Thermo-forming packaging machine

Abstract

The thermo-forming packaging machine according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a sealing station, a first forming station for forming trays into a lower film web that is in a first forming plane clamped in the first forming station, and a second forming station for forming lids into an upper film web that is in a second forming plane clamped in the second forming station. The sealing station can be configured to create a sealing seam in a sealing plane. The thermo-forming packaging machine may be characterized in that the first forming plane is provided at least 200 mm below the second forming plane, wherein the first and the second forming planes are at least approximately parallel to each other.

Claims

1. Thermo-forming packaging machine comprising: a first forming station for forming trays into a lower film web, the first forming station being configured to clamp the lower film web in a first forming plane; a second forming station for forming lids into an upper film web, the second forming station being configured to clamp the upper film web in a second forming plane; and a sealing station configured for creating a sealing seam in a sealing plane; a chain guide for intermittently transporting the lower film web, wherein the chain guide between the first forming station and the sealing station has an inclination which is configured to ascend from the first forming station to the sealing station; and wherein the first forming plane is disposed at least 200 mm below the second forming plane, and wherein the first and the second forming planes are approximately parallel to each other.

2. Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the sealing plane is provided at a height relative to a floor on which the thermo-forming packaging machine is arranged, and wherein the second forming plane is provided approximately at or above the height of the sealing plane.

3. Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the first forming plane is oriented at least approximately parallel to the sealing plane.

4. Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein a second forming depth of the second forming station is at least twice that of a first forming depth of the first forming station.

5. Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 4, wherein the first forming depth is up to 20 mm and the second forming depth at least 50 mm.

6. Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 5, wherein the second forming depth at about 80 mm.

7. Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the inclination of the chain guide is provided in a direction of production downstream of a loading stretch.

8. Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein a loading stretch for loading products into the trays of the lower film web is provided in a direction of production downstream of the first forming station.

9. Method for operating a thermo-forming packaging machine, the method comprising the steps of: clamping a lower film web in a first forming plane; forming a tray into the lower film web in a first forming station; loading a product into the tray; clamping an upper film web in a second forming plane; forming a lid into the upper film web in a second forming station; moving the tray with the product therein upwardly to the lid by way of an inclined chain guide for the lower film web; and creating a sealing seam in a sealing plane in a sealing station.

10. Thermo-forming packaging machine comprising: a first forming station for forming trays into a lower film web, the first forming station being configured to clamp the lower film web in a first forming plane; a second forming station for forming lids into an upper film web, the second forming station being configured to clamp the upper film web in a second forming plane; and a sealing station configured for creating a sealing seam in a sealing plane; wherein the first forming plane is disposed at least 200 mm below the second forming plane, and wherein the first and the second forming planes are approximately parallel to each other; and wherein the sealing plane is provided at a height relative to a floor on which the thermo-forming packaging machine is arranged, and wherein the second forming plane is provided at a height proximate the height of the sealing plane.

11. Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 10, wherein the second forming plane is provided at the height of the sealing plane.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) In the following, an advantageous embodiment of the invention is further illustrated using a drawing. The individual FIGURE shows:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a thermo-forming packaging machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) 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.

(4) 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.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a thermo-forming packaging machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the direction of production R of which runs from right to left. As illustrated, the thermo-forming packaging machine 1 is standing with its machine frame 2 on a floor surface 3, such as a building floor. Thermo-forming packaging machine 1 can comprise a first forming station 4 for forming trays 5 into a lower film web 6. A first forming plane 7 of first forming station 4 may be located at a vertical first distance A1 from floor surface 3 and parallel thereto, i.e., normally horizontally. First forming plane 7 is defined as the plane in which the lower film web 6 is circumferentially clamped within first forming station 4 after closing forming station 4.

(6) A second forming station 8 can be provided in the direction of production R downstream of first forming station 4 for forming lids 9 into an upper film web 10. A second forming plane 11 of second forming station 8 may be located at a vertical second distance A2 from floor surface 3 and generally parallel thereto. Second forming plane 11 is defined as the plane in which the circumferentially-clamped upper film web 10 is located within second forming station 8 after the closing of second forming station 8. Second forming plane 11 is in parallel offset relative to first forming plane 7 and disposed higher, namely by at least 200 mm, for example. For firmly clamping respective film webs 6, 10, first forming station 4 and second forming station 8 each have an upper and a lower tool which can be brought from an open position to the closed position shown in FIG. 1. In the closed position, the two forming tools clamp the respective lower or upper film webs 6, 10 between them.

(7) A loading stretch 12 is provided in top view between the two forming stations 4, 8 for loading one or more products 13 into a tray 5 of lower film web 6 that is formed or deep-drawn downwardly. This can be performed manually by one or more operators or by a loading device.

(8) Disposed downstream of the two forming stations 4, 8 is a sealing station 14, the sealing plane 15 of which is defined as the plane in which a circumferentially-clamped lower film web 6 and upper film web 10 are located or bear against one another within sealing station 14 when sealing station 14 is closed. Sealing plane 15, in which sealing seam 16 connecting both films is produced in sealable upper and lower film web 6, 10, together with second forming plane 11 can form a common plane. Sealing plane 15 is at a vertical height H spaced from floor surface 3. Lid 9 is heat-sealed to tray 5 in sealing station 14 in an air-tight manner along sealing seam 16 which is respectively created on a flange at lid 9 and at tray 5. The interior of a package 17 thus produced can, prior to sealing, optionally be evacuated in sealing station 14 and/or aerated in order to package product 13 in a modified atmosphere for a long shelf life.

(9) Lower film web 6 may be transported by a chain guide 19 intermittently performing an advance motion. Chain guide 19 can for this purpose on each of the two sides of lower film web 6 respectively comprise a clamp chain which grips lower film web 6 with clamps and stretches it as is generally known from EP 1 816 075 A1, which is incorporated herein by reference. As known from EP 1816075 A1, chain guide 19 can respectively comprise lower and upper plastic strips between which the elements of the clamp chain are guided.

(10) Chain guide 19 of lower film web 6 has an inclination 20 relative to first forming plane 7 upstream of sealing station 14 for approaching tray 5 and lower film web 6, respectively, with product 13 toward lid 9 or upper film web 10, respectively. Inclination 20 may be between 15 and 60, in one embodiment and between 30 and 45 in another embodiment. Inclination 20 may be influenced by a product height 21, a first forming depth 22 of tray 5, a second forming depth 23 of lid 9, and/or the distance between second forming station 8 and sealing station 14.

(11) First forming depth 22 being produced in first forming station 4 into lower film web 6 is, for example, up to 20 mm. Second forming depth 23 being produced in second forming station 8 into upper film web 10 is, for example, at least 50 mm, and may be 80 mm in one instance, to be able to package products 13 having a product height 21 of, for example, 90 mm. A second forming depth 23 thereby arises at least 2.5 times as large as first forming depth 22.

(12) Packages 17 can be separated by a transverse cutting station 25 disposed downstream of sealing station 14 and a subsequent longitudinal cutting station 26 and removed from thermo-forming packaging machine 1 by way of a transport belt 27 and supplied to a possible downstream workstation. Chain guide 19 can extend at least from loading region 12 to last cutting station 26.

(13) Lower film web 6 may be drawn off from a first film storage 28 and fed to first forming station 4 by way of clamp chains. Upper film web 10 may be drawn off from a second film web storage 29 and fed to second forming station 4. This feeding can also be effected by way of clamp chains. A separate chain guide with such a clamp chain could in particular be configured for the upper film to guide upper film web 10 together with the lids formed therein between the second forming station and sealing station 14. Such a separate chain guide for the upper film in the region between second forming station 8 and sealing station 14 could in an alternative embodiment be omitted. In that case, upper film 10 would be moved along by the intermittent advance motion of lower film 6 by way of chain guide 19 for lower film 6, since upper film web 10 is downstream of sealing station 14 sealed to lower film web 6.

(14) 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.

(15) 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. 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.