COOLING DEVICE FOR COOLING SEALS IN A FILM IN A FORM-FILL-SEAL MACHINE

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine, comprising cooling means comprising at least one passage guiding a cooling fluid on to at least one side seal formed in said film, said film defining a forward movement direction, and wherein said at least one passage of said cooling means is arranged substantially in the same forward movement direction of the film. In at least one embodiment, the seals will reach the first transfer roller in a cold enough state so that a seal is not formed between the two faces of the side creases, even at high working speeds.

Claims

1. A Cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine, comprising: a cooling means comprising at least one passage guiding a cooling fluid on to at least one side seal formed in said film, said film defining a forward movement direction, wherein said at least one passage for said cooling means is arranged substantially in the same forward movement direction of the film.

2. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1, wherein said cooling means comprises two cooling fluid guiding passages, both arranged in the same forward movement direction of said film and each one cooling a side seal.

3. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1, wherein said cooling means also guide the cooling fluid on to said at least one side seal during the movement of said film and/or during the stopping of the film.

4. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1, wherein said cooling fluid is air generated by a fan.

5. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1, wherein said cooling fluid is air generated by means of compressed air.

6. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1, wherein said cooling fluid is cooled below room temperature before being blown through said at least one passage.

7. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 2, wherein said cooling means also guide the cooling fluid on to said at least one side seal during the movement of said film and/or during the stopping of the film.

8. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 2, wherein said cooling fluid is air generated by a fan.

9. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 3, wherein said cooling fluid is air generated by a fan.

10. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 2, wherein said cooling fluid is air generated by means of compressed air.

11. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 3, wherein said cooling fluid is air generated by means of compressed air.

12. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 4, wherein said cooling fluid is air generated by means of compressed air.

13. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 2, wherein said cooling fluid is cooled below room temperature before being blown through said at least one passage.

14. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 3, wherein said cooling fluid is cooled below room temperature before being blown through said at least one passage.

15. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 4, wherein said cooling fluid is cooled below room temperature before being blown through said at least one passage.

16. The cooling device for cooling seals in a film in a form-fill-seal machine according to claim 5, wherein said cooling fluid is cooled below room temperature before being blown through said at least one passage.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] To better understand the preceding description, a set of drawings is attached in which a practical embodiment is schematically depicted by way of non-limiting example.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a form-fill-seal machine, comprising the cooling device according to the present invention; and

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cooling device according to the present invention in a form-fill-seal machine.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0024] FIG. 1 shows part of a form-fill-seal machine, particularly a reel 1 of film 2 of thermoplastic material, for example.

[0025] Said film 2 is what will form the bags (not depicted in the drawings) and is formed by two layers, one on top of the other, and two side creases.

[0026] The film 2 is unwound from said reel 1 and moves defining a forward movement direction (indicated by means of the arrow A in FIG. 2), and it passes through a sealing station 3 in which said side creases are sealed, forming side seals on said film 2.

[0027] The form-fill-seal machine also comprises a first transfer roller 4 for changing the direction of said film 2 after sealing the side creases, as is conventional in form-fill-seal machines.

[0028] According to the present invention, the form-fill-seal machine also comprises a cooling device for cooling said side seals, said cooling device being located between the sealing station 3 and the first transfer roller 4, specifically after the sealing station 3 and before the first transfer roller 4.

[0029] According to the depicted embodiment, the cooling device comprises two passages 5 for guiding a cooling fluid, although it would also be possible to use a different number of passages 5, for example, one, or also more than two.

[0030] As can be seen in the drawings, said passages 5 are arranged substantially in the same direction as the forward movement direction A of said film 2, i.e., in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the film 2. It should be indicated that substantially in a direction substantially parallel or substantially in the same direction mean that it can define an angle less than or equal to 15.

[0031] Advantageously, said passages 5 are arranged right above the side seals of the film, such that the cooling fluid directly strikes these seals for cooling them before the film reaches the first transfer roller 4.

[0032] The cooling fluid is preferably air, which can be chilled, generated from a fan 6 or compressor or any suitable air generator.

[0033] It should be indicated that the cooling fluid can move inside the passages 5 in the same direction of movement as the film 2 or in the opposite direction, or in one direction in one of the passages 5 and in the opposite direction in the other passage 5.

[0034] It should also be indicated that cooling by means of the device according to the present invention is performed during the movement of said film 2 and/or during the periods of stopping said film 2, according to whichever is suitable for assuring that the seals are cold enough when they reach the first transfer roller 4, depending on the travelling speed of the film 2.

[0035] Although reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is obvious for a person skilled in the art that the described cooling device is susceptible to a number of variations and modifications and that all the mentioned details can be replaced with other technically equivalent ones without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.