Apparatus for packaging objects

Abstract

A packaging apparatus for packaging objects, in particular for packaging food portions, having a conveying device (10) for transporting a continuous web of a first packaging material (12), in particular of a bottom film, in a transport direction (TR); and having a feed device (14) for feeding a continuous web of a second packaging material (16), in particular of a top film, in the transport direction (TR), wherein the conveying device (10) comprises a first reception shaft (18) for receiving a first supply roll (20) of the first packaging material (12) and the feed device (14) comprises a second reception shaft (22) for receiving a second supply roll (24) of the second packaging material (16); wherein the first reception shaft (18) can be driven by means of a first drive motor (26) to carry out a rotational movement; and/or wherein the second reception shaft (22) can be driven by means of a second drive motor (28) to carry out a rotational movement, with the first and/or second drive motor (26, 28) in particular being a servomotor or servomotors.

Claims

1. A method of operating a packaging apparatus for packaging food portions, having a conveying device for transporting a continuous web of a first packaging material comprising a bottom film, in a transport direction; and having a feed device for feeding a continuous web of a second packaging material comprising a top film, in the transport direction, wherein the conveying device comprises a first reception shaft for receiving a first supply roll of the first packaging material and the feed device comprises a second reception shaft for receiving a second supply roll of the second packaging material; wherein the first reception shaft can be driven by means of a first drive motor to carry out a rotational movement; and/or wherein the second reception shaft can be driven by means of a second drive motor to carry out a rotational movement, with the first and/or second drive motor being a servomotor or servomotors, wherein the following steps are carried out to determine a state parameter of the second supply roll arranged at the second reception shaft, wherein the state parameter is a diameter of the second supply roll: coupling the webs of the first and second packaging materials; operating the conveying device and/or the first drive motor using a predefined operating parameter to produce a movement of the web of the first packaging material; detecting at least one movement parameter of a rotational movement of the second supply roll; and determining the state parameter on the basis of the produced movement of the web of the first packaging material and/or on the basis of the operating parameter and of the movement parameter of the second supply roll.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first drive motor is operated such that a predetermined mechanical strain—which is constant in time or variable in time—of the web of the first packaging material is produced; and/or wherein the second drive motor is operated such that a predetermined mechanical strain—which is constant in time or variable in time—of the web of the second packaging material is produced, and/or wherein a transport of the web of the first packaging material takes place in a clocked manner; and/or wherein the following steps are carried out to determine a state parameter of a supply roll arranged at the first or second reception shaft: operating the first or second drive motor using at least one predetermined operating parameter to produce a rotational movement of the respective supply roll; detecting at least one movement parameter of the produced rotational movement of the respective supply roll; and determining the state parameter on the basis of the operating parameter and of the movement parameter; and/or wherein the following steps are carried out to determine a state parameter of a second supply roll arranged at the second reception shaft: coupling the webs of the first and second packaging materials; operating the conveying device and/or the first drive motor using a predefined operating parameter to produce a movement of the web of the first packaging material; detecting at least one movement parameter of a rotational movement of the second supply roll which is thereby produced; and determining the state parameter on the basis of the produced movement of the web of the first packaging material and/or on the basis of the operating parameter and of the movement parameter of the second supply roll; and/or wherein the following steps are carried out to determine a state parameter of a first supply roll arranged at the first reception shaft: operating the conveying device using a predefined operating parameter to produce a movement of the web of the first packaging material; detecting at least one movement parameter of a rotational movement of the first supply roll which is thereby produced; and determining the state parameter on the basis of the produced movement of the web of the first packaging material and/or on the basis of the operating parameter and of the movement parameter of the first supply roll; and/or wherein a rotational speed of the first and/or second supply roll is detected, with this detection taking place by means of at least one contacting and/or contactless sensor and/or a stretching of the web of the second packaging material is/are determined on the basis of the detected movement speed of the first and/or second web and/or on the basis of the detected rotational speed; and/or wherein a movement speed of the web of the first packaging material and/or a movement speed of the web of the second packaging material and/or a movement speed of both webs in a coupled state is/are detected, and/or wherein a stretching of the web of the first packaging material and/or a stretching of the web of the second packaging material is/are determined on the basis of the detected movement speed of the first and/or second web and/or on the basis of the detected rotational speed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates a packaging apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure.

(2) The only FIGURE schematically shows a packaging apparatus in accordance with the invention.

(3) The packaging apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a conveying device 10 for transporting a continuous web 12 of a bottom film of a packaging. This bottom film 12 is unwound from a first supply roll 20 which is supported at a first reception shaft 18. This reception shaft 18 is driven by a first drive motor 26 to set the supply roll 20 into a rotational movement. The motor 26 also enables an active braking of the web 12 in a generator operation.

(4) The conveying device 10 comprises a conveying unit 46, in particular a chain drive, a band drive, a belt drive or a linear drive. The unit 46 is (selectively) coupled to coupling means 44 which are in turn (selectively) in engagement with the film web 12 of the first packaging material. The film web 12 is thus securely held by the means 44 and drawn to the left in the FIGURE by the unit 46 in the transport direction TR of the conveying device 10.

(5) The film web 12 first passes through a deep-drawing station 38 in which placement elements—typically depressions or trays—are molded in the film web 12 by a deep-drawing process. Subsequently, the film web 12 is transported further into a filling region (not shown) in which the food portions to be packaged are placed into the trays.

(6) A feed point Z at which the second film web 16 is fed is present behind the filling region viewed in the transport direction TR. The second film web 16 is unwound from a supply roll 24 which is supported at a reception shaft 22. The reception shaft 22, like the reception shaft 18 of the first roll 20, is directly driven by a drive motor 28 and is set into a rotational movement.

(7) A deflection roller, not shown here, can be provided at the feed point Z to deflect the second film web 16 in the transport direction TR. The two film webs 12, 16 are transported in parallel from here in the direction of a sealing station 42 where they are connected or sealed to one another.

(8) A plurality of sensors 32, 34, 36 are provided so that the two film webs 12, 16 can be applied to one another with an exact fit. The sensor 32 is in this respect arranged in the region of the first film web 12. It is preferably an optical sensor by which the movement of the film web 12 can be detected, for example. The sensor 34 is arranged in the region of the second film web 16 to detect the movement of this film web 16, preferably using optical methods. The sensors 32, 34 can also be tensile stress sensors. The sensor 36 can, in contrast, be arranged in the region behind the feed point Z so that it can determine the movement and/or the mechanical strain of both film webs 12, 16.

(9) The control device 30 can control and individually drive the two drive motors 26, 28 in dependence on these determined data. It can thereby be ensured that the film webs 12, 16 can be unwound from their supply rolls 20, 24 in a correspondingly controlled manner so that they can be sealed to one another with an exact fit. The motors 26, 28 also permit a braking of the films 12, 16. Mechanical braking systems and/or dancer systems for the setting of the tensile stress acting on the films 12, 16 can be omitted.