MICROPERFORATION METHOD WITH A MOVING WEB

Abstract

A method is proposed for producing a packaging, having a method step of microperforation of a flexible material as a packaging film, comprising: provision of the flexible material as a packaging film, transport of the flexible material over a transport section, provision of a laser in order to generate a perforation of the flexible material with its beam. For a packaging with improved gas exchange, a laser system with a wavelength in the range of from 150 nm to 1064 nm, preferably from 355 nm to 532 nm, is used for the laser, and the perforation with the laser is carried out during the movement of the flexible material of the packaging film during the transport.

Claims

1. A method for producing a packaging, having a method step of microperforation of a flexible material as a packaging film, comprising: providing the flexible material as a packaging film, transporting the flexible material over a transport section, using a beam from a laser to generate a perforation of the flexible material, wherein the laser beam is provided by a laser system with a wavelength in the range of from 150 nm to 1064 nm, wherein the laser system includes one of: i. an excimer laser; ii. a UV laser; iii. a nanosecond laser; and iv. a Q-switched DPSS solid-state laser, and wherein the perforation with the laser is carried out during the movement of the flexible material of the packaging film during the transport.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the perforation, optics are used to position the laser beam and/or the laser beam is positioned by tilting and/or translation of the laser with respect to the perforation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam and/or partial beams of the laser, which are split from the laser beam, is/are jointly guided synchronously, at least segmentally, with the movement of the flexible material, the laser beam of the laser being positioned and/or displaced by means of a mobile mirror and a focusing device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the laser and/or the laser beam executes a path curve on which individual perforation holes are generated with a temporal and/or positional spacing, the laser beam being moved with a path speed of at least 30 m/min on the packaging film.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the laser is operated in single-pulse operation.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the laser is operated in a multiple-pulse method.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the laser generates perforation holes in the diameter range of between 1 μm and 50 μm.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the holes are generated as holes of a repeating circular configuration.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flexible material as a packaging film comprises at least one of the following: a further flexible material; a monofilm and/or a two-layer or multilayer film composite; a polymer film; a polymer film having an aluminum layer; an aluminum layer; a paper web; and a biologically degradable film.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein diffractive optics are used in order to generate at least two holes simultaneously during perforation of the flexible material.

11. An apparatus for producing a packaging by means of microperforation of a flexible material as a packaging film and for carrying out the method according to claim 1, comprising a transport apparatus for transporting the flexible material, wherein the laser of the laser system has a wavelength in the range of from 150 nm to 1064 nm for perforating the flexible material, the laser system comprising one of the following: i. an excimer laser, ii. a UV laser, iii. a nanosecond laser, iv. a Q-switched DPSS solid-state laser; and a positioning apparatus for positioning the laser beam on the flexible material during transport.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the positioning apparatus comprises optics for positioning the laser beam, and the optics comprise at least one of: a mobile mirror and a focusing device; diffractive optics for generating at least two holes simultaneously during the perforation.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the positioning apparatus is configured to guide the laser beam of the laser jointly with the flexible material during transport.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the laser is configured to be operated in single-pulse operation or in the multiple-pulse method.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the transport apparatus is configured for roll-to-roll transport of the flexible material, which is provided as a web.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is represented in the drawing and will be explained in more detail below while specifying further details and advantages.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a perforation apparatus for a production method of a packaging according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 1 for producing a packaging by perforation of the packaging film 2 from a flexible material. The film 2 is moved uniformly with a constant speed v (in FIG. 1 in the arrow direction toward the right) by a transport apparatus 30 for conveying the film web 2. The transport apparatus 3 uses conveyance of the film web 2 from roll to roll, that is to say rolls are arranged at certain distances and the film runs in the tensioned state from roll to roll. In the region between the rolls, simplified processing of the film web 2 may therefore also take place. A laser 4 (for example, a UV laser having a wavelength of 355 nm) generates laser pulses. The laser beam 5 is deflected by the adjustable mirror 6, the galvanometric positioning apparatus 7 adjusting the mirror 6 in order to set the desired position of the split light beams 5.1, 5.2 on the film 2 after passing through a diffractive element 8. The perforation holes are respectively generated where the partial beams 5.1, 5.2 impinge on the film 2. The laser beam 5, or the partial beams 5.1, 5.2, may be jointly moved synchronously with the movement of the film 2.

[0038] A common feature of all exemplary embodiments and refinements of the present invention is that in order to produce a packaging with improved gas exchange, a laser system having a wavelength in the range of from 150 nm to 1064 nm, preferably from 355 nm to 532 nm, is used, and the perforation with the laser is carried out during the movement of the flexible material of the packaging film during the transport, in particular by synchronous joint guiding of the laser beam, or partial beams thereof.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0039] 1 apparatus for producing a packaging by perforation [0040] 2 packaging film [0041] 3 transport apparatus [0042] 4 laser [0043] 5 laser beam [0044] 5.1 partial beam [0045] 5.2 partial beam [0046] 6 mirror (adjustable) [0047] 7 galvanometric positioning apparatus [0048] 8 diffractive optics [0049] v transport speed