging machine 1, in particular using sensors 26, so that in case of absence of one of the protective covers 7, in particular also in cases in which said protective cover is not positioned correctly on the packaging machine 1, for example in a tilted way, no machine start will be possible.

(14) For maintenance, alteration or cleaning purposes, the protective covers 7 placed loosely on the machine rack 2 can be removed from their position. However, placing the protective covers 7 on the floor in the hall/building next to the packaging machine 1 is not desired, primarily for hygienic reasons. In particular in case of a cleaning process of the packaging machine 1, which is usually performed on a daily basis, the protective covers 7 have to be removed from their position in order to make the area underneath accessible for cleaning. In this context, the protective covers 7 themselves may also be positioned favorably for cleaning.

(15) Depending on the zone to be protected, the protective covers 7 according to FIG. 1 can be formed with different sizes. In this context, however, the respective protective covers 7 are formed with the same width when viewed in the production direction P. However, FIG. 1 indicates that the respective protective covers 7 can be formed with different depths and/or heights when viewed in the production direction P. Also, protective covers 7 with the same size could be an option.

(16) The protective cover 7 may be positioned exemplarily ahead of the sealing station 4 in FIG. 1 and may have a grip 8 that facilitates lifting of the protective cover 7 by an operator. The grip 8 can also be provided on the other protective covers 7 of FIG. 1.

(17) FIG. 1 also shows that the respective protective covers 7 are placed onto a top side 9 of a side frame 10 of the packaging machine 1. The side frame 10 forms a part of the machine rack 2 of the packaging machine 1. According to FIG. 1, the protective cover 7 that is placed behind the forming station 4 when viewed in the production direction P has a window 24.

(18) FIG. 2 shows the packaging machine during a production stop in schematic side view. According to FIG. 2, respectively two protective covers 7 are stacked one on top of the other on the top side 9 of the side frame 10 of the packaging machine 1 in order to provide access to an input area 11 ahead of the forming station 3 and a further input area 12 ahead of the sealing station 4 when viewed in the production direction P. Therefore, a possibility to reach into the respective input areas 11, 12 is formed, so that cleaning and/or maintenance works are to be implemented in these zones. In spite of the exemplary illustration from FIG. 2, it would of course also be possible to position the respective stacked protective covers 7 ahead of the forming station 3 and/or the sealing station 4 when viewed in the production direction P in order to provide access to relevant output areas behind the forming station 3 and/or the sealing station 4. It would further be conceivable to form only one stack tower on the top side 9 of the packaging machine 1 in order to provide access to as many zones as possible of the packaging machine 1 at the same time for cleaning and/or maintenance works.

(19) FIG. 3 shows the protective cover 7 in a perspective illustration as a body 13 that has side walls 14, a lid 15 as well as a bottom 16. The bottom 16 has a circumferential/perimeter flange 17 with an edge 18 formed on it that is formed according to FIG. 3 along the whole circumference/perimeter of the circumferential/perimeter flange 17. FIG. 3 further shows that a plane that is taken up by the lid 15 is formed in an inclined way in relation to a plane that is taken up by the bottom 16. This leads to protective covers 7 that are stacked on top of one another, at least when they are stacked according to FIG. 7, forming a slant stack tower when they are towered up on the top side 9 of the machine rack 2, wherein cleaning liquids can better flow away from the protective covers 7 that are stacked on top of one another during the cleaning process.

(20) The body 13 of the protective cover 7 shown in FIG. 3 can be formed as one part of a thin-walled metal sheet.

(21) FIG. 4 shows the lid 15 schematically in a display that is isolated from the rest of the body 13. A stack stop 19 is formed respectively on opposite sides on the lid 15. The stack stops 19 are arranged in a way as to be opposed to one another. Between the stack stops 19, the window 24, which provides a possibility of viewing a zone that is covered by the lid 15 during the manufacturing operations, is formed in the lid 15. In addition, the lid 15 has a support surface AF, on which the flange 17 from FIG. 3 is lying when the protective covers 7 are stacked up.

(22) The following description of the stack stop 19 applies in particular for the other stack stop 19 as well.

(23) The stack stop 19 is formed as one part in the lid 15. The stack stop 19 forms a ledge to which the edge 18 of the bottom 16 can be coupled in a removable way when the protective covers 7 are stacked on top of one another. Therefore, the stacked protective covers 7 can be oriented towards one another and it is further possible to ensure that the stacked protective covers 7 remain positioned stably on top of one another.

(24) According to FIG. 4, the stack stops 19 are formed respectively as an indentation 20. The respective indentations 20 can be pressed into the lid 15 through a reshaping process, for example by means of a forming pin impinged by pressure. Further, the respective indentations 20 each may have an arc-shaped edge 21 according to FIG. 4. The arc-shaped edge 21 defines the height of the ledge formed by the stack stop 19 and provides two docking points 25a, 25b on the transition area of said ledge to the lid 15 that are hit by the edge 18 when two protective covers 7 are stacked on top of one another. For manufacturing of the indentation 20 including the arc-shaped edge 21 formed on said indentation, a preferably straight cut can be provided in the sheet blank in the lid 15 so that the indentation 20 adjacent to it as well as the arc-shaped edge 21 can be produced out of it in an exact way, i.e. without creating any cracks in the material.

(25) FIG. 5 shows a schematic section display according to A-A of the protective cover 7 from FIG. 3 with the lid 15 according to FIG. 4. In this view, it can be seen well that the lid 15 can be formed in a way as to be inclined in relation to the floor 16. In addition, FIG. 5 shows that the protective cover 7 can be formed as a hollow body in a way that it comprises an inner space 22.

(26) FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the protective cover 7 with centering pins 23 on the lid 15. The centering pins 23 can be provided in addition or alternatively to the stack stops 19 according to FIGS. 4 and 5 in order to enable stacking of multiple protective covers 7 on top of one another in an even more exact way. For this purpose, openings 26 (see FIG. 7) can be formed respectively in accordance with the centering pins 23 in the bottom 16, in particular in the circumferential/perimeter flange 17 of the bottom 16, into which the centering pins 23 can be plugged in when two protective covers 7 are stacked on top of one another.

(27) It would also be conceivable that only one of the two centering pins 23 is provided as a twisting protection 23a for a lid 15 displayed according to FIGS. 4 and 5. In addition to the stack stops 19 already provided, such a centering pin 23 could ensure as a twisting protection that protective covers 7 that are stacked on top of one another can only form a predetermined stack tower, for example a slant stack tower according to FIG. 7 so that cleaning agents can flow away better.

(28) FIG. 7 shows, as already indicated further above, a slant stack tower in which two protective covers 7 are stacked on top of one another in a predetermined inclined orientation. For this purpose, the lower protective cover 7 provides the centering pin 23 in the lid 15, which can be plugged into the opening 26 that is formed in the circumferential/perimeter flange 17 of the protective cover 7 disposed on top in order to stack the two protective covers 7 on top of one another in accordance with a slant tower. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the two lids 15 disposed on top of one another are each oriented in a slant position so that they form respectively a gradient of which cleaning agents can flow away better.

(29) FIG. 8 shows a stack tower that extends upwards in a straight (vertical) way and in which two protective covers 7 are stacked on top of one another in such a way that the lower lid 15 is inclined and the lid 15 positioned on top is oriented horizontally again. This can facilitate the formation of stable stacks. Nevertheless, this does not seem to be essential in view of the considerable potential of improved hygiene standards thanks to a tower according to FIG. 7. The packaging machine 1 according to the invention provides constructive technical means, wherein an operation that is improved as a whole, in particular improved maintenance and cleaning works, can be performed in view of safety aspects as well as with regard to ergonomics and in particular in view of high hygiene standards.

(30) From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. It will be understood that certain features and sub combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is also to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not limiting.

(31) The constructions and methods described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts and principles of the present invention. Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel invention.

(32) As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms having and including and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of optional or may include and not as required. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.