Vertical flow wrapper with an asymmetrical form shoulder

Abstract

A vertical flow-wrapper, which produces packages from a packaging material, the vertical flow-wrapper includes: a form-fill tube, a form shoulder, a longitudinal-sealing means, a cross-sealing means/cutting means, and means to attach a reclosure means to the packaging material, the form shoulder is an asymmetrical form shoulder and the means are at least partially provided within vertical boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder.

Claims

1. A vertical flow-wrapper which produces packages from a packaging material, the vertical flow-wrapper comprising: a form-fill tube, a form shoulder, a longitudinal-sealing means, a cross-sealing means or cutting means, and means for attaching a reclosure means to the packaging material, wherein the form shoulder is an asymmetrical form shoulder and the means for attaching the reclosure means are at least partially provided within vertical boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder, wherein the form-fill tube extends along a vertical center axis, and the asymmetrical form shoulder is not symmetrical about any vertical plane that extends through the vertical center axis.

2. The vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the means for attaching the reclosure means to the packaging material comprise heating means for the packaging material and/or heating means for the reclosure means and/or pressing means.

3. The vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 2, wherein the heating means for the packaging material and/or the heating means for the reclosure means is/are provided in or adjacent to a vertical section of the asymmetrical form shoulder.

4. The vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the asymmetrical form shoulder does not have a symmetry plane along a vertical extension of the form shoulder.

5. The vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the asymmetrical form shoulder does not have a symmetry plane that extends along a center plane or axis of the form-fill tube.

6. The vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein a part of the asymmetrical form shoulder on one side of the vertical center axis is different from another part of the asymmetrical form shoulder on another side of the vertical center axis.

7. The vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the asymmetrical form shoulder is asymmetrical along a flow direction of the packaging material.

8. The vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal seal is formed in a location of the packages that is not in a middle of the packages.

9. A method to produce a package from a plane packaging material, wherein the packaging material is formed by an asymmetrical form shoulder into a packaging material tube, wherein distal ends of the packaging material are connected by a longitudinal sealing means with a longitudinal seal, wherein a first cross seal is provided on the packaging material tube by cross-sealing means, wherein the packaging material tube is filled with a product before a second cross seal is provided on the packaging material tube, wherein filled packages are separated from the packaging material tube by cutting means, wherein a reclosure means is provided parallel to the longitudinal seal, wherein the reclosure means is attached to the packaging material within vertical boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder, wherein the packaging material tube extends along a vertical center axis, and the asymmetrical form shoulder is not symmetrical about any vertical plane that extends through the vertical center axis.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the reclosure means is attached to the packaging material while the packaging material is formed by the asymmetrical form shoulder.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the reclosure means is attached to a part of the packaging material that moves vertically.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the asymmetrical form shoulder does not have a symmetry plane along a vertical extension of the form shoulder.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the asymmetrical form shoulder does not have a symmetry plane that extends along a center plane or axis of a form-fill tube.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein a part of the asymmetrical form shoulder on one side of the vertical center axis is different from another part of the asymmetrical form shoulder on another side of the vertical center axis.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the asymmetrical form shoulder is asymmetrical along a flow direction of the packaging material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows schematically the vertical flow-wrapper according to the invention.

(2) FIGS. 2a and 2b show a first embodiment of the inventive flow-wrapper.

(3) FIGS. 3a and 3b show a second embodiment of the inventive flow-wrapper.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a package that can be produced with the inventive flow wrapper and the inventive method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) In FIG. 1, the vertical flow-wrapper 1 according to the invention is schematically shown. A vertical flow wrapper is a packaging machine, which forms a plane packaging material web 4, for example a film web, into a packaging material tube, which is formed by a form shoulder 3 into a packaging material tube which is transported vertically downward along a form-fill tube 2. As can be seen particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the form shoulder is an asymmetrical form shoulder. Two ends of this packaging material tube are sealed together by a longitudinal sealing means 5. Subsequently, a packaging item is filled into the packaging material tube and a cross-seal is applied by cross-sealing means 6 to the packaging material tube to close the package. Simultaneously or after applying the cross-seal, the finalized packages are cut off the packaging material tube. The vertical flow-wrapper may comprise gusset-forming means to form the bottom and/or the top of each package.

(6) The web of a packaging material 4, especially a weldable plastic film 4, is supplied from a reel 9, which supplies the plane packaging material continuously or intermittently to a form shoulder 3, which shapes the packaging material web into a rather tubular form around a form-fill tube 2. In the context of the present invention, a tubular form of the packages or of the packaging material means any cross-sectional form including a circular form or another form, and especially a rectangular or generally a polygonal form. Longitudinal sealing means 5, which are provided downstream from the form shoulder, seal the edges to the packaging material tube together. Finally, cross seals, extending preferably perpendicularly to the direction of flow of the package material, are applied, especially by means of cross-sealing means 6. These cross-sealing means 6 do not only apply an upper/second cross-seal closing the top of the package 7, but these cross-sealing means 6 advantageously also provide, preferably simultaneously, a lower/first cross-seal defining the bottom of the subsequent, upstream package 7. The packages 7 produced are separated from one another by a cutting means, which are preferably incorporated into the cross-sealing means 6. Between the application of the bottom- and top-cross-seal of each package, the package is filled with the product, preferably an edible product.

(7) According to the present invention, reclosure means 11, for example a zipper, is attached to the packaging material. This attachment, preferably a pre-attachment, is carried out by means 10, 12, 13 as specifically depicted in FIGS. 2a, 2b and FIGS. 3a, 3b. The reclosure means 11 are preferably provided in parallel to the longitudinal seal 18 as can be seen in FIG. 4.

(8) FIGS. 2a and 2b show details of a first embodiment of the inventive flow-wrapper 1 or the inventive methods. In FIG. 2b the view A shown in FIG. 2a is depicted. An asymmetrical form shoulder 3 is provided, here at a form-fill tube 2, which is oriented vertically as shown in these Figures. The direction of the force of gravity is oriented from the top of the Figures to their bottom. The asymmetrical 3 form shoulder does not have a vertical symmetry plane, particularly no vertical symmetry plane in the vertical center axis 14 of form-fill tube. As can be particularly seen from FIG. 2a, the part of the asymmetrical form shoulder on the left hand side of a vertical symmetry plane along the vertical center axis 14 is different from the part of the asymmetrical form shoulder on the right hand side of a vertical symmetry plane along the vertical center axis 14. As can be further seen particularly from FIG. 2a, the asymmetrical form shoulder has a vertical extension 17, which is delimited by the upper boundary or upper end 15 and the low boundary or lower end 16. Furthermore, the asymmetrical form shoulder preferably has a straight vertical or a straight essentially vertical section 21. The packaging material 4 which is initially a plane web is drawn over the asymmetrical form shoulder 3 and thereby formed into a packaging material tube which extends around the form fill tube 2. Downstream from the asymmetrical form shoulder 3, the packaging material tube is transported vertically downwards as depicted by arrow 20. The transportation of the packaging material tube can be continuously or intermittent.

(9) According to the present invention, the inventive vertical flow wrapper comprises means 10, 12, 13 to attach a reclosure means 11, for example a zipper, to the packaging material 4. Normally, the reclosure means comprise two parts, which can be reversibly joined together to close the package or separated to open the package. The attachment provided by the means 10, 12, 13 can be preliminary or the final attachment needed for the package 7. In the example according to FIGS. 2a and 2b, the zipper is provided as a continuous strip which is cut into segments after being attached to the packaging material. In the present case, the attachment of the reclosure means 11 to the packaging material 4 is carried out by heat sealing. Consequently, at least one heating means 10, 13, here two heating means 10, 13 is/are provided, which heat the reclosure means 11 and/or the packaging material 4. Furthermore, optionally, at least one pressing means 12, here a pressing roller, preferably two pressing rollers are provided, which presses the reclosure means 11 and the packaging material 4 together to facilitate or improve their material bond. The skilled person understands that depending on the materials utilized one heating means 10, 13 may be sufficient and/or the pressing means 12 can be omitted. The skilled person further understands that the means to attach the reclosure means to the packaging material may also be gluing means or any other means to attach the reclosure means to the packaging material.

(10) The attachment of the reclosure means at the packaging material provided by the means to attach the reclosure means to the packaging material is preferably a pre-attachment, a preliminary attachment, which is further improved downstream from the asymmetrical form shoulder by further sealing means.

(11) According to the present invention, the means to attach the reclosure means to the packaging material are now provided within the vertical boundaries 15, 16 of the asymmetrical form shoulder or within the vertical extension of the asymmetrical form shoulder. In case the means to attach the reclosure means to the packaging material comprises multiple components like in the present case components 10, 12, 13, at least one component, preferably more than one and more preferably all components 10, 12, 13 are located within these vertical boundaries.

(12) In the present case, the heating means 10 heat the packaging material in a location in which the reclosure means shall be attached. The heating means 13 heat one surface of the reclosure means 11. Both heating means 10, 13 are here provided within the vertical boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder. Downstream from the heating means 10, 13 but still within the boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder, the heated surfaces are pressed together by one or two, preferably two pressing means, here pressing roller(s).

(13) Preferably, the reclosure means 11 is attached to the packaging material, while the packing material is still being formed into a packaging material tube, i.e. while the reclosure means are being attached to the packaging material, the forming process of the web into a packaging material tube has started, but is not jet finalized.

(14) According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the means to attach the reclosure means to the packaging material, particularly the means 10 to heat the packaging material and/or the pressing means 12 is/are provided in or adjacent to a vertical, here straight, section 21 of the asymmetrical form shoulder 3.

(15) In the present case, even though the reclosure means comprises normally two parts as explained above, only one part of the reclosure means 11 is attached to the packaging material within the boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder. The inventive vertical flow wrapper therefore preferably comprises further attachment means (not depicted), preferably sealing means, which are located downstream from the asymmetrical form shoulder 3 and more preferably at least partially parallel to the longitudinal sealing means, which attach the not yet attached part of the reclosure means to the packaging material and/or even more preferably improve a pre-attachment of the reclosure means provided within the boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder. The further attachment of the reclosure means and the application of the longitudinal sealing means is at least partially simultaneously.

(16) FIGS. 3a and 3b show details of a second embodiment of the inventive flow-wrapper 1 or the inventive methods. In FIG. 3b the view A shown in FIG. 3a is depicted. In principal reference can be made to the explanations according to FIGS. 2a and 2b. However, in the present case the reclosure means is provided in segments which are attached to the packaging material 4.

(17) FIG. 4 shows the inventive package 7, here a bag or a pouch, which can be produced by the inventive flow-wrapper and/or according to the inventive methods. Arrow 20 depicts the transport direction of the packaging material. The inventive package 7 comprises two cross seals 19, which are provided transversely to the transport direction 20 of the package material. Parallel to the transport direction of the packaging material and at the opposite end of the bottom 22 of the package 7, a longitudinal seal 18 is provided. Adjacent to the longitudinal seal 18, a re-closure means 11 is provided, which allows to re-close and re-opening the package after the longitudinal seal has been removed and/or opened. The re-closure means 11 can be provided as a segment, which is already a segment before it is attached to the packaging as depicted in the embodiment according to FIGS. 3a and 3b. The re-closure means 11 may be smaller than the length of the package in transport direction 20. The package 7 may comprise a gusset at its bottom 18.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(18) 1 vertical flow-wrapper 2 form-fill tube 3 form shoulder, asymmetrical form shoulder 4 packaging material, film 5 longitudinal-sealing means 6 cross-sealing- and/or cutting means 7 package, pouch 8 frame/housing of the vertical flow-wrapper 9 reel 10 heating means for the packaging material 11 reclosure means, zipper 12 pressing means, pressing roller 13 heating means for the reclosure means 14 vertical center axis of the form-fill tube 15 vertical boundary of the asymmetrical form shoulder, upper end, upstream end 16 vertical boundary of the asymmetrical form shoulder, lower end, downstream end 17 vertical extension of the form shoulder 18 longitudinal seal 19 cross seal 20 transport direction of the packaging material 21 vertical section of the form shoulder 22 bottom of the package