Packaging Machine With A Device For Cutting Food Packaging Along A Longitudinal Direction

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging machine comprising an apparatus for cutting food packagings to size along a longitudinal direction, wherein the apparatus defines an inner space and an outer region, said apparatus having a first shaft, which extends in the inner space and on which at least a first cutting blade is arranged, and a second shaft which extends in the inner space and on which at least a second cutting blade is arranged, said second cutting blade forming a cutting unit arranged in the inner space together with the first cutting blade during operation, wherein the first cutting blade is axially displaceably supported on the respective shaft to change an axial spacing and an axial contact pressure between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade of the cutting unit, and said apparatus having an adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the axially displaceable first cutting blade to displace the displaceable cutting blade in an axial direction. The invention furthermore relates to a method of setting a contact force between a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade of a cutting unit of a packaging machine.

Claims

1.-21. (canceled)

22. A packaging machine comprising an apparatus for cutting food packagings to size along a longitudinal direction, wherein the apparatus defines an inner space and an outer region, said apparatus having a first shaft, which extends in the inner space and on which at least a first cutting blade is arranged, and a second shaft which extends in the inner space and on which at least a second cutting blade is arranged, said second cutting blade forming a cutting unit arranged in the inner space together with the first cutting blade during operation, wherein the first cutting blade is axially displaceably supported on the respective shaft to change an axial spacing and an axial contact pressure between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade of the cutting unit, and said apparatus having an adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the axially displaceable first cutting blade to displace the displaceable first cutting blade in an axial direction.

23. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein the cutting unit is a roller shear cutting unit.

24. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein the adjustment mechanism projects from the outer region into the inner space of the apparatus.

25. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to a mechanical drive.

26. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein at least two axially displaceable first cutting blades are arranged on the first shaft, and wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the axially displaceable first cutting blades such that the first cutting blades can be displaced at the same time in the axial direction.

27. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 26, wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the axially displaceable first cutting blades such that the first cutting blades can be displaced at the same speed in the axial direction.

28. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 26, wherein the two axially displaceable first cutting blades form a cutting unit arranged in the inner space together with the second cutting blade during operation, and wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the axially displaceable first cutting blades such that the first cutting blades can be displaced at the same time in opposite axial directions.

29. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 28, wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the axially displaceable first cutting blades such that the first cutting blades can be displaced at the same speed in opposite axial directions.

30. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein the at least one axially displaceable first cutting blade is coupled to a cutting blade holder that is axially displaceably, but rotationally fixedly coupled to the first shaft, and wherein first coupling means, are provided at the cutting blade holder and cooperate with second coupling means, of the adjustment mechanism to axially displace the axially movable cutting blade holder together with the at least one first cutting blade.

31. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 30, wherein the first coupling means and the second coupling means are mechanical coupling means.

32. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 30, wherein the first coupling means are formed as a peripheral groove at the cutting blade holder and the second coupling means of the adjustment mechanism are formed as an axially adjustable adjustment element engaging into the groove, or wherein the first coupling means are formed as a peripheral rib at the cutting blade holder and the second coupling means of the adjustment mechanism are formed as an axially adjustable adjustment element engaging around the rib at both sides.

33. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a drive shaft extending in the direction of the first shaft and the second shaft, and wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a gear to convert a rotational drive movement of the drive shaft into a translatory movement of the at least one first cutting blade along the first shaft.

34. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 33, wherein the drive shaft at least sectionally has a non-circular cross-section, for example a hexagonal cross-section, wherein a sleeve comprising an inner peripheral surface adapted to the non-circular cross-section and an outer thread on an outer peripheral surface is arranged axially secured on the sectionally non-circular cross-section, and wherein the adjustment element has an opening that extends in the axial direction and that has an internal thread engaging into the external thread.

35. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises at least one adjustment element that is supported guided in the axial direction of the first shaft.

36. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 35, wherein the adjustment element is supported guided in the axial direction of the first shaft along a separate guide rod.

37. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein a sensor is provided for determining a position of the adjustment mechanism.

38. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 37, wherein a control device is provided that evaluates, on the basis of the position determined by the sensor, during operation whether the at least one first cutting blade and the at least one second cutting blade contact one another with a necessary contact pressure to cut the food packagings to size.

39. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein a determination device for determining a contact pressure between the first cutting blade and its respective counter-blade is provided.

40. A packaging machine in accordance with claim 22, wherein a regulation device is provided to regulate a contact pressure between the first cutting blade and its respective counter-blade to a desired value.

41. A method of setting a contact force between a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade of a cutting unit of a packaging machine comprising the steps: providing an apparatus for cutting food packagings to size along a longitudinal direction, wherein the apparatus defines an inner space and an outer region, and wherein the apparatus comprises: a first shaft, which extends in the inner space and on which at least a first cutting blade is arranged, and a second shaft which extends in the inner space and on which at least a second cutting blade is arranged, said second cutting blade forming a cutting unit arranged in the inner space together with the first cutting blade during operation, wherein the first cutting blade is axially displaceably supported on the respective shaft to change an axial spacing and an axial contact pressure between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade of the cutting unit, wherein an adjustment mechanism is provided, wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the axially displaceable first cutting blade to displace the displaceable cutting blade in the axial direction, and adjusting an axial spacing between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade of the cutting unit to change the axial contact pressure between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade by means of the adjustment mechanism.

42. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein the adjustment mechanism projects from the outer region of the apparatus into the inner space, and wherein the adjustment of the axial spacing between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade of the cutting unit is effected by means of a manual actuation of an actuation element of the adjustment mechanism arranged in the outer region.

43. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein the adjustment of the axial spacing between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade of the cutting unit is effected by means of a mechanical drive.

44. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein, for the adjustment of the axial spacing between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade, an adjustment element is adjusted in the axial direction by a rotation of a drive shaft.

45. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein, for the adjustment of the axial spacing between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade, an adjustment element is adjusted along a guide rod.

46. A method in accordance with claim 45, wherein the adjustment element is adjusted along a guide rod that is separate from the first shaft.

47. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein at least two axially displaceable first cutting blades are arranged on the first shaft and the first cutting blades are displaced at the same time in the axial direction by means of the adjustment mechanism.

48. A method in accordance with claim 47, the first cutting blades are displaced at the same time at the same speed in the axial direction by means of the adjustment mechanism.

49. A method in accordance with claim 47, wherein the two axially displaceable first cutting blades form a cutting unit arranged in the inner space together with the second cutting blade during operation and the first cutting blades are displaced at the same time in opposite axial directions by means of the adjustment mechanism.

50. A method in accordance with claim 49, wherein the first cutting blades are displaced at the same time at the same speed in opposite axial directions by means of the adjustment mechanism.

51. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein a contact force between the at least one axially displaceable first cutting blade and the at least one second cutting blade is determined directly or indirectly.

52. A method in accordance with claim 51, wherein the contact force between the at least one axially displaceable first cutting blade and the at least one second cutting blade is regulated to a definable desired value.

Description

[0045] The invention will be described with reference to purely exemplary embodiments and to the enclosed drawings in the following. There are shown:

[0046] FIG. 1 a packaging machine with its different stations;

[0047] FIG. 2 a perspective view of an adjustment mechanism for first cutting blades;

[0048] FIG. 3 a perspective sectional representation of the adjustment mechanism of FIG. 2;

[0049] FIG. 4 a frontal sectional view of the adjustment mechanism of FIG. 2;

[0050] FIG. 5A the adjustment mechanism of FIG. 2 in a starting position;

[0051] FIG. 5B the adjustment mechanism of FIG. 2 in an end position;

[0052] FIG. 6A an apparatus for cutting food packagings to size along a longitudinal direction in an active position;

[0053] FIG. 6B a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 6A with a raised hood;

[0054] FIG. 7A a rear view of an apparatus with a raised hood in accordance with a further embodiment;

[0055] FIG. 7B a detailed view of FIG. 7A;

[0056] FIG. 8A a detailed view of an interface between a base and the hood in operation;

[0057] FIG. 8B a detailed view of the interface of FIG. 8A with a raised hood;

[0058] FIG. 9A a detailed view of a blade cover in the deactivated state; and

[0059] FIG. 9B a detailed view of the blade cover of FIG. 9A in the activated state.

[0060] The packaging machine 12 that is shown in FIG. 1 and that operates in a direction of transport T comprises a machine frame 47. A transport chain 27, which is only schematically shown here at the end of the machine disposed upstream, is guided at a left side frame and at a right side frame of the machine frame 47 in each case. The two transport chains 27 together form a conveying means for a bottom film 23 drawn off from a supply roll 23a.

[0061] The packaging machine 12 comprises a plurality of work stations following one another in the direction of transport T, namely a molding station 11 also designated as a deep-drawing machine or a thermoforming machine, an insertion station 13 for products 10 to be packaged, a feed station 14 for a top film 25 drawn off from a supply roll 25a, a sealing station 15 for connecting the bottom film 23 to the top film 25, a labeling station 16, a transverse separation station 17, and a longitudinal separation station 19, i.e. an apparatus 19 for cutting packagings 21 to size along a longitudinal direction.

[0062] The products 10 to be packaged are, for example, food products, here in the form of so-called portions, that each comprise a plurality of slices that were previously cut off from a loaf-shaped or bar-shaped food, such as sausage, cheese, ham or meat, by means of a food slicer (not shown).

[0063] A central control device 41 controls the operation of the packaging machine 12, including the work stations mentioned. Furthermore, the packaging machine 12 is provided with an operating device 45 that e.g. comprises a touch screen at which all the necessary information can be displayed to an operator and the operator can make all the necessary settings before and during the operation of the machine.

[0064] At the molding station 11, which comprises a top tool 11a and a bottom tool 11b, recesses 29, which are also designated as depressions, are formed in the bottom film 23 in a deep-drawing process in each case. The products or portions 10 mentioned are inserted into these recesses 29 at the insertion station 13. The insertion station 13 here comprises a so-called feeder of which two endless conveyor belts 13a, 13b are shown. Alternatively or additionally, the insertion station 13 can comprise a robot 50 that is likewise schematically shown here, e.g. in the form of a so-called “picker” that can be configured as a delta robot having a gripper 52 that comprises two buckets that jointly hold a respective portion 10. Such robots and their use in the handling of foods, in particular on the insertion of portions into recesses of packagings, are generally known to the skilled person so that further statements are not necessary here.

[0065] The bottom film 23 provided with the filled recesses 29 and the top film 25 are subsequently fed to the sealing station 15 that comprises a top tool 15a and a bottom tool 15b. The top film 25 and the bottom film 23 are connected to one another by means of these tools 15a, 15b. The recesses 29 and thus the packagings 21 formed by the top film 25 and the bottom film 23 are hereby closed. Sealing points 43 that extend transversely to the direction of transport T and that are also designated as sealing seams are schematically indicated in FIG. 1.

[0066] Subsequent to the sealing station 15, the packagings 21 are still connected by the top film 25 and the bottom film 23 and therefore still have to be separated. The transverse separation station 17 and the longitudinal separation station 19 serve for this purpose.

[0067] FIGS. 2 and 3 show an upper cutting blade shaft 115 of the longitudinal separation station 19, i.e. of the apparatus 19 for cutting food packagings to size along the longitudinal direction. A plurality of cutting blades 117 are arranged on the cutting blade shaft 115. These cutting blades 117 are adjustable in the axial direction 127 (see FIG. 3) by means of an adjustment mechanism 125. For this purpose, for each first cutting blade 117, the adjustment mechanism 125 comprises an adjustment element 133 associated with said first cutting blade 117. The adjustment elements 133 are each coupled to corresponding cutting blade holders 129 (see FIG. 4) that hold the respective cutting blade 117 and that are displaceably supported on the cutting blade shaft 115. The cutting blade holders 129 have first coupling means 131 in the form of a groove into which second coupling means 133b in the form of a rib engage, said second coupling means 133b being formed by the respective adjustment element 133. A form-fitting connection between the first coupling means 131 and the second coupling means 133b is hereby produced.

[0068] The adjustment elements 133 also have an opening that has an internal thread 133a and that is in engagement with an external thread 139a associated with a drive shaft 135. In the embodiment shown, a sleeve 139, which is rotationally fixedly and axially fixedly fastened to the drive shaft 135, is provided on the drive shaft 135 for each adjustment element 133. The external thread 139a is formed at an outer peripheral side of the sleeve 139. The external thread 139a and the internal thread 133a together form a gear 137 that converts a rotational movement of the drive shaft 135 into a translatory movement of the respective adjustment element 133. Thus, a translatory movement of the respective first cutting blade 117 in the axial direction can be produced by a rotational movement of the drive shaft 135.

[0069] A guide rod 141 (see FIG. 2), along which the adjustment elements 133 are displaceably supported, serves to guide the translatory movement.

[0070] FIGS. 5A and 5B show in detail how the rotational movement of the drive shaft 135 is converted into translatory movements of the cutting blades 117. As can be seen in the Figures, a respective two first cutting blades 117 are arranged adjacent to one another. These cutting blades 117 arranged adjacent to one another form a cutting unit 12 together with a second cutting blade 121 (see FIG. 6b) that is in contact with the two first cutting blades 117 during operation. The cutting units 123 serve to separate two food packagings from one another and to cut away a center strip between the food packagings in so doing. To ensure a controlled transporting away of the center strips, disks 118 are provided between the first cutting blades 117 of the cutting units 123. The center strips are clamped and transported away in a guided manner between a peripheral surface of the disk 118 and a peripheral surface of the corresponding second cutting blade 121.

[0071] On the setting of a spacing and a contact force between the first cutting blades 117 and the respective second cutting blade 123, the cutting blades 117 arranged adjacent to one another are moved toward one another and thus against the second cutting blade 123 arranged between the first cutting blades 123. So that adjacent adjustment elements 133 move toward one another on the rotation of the drive shaft 135, the internal threads 133a of the adjacent adjustment elements are equipped with opposite threads. In other words, one of the internal threads 133a has a right-hand thread and the internal thread 133a of the adjacent adjustment element 133 has a left-hand thread. So that both adjustment elements 133 move toward one another at a speed of the same magnitude, the internal threads 133a of the respective adjacent adjustment elements 133 have thread pitches equal in magnitude. The external threads 139a at the outer peripheral sides of adjacent sleeves 139 accordingly likewise have opposite threads.

[0072] In FIGS. 6A and 6B, it can be seen that the second cutting blades 121 are arranged on a second shaft 119. The first shaft 115 with the first cutting blades 117 and the second shaft 119 with the second cutting blades 121 extend in an inner space 111 of the longitudinal separation station 19, and indeed in each case perpendicular to the conveying direction T. The first shaft 115 and the second shaft 119 can each be driven via a blade drive 143. For this purpose, the blade drive 143 has a belt 143a that transmits a drive torque from a driven shaft, not shown, of the blade drive 143 to the first shaft 115 and the second shaft 119. In this respect, the drive torque is transmitted to the first shaft 115 and the second shaft 119 such that the two shafts 115, 119 rotate in opposite directions of rotation during operation.

[0073] As an alternative to the blade drive 143 comprising the belt 143a, a variant is shown in FIG. 7A in which the drive torque is transmitted from a driven shaft, not shown, of the blade drive 143′ via a toothed wheel pair 143a′ and 143b′ to the first shaft 115. A removal and an installation of the first shaft 115 are hereby facilitated.

[0074] As can in particular be seen in FIGS. 6B and 7A, the first shaft 115 is part of a removable unit that will be designated as a hood 145 in the following. An interface 147 for fastening the hood 145 to a base 149 is generally shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The interface 147 is configured to place the hood 145 onto the base 149 by means of a pivot movement. For this purpose, the interface 147 comprises a hook-shaped section 147a at the base 149 and a section 147b that can be hung into the hook-shaped section 147a. In the present example, the hood 145 with the upper blade shaft 115 is fixed in place only by the hooking in and its own weight.

[0075] In FIGS. 9A and 9B, it can be seen how a blade cover 155 is adjustable between an inactive position (FIG. 9A) and an active position (FIG. 9B). The lever 151 and the actuation element 153 serve for this purpose. Due to an adjustment of the lever 151 and/or the actuation element 153, the blade cover 155 can be adjusted from a position not projecting over the blade edge (see FIG. 9A) into a position projecting over the blade edge in the radial direction (see FIG. 9B). In other words, in the active state, the elements forming the blade cover 155 are arranged laterally next to the blade edge of the respective first blade 117 such that a user cannot grab onto the blade edge of the blades 117 due to a lack of attention.

[0076] Further elements of the adjustment mechanism 155 of the blade covers 155 can be seen in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The blade covers 155 are rotationally fixedly connected to an adjustment shaft 157. The blade covers 155 of the first cutting blades 117 are hereby jointly pivotable by a rotation of the adjustment shaft 157 between the active position (see FIGS. 7B and 9B) and the release position (see FIG. 9A). The adjustment shaft 157 is coupled to the lever 151 and the actuation element 153 to be able to manually rotate the adjustment shaft 157. In general, it would also be conceivable to provide only one lever 151 or one actuation element 153. However, a combination of the lever 151 and the actuation element 153 allows an adjustment of the blade cover 155 with particularly little force. Furthermore, the hood 145 can be raised by means of a lever force by a pivot movement of the blade cover, for example, against an intermediate metal sheet 159.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0077] 10 product [0078] 11 molding station [0079] 11a top tool [0080] 11b bottom tool [0081] 12 packaging machine [0082] 13 insertion station [0083] 13a endless conveyor belt [0084] 13b endless conveyor belt [0085] 14 feed station [0086] 15 sealing station [0087] 15a top tool [0088] 15b bottom tool [0089] 16 labeling station [0090] 17 transverse separation station [0091] 19 longitudinal separation station [0092] 21 packaging [0093] 23 bottom film [0094] 23a supply roll [0095] 25 top film [0096] 25a supply roll [0097] 27 transport chain [0098] 29 recess [0099] 41 control device [0100] 43 sealing point [0101] 45 operating device [0102] 47 machine frame [0103] 50 robot [0104] 52 gripper [0105] 111 inner space [0106] 113 outer region [0107] 115 first shaft [0108] 117 first cutting blade [0109] 118 disk [0110] 119 second shaft [0111] 121 second cutting blade [0112] 123 cutting unit [0113] 125 adjustment mechanism [0114] 127 axial direction [0115] 129 cutting blade holder [0116] 131 first coupling means/groove [0117] 133 adjustment element [0118] 133a internal thread [0119] 133b second coupling means/rib [0120] 135 drive shaft [0121] 137 gear [0122] 139 sleeve [0123] 139a external thread [0124] 141 guide rod [0125] 143 blade drive [0126] 145 hood [0127] 147 interface [0128] 149 base [0129] 151 lever [0130] 153 actuation element [0131] 155 blade cover [0132] 157 adjustment shaft [0133] 159 intermediate metal sheet [0134] T longitudinal direction/conveying direction