APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SEALED CONNECTION

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for making a sealing connection between two material layers containing plastic, especially in a product packing pouch (2), having at least one sealing station (3), comprising at least two sealing jaws (4a, 4b) situated opposite each other and movable between an open position and a sealing position, having respectively a sealing surface (5a, 5b) on their inner side facing toward the other respective sealing jaw (4b, 4a), wherein the sealing station (3) is configured such that in the open position at least two material layers (6, 7, 8) to be joined together by sealing can be arranged between the sealing jaws (4a, 4b) and in the sealing position the material layers (6, 7, 8) can be pressed together. It is proposed that at least one of the sealing jaws (4a, 4b) comprises at least one lubricant channel (9) and the device (1) comprises a lubricant delivery device (10), which is configured to direct a lubricant through the lubricant channel (9) toward the sealing surface (5a, 5b) of the sealing jaw (4a, 4b) and/or toward the sealing surface (5b, 5a) of the oppositely situated sealing jaw (4b, 4a).

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A device for joining together at least two material layers containing plastic to make a sealing connection therebetween, said device comprising: at least one sealing station having at least first and second sealing jaws situated opposite each other and movable between an open position and a sealing position; and a lubricant delivery device; wherein each of the first and second sealing jaws has a sealing surface on an inner side that faces toward the sealing surface of the oppositely situated sealing jaw, wherein the sealing station is configured such that in the open position the at least two material layers to be joined together are arrangeable between the first and second sealing jaws and such that in the sealing position the at least two material layers to be joined together are pressable between the first and second sealing jaws, wherein at least one of the first and second sealing jaws comprises at least one lubricant channel, and wherein the lubricant delivery device is configured to direct a lubricant through the at least one lubricant channel toward the sealing surface of the sealing jaw comprising the at least one lubricant channel and/or toward the sealing surface of the oppositely situated sealing jaw.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the at least one lubricant channel extends through the at least one sealing jaw from at least one of: a rear side of the at least one sealing jaw facing away from a front side provided with the sealing surface, and a side of the at least one sealing jaw.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the at least one lubricant channel extends from an entry opening to: one exit opening in the sealing surface; or two or more exit openings in the sealing surface, with said at least one lubricant channel branching one or more times within the at least one sealing jaw.

24. The device according to claim 21, wherein the at least one of the first and second sealing jaws comprises multiple lubricant channels, each communicating with at least one exit opening.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one lubricant channel extends from the entry opening to the two or more exit openings, and wherein the two or more exit openings have a smaller cross section area than the entry opening of the lubricant channel.

26. The device according to claim 23, wherein a cross section area of the exit opening or the two or more exit openings is less than 5 mm.sup.2.

27. The device according to claim 23, wherein the sealing surface of each of the first and second sealing jaws comprises an upper sealing surface edge and a lower sealing surface edge that is spaced apart from the upper edge in a direction of gravity, and wherein the one exit opening or the two or more exit openings are spaced farther apart from the lower sealing surface edge than from the upper sealing surface edge.

28. The device according to claim 23, wherein a distance along the sealing surface between adjacent exit openings is from 5 to 60 mm.

29. The device according to claim 21, wherein the lubricant delivery device comprises at least one lubricant pump and a lubricant reservoir, which is in fluidic connection with the at least one lubricant pump.

30. The device according to claim 29, wherein the lubricant delivery device comprises multiple lubricant pumps, which are driven by a common motor.

31. The device according to claim 29, wherein at least one connection line extends from the at least one lubricant pump to the sealing jaw comprising the at least one lubricant channel.

32. The device according to claim 29, wherein at least one delivery line extends from the lubricant reservoir to the at least one lubricant pump.

33. The device according to claim 31, wherein the connection line is flexible.

34. The device according to claim 21, wherein the first and second sealing jaws are hot sealing jaws or ultrasound sealing jaws.

35. A method for making a sealing connection between at least two material layers containing plastic, the method comprising: a) moving at least two oppositely situated sealing jaws of a sealing station into an open position, wherein each of the at least two oppositely situated sealing jaws comprises a sealing surface and wherein the sealing surfaces of the at least two oppositely situated sealing jaws are facing toward each other; b) delivering a lubricant through at least one lubricant channel provided through at least one of the at least two oppositely situated sealing jaws to the sealing surface of the sealing jaw with the lubricant channel provided therethrough or to the sealing surface of the oppositely situated sealing jaw; c) arranging the at least two material layers between the sealing surfaces of the at least two oppositely situated sealing jaws; and d) moving the at least two sealing jaws toward each other into a sealing position, in which the at least two material layers are pressed together between the sealing surfaces.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein in a spatial portion between the sealing surfaces of the at least two sealing jaws at least three material layers are pressed together.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the at least three material layers comprise a spout and two film portions, wherein said two film portions are pressed together and also to opposite sides of the spout.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein at least one of the two film portions is a multilayer film, and wherein at least a layer of the multilayer film facing toward one of the sealing surfaces of the at least two sealing jaws consists of PET, and wherein a layer of the multilayer film facing the spout consists of PE or PP.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the lubricant is one or more of a liquid lubricant, a gaseous lubricant and a solid lubricant.

40. The method according to claim 35, wherein steps a) to d) are carried out automatically under the control of a control device.

Description

[0039] Now, there are many possibilities of configuring and modifying the proposed device and the proposed method. In this regard, refer on the one hand to the dependent patent claims referring back to claims 1 and 15 and on the other hand to the description of exemplary embodiments in connection with the drawing. In the drawing:

[0040] FIGS. 1a and b show a schematic view of various exemplary embodiments of a proposed device for making a sealing connection,

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a sealing jaw of the device in FIGS. 1a and b,

[0042] FIG. 3a-f show a schematic view of different variants of sealing jaws of the device in FIGS. 1a and b,

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of material layers to be pressed together, and

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a stand-up pouch which can be made with the devices in FIGS. 1a and b.

[0045] FIGS. 1a and b each show a device 1 for making a sealing connection, here for example in a product packing pouch 2 containing plastic in the form of a stand-up pouch, where the device 1 comprises a sealing station 3 and a lubricant delivery device 10.

[0046] In both exemplary embodiments, the sealing station 3 comprises two sealing jaws 4a, 4b situated opposite each other and movable between an open position and a sealing position, having respectively a sealing surface 5a or 5b on their inner side facing toward the other respective sealing jaw 4b or 4a. The sealing jaws 4a, 4b have a form adapted to the spout 27 which is to be sealed, making it possible to join by sealing and integral bonding the film portion 25 of the front pouch wall and the film portion 26 of the rear pouch wall along the entire width of the spout 27, which is formed here in boat shape. The sealing is done in a first, middle spatial portion 23 between the sealing surfaces 5a and 5b. On both sides of the spout 27, the two film portions 25 and 26 are joined directly together by the sealing process, which occurs respectively in an outer spatial portion 24 bordering respectively on the side of the middle spatial portion 23.

[0047] The sealing station 3 is configured such that in the open position the three material layers 6, 7, 8 or 25, 26, 27 to be joined together by sealing can be arranged between the sealing jaws 4a, 4b and especially between the two sealing surfaces 5a, 5b and in the sealing position these material layers can be pressed together, so that an integrally bonded connection is achieved by melting of the inside layers of the material layers 6 and 8 and the spout 27.

[0048] At least one of the sealing jaws 4a or 4b, in this instance both sealing jaws 4a, 4b, comprise one or more lubricant channels 9, by which a lubricant can be directed at the sealing surface 5a or 5b of the same sealing jaw 4a or 4b or at the sealing surface 5b or 5a of the oppositely situated sealing jaw 4b or 4a.

[0049] Different exemplary embodiments of sealing jaws 4a and 4b with lubricant channels 9 running through them are represented in FIG. 3a-f. Each time, only the sealing jaw 4a is shown, but what has been said also holds for the other sealing jaw 4b.

[0050] For example, multiple connection lines 21 may be connected respectively via an entry opening 14 to the sealing jaw 4a, and from each entry opening 14 there extends a nonbranched lubricant channel 9 to a respectively corresponding exit opening 15, which emerges in the respective sealing surface 5a (FIG. 3a). Basically, there may also be provided only a single connection line 21 for each sealing jaw 4a and a corresponding single entry opening 14, but then the lubricant channel 9 branches one or more times inside the sealing jaw 4a and leads to correspondingly many exit openings 15 lying within the respective sealing surface 5a (FIG. 3b). Accordingly, multiple connection lines 21 may also be connected to the corresponding sealing jaw 4a, and the then adjoining lubricant channel 9 will branch in each case one or more times and terminate in correspondingly many exit openings 15 (FIG. 3c). The exit openings 15 are all located at the front side 11 of the sealing jaw 4a facing toward the oppositely situated sealing jaw 4b and the entry opening 14 or entry openings 14 is/are located at the rear side 12 of the sealing jaw 4a (FIG. 3a-c) facing away from the front side 11 and/or side 13 of the sealing jaw 4a at a running at an angle to the front side 11 and/or bordering on the front side 11 (FIG. 3d-f).

[0051] As can likewise be seen from FIG. 3a-f, the exit openings 15 are micro-openings or micro-nozzles, i.e., openings with a cross section area which is less than 5 mm.sup.2, preferably less than 2 mm.sup.2, especially preferably less than 1 mm.sup.2. In particular, the cross section of the exit openings 15 is always less than that of the associated entry opening 14.

[0052] In FIG. 2 one can see the front side 11 of a sealing jaw 4a, which may be identical in design to the sealing jaw 4b, and the corresponding sealing surface 5a. The sealing surface 5a here extends for example only across a partial region of the front side 11, but it may also easily occupy the entire front side 11. The exit openings 15 per FIG. 2 all lie in a row along the sealing surface 5a and 5b, being nearer to the upper sealing surface edge 16 than to the lower sealing surface edge 17, which is spaced away from it in the direction of gravity. The exit openings for example are spaced apart from each other by 5 to 60 mm, preferably 10 to 50 mm, especially preferably 20 to 40 mm.

[0053] The sealing jaws 4a and 4b, which in this case are hot sealing jaws for example, but which can also be ultrasound sealing jaws, press together a layer formation, such as is represented in FIG. 4, under elevated pressure and elevated temperature. The two outer material layers 6 and 8 or film portions 25 and 26 enclose a middle material layer 7 or 27, which is formed by the lower part of the spout 27. The material layers 6 and 8 are each multilayered in formation, the respective outer layer 28 here for example consisting of PET and the respective inner layers 29 consisting of PE or PP. The middle material layer 7 in the form of the lower part of the spout 27 consists of the same material as the inner layers 29 and the material or the outer layer 30 of the spout 27, i.e., likewise of PE or PP.

[0054] In the following, the lubricant delivery device 10 shall be described, which in the case of FIG. 1a differs from the exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 1b in that a single lubricant pump 18 in the form of a peristaltic pump driven by a motor 20 is provided, which pumps the lubricant, such as a liquid or gaseous lubricant and/or a solid lubricant from a lubricant reservoir 19 and then distributes it to the sealing jaws 4a and 4b. According to FIG. 1a, a single delivery line 22 runs from the lubricant reservoir 19 to the pump 18, while multiple flexible connection lines 21 extend from the pump 18 to the two sealing jaws 4a and 4b.

[0055] According to the alternative exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1b, instead of only a single pump 18 there are provided multiple pumps 18, all of which are driven by a common motor 20 and a common drive shaft. Here as well, the pumps 18 are peristaltic pumps. Multiple delivery lines 22 run from the reservoir 19 to the unit formed of multiple pumps 18, there being provided here precisely one delivery line 22 for each pump 18. In the further course, precisely one connection line 21 here extends respectively from each individual pump 18 to the unit formed by the sealing jaws 4a and 4b. In the exemplary embodiment shown, every two connection lines 21 are connected to one sealing jaw 4a or 4b.

[0056] The two devices 1 make it possible to carry out the following steps of the method in succession, here, preferably in the indicated sequence: [0057] a) moving of at least two oppositely situated sealing jaws 4a, 4b of a sealing station 3 into an open position, wherein the sealing jaws 4a, 4b respectively comprise a sealing surface 5a and 5b and wherein the sealing surfaces 5a, 5b are facing toward each other, [0058] b) delivery of a lubricant through at least one lubricant channel 9 of the respective sealing jaw 4a or 4b to the sealing surface 5a or 5b of the sealing jaw 4a or 4b or to the sealing surface 5b or 5a of the oppositely situated sealing jaw 4b or 4a, [0059] c) arranging of at least two material layers 6, 7, 8 between the sealing surfaces 5a, 5b of the sealing jaws 4a, 4b, [0060] d) moving of the at least two sealing jaws 4a, 4b toward each other into a sealing position, in which the material layers 6, 7, 8 are pressed together by the sealing surfaces 5a, 5b, thereby producing a sealing with a sealed seam 31.

[0061] Finally, FIG. 5 shows an example of a finished product packing pouch 2 in the form of a stand-up pouch with spout 27 sealed in by means of the proposed device 1, where the sealed seam 31 is recognizable here, having been produced by the sealing process in the sealing station 3 in order to join the spout 27 to the rest of the pouch 2 by integral bonding.