METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CALIBRATING AN AUTOMATIC POUCH FORMING MACHINE AND DEVICE FOR CHARACTERISING A POUCH PRECURSOR

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and to a system for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine.

The present invention also relates to a device for characterizing a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film, said device comprising: a punch; a heat source for heating at least a tip of the punch to a given temperature; an actuator for pressing the punch against the pouch precursor made of heat-sealable film, with a given pressure; a measurement device for measuring the penetration of the punch in the pouch precursor, under the given conditions of temperature and pressure.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine comprising an unwinding unit for unwinding a pouch precursor made of a band of a flexible heat-sealable film in a forward movement direction; a folding unit of the band configured for folding said band in half on itself along at least one folding line parallel to the forward movement direction, a welding unit of the folded band configured for making welding lines at least in a direction transverse to the forward movement direction of the folded band; and a drive unit for moving the band in the forward movement direction; the method comprising the steps of: performing a test operation on the material of the pouch precursor; performing a characterisation of the material of the pouch precursor based on the results of the testing of the material performed; conducting a comparison of the characterised material of the pouch precursor with other known materials on which the steps of the test operation and the characterisation have already been performed, said known materials being further related to known operation parameters of a pouch forming machine including welding pressure, welding temperature and welding time; and automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine with operating parameters, including welding pressure, welding temperature and welding time for the tested material of the pouch precursor, obtained from the result of conducting the comparison and an algorithm treating said results; wherein the step of performing a test operation is performed by: pressing the band folded on itself of the pouch precursor with a punch, said punch being heatable at least at one tip by a heat source at a given temperature; and measuring the penetration of the punch in the band folded on itself with a measurement device; and wherein the steps of conducting a comparison and automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine, are implemented by a processing unit.

2. The method, according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing a test operation on the material of the pouch precursor is performed on the automatic pouch forming machine.

3. The method, according to claim 2, wherein the step of performing a characterization of the material of the pouch precursor is performed while the pouch precursor moves in the forward movement direction.

4. The method, according to claim 2, wherein the step of performing a test operation on the material of the pouch precursor is performed with the pouch precursor stopped with respect to its forward movement direction.

5. The method, according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing a test operation on the material of the pouch precursor is performed outside the automatic pouch forming machine.

6. The method, according to claim 1, wherein the penetration of the punch in the pouch precursor is measured with respect to one or more values of at least two of the following variables: i. pressure applied by the punch to the pouch precursor; ii. temperature of the tip of the punch; iii. duration of the pressure applied to the pouch precursor by the punch.

7. The method, according to claim 6, wherein the step of performing a characterization of the material of the pouch precursor comprises the step of obtaining a characteristic curve of the tested material based on the measurements of the penetration of the punch under given conditions of pressure, temperature and duration.

8. The method, according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of generating a database with the operating parameters of an automatic pouch forming machine for a plurality of known materials.

9. The method, according to claim 8, wherein the operating parameters corresponding to the characterised material obtained in the step of automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine are entered in said database.

10. A device for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film, said device comprising: a punch; a heat source for heating at least a tip of the punch to a given temperature; an actuator for pressing the punch against the pouch precursor made of heat-sealable film, with a given pressure; and a measurement device for measuring the penetration of the punch in the pouch precursor, under the given conditions of temperature and pressure.

11. The device, according to claim 10, wherein the punch comprises a ceramic resistor, acting as a heat source, arranged at a tip of the punch.

12. The device, according to claim 10, wherein the actuator comprises a pneumatic or a hydraulic cylinder operatively connected to the punch via at least a connecting rod.

13. The device, according to claim 10, wherein it further comprises a processing unit configured to execute the steps of conducting a comparison and automatically adjusting an automatic pouch forming machine of a method according to claim 1.

14. A system for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine, the system comprising: an automatic pouch forming machine comprising: an unwinding unit for unwinding a pouch precursor made of a band of a flexible heat-sealable film in a forward movement direction; a folding unit of the band configured for folding said band in half on itself along at least one folding line parallel to the forward movement direction, a welding unit of the folded band configured for making welding lines at least in a direction transverse to the forward movement direction of the folded band; and a drive unit for moving the band in the forward movement direction. a device for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film according to claim 10; and a processing unit configured to execute steps of conducting a comparison of the characterised material of the pouch precursor with other known materials and automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine of a method according to claim 1.

15. The system, according to claim 14, wherein the measurement device is configured to measure the penetration of the punch in the band folded on itself of the pouch precursor by measuring the travel of the punch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0033] The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, to be taken in an illustrative and non-limitative manner, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a device for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film according to the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the first exemplary embodiment of a device for characterising a pouch precursor shown in FIG. 1.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the first exemplary embodiment of a device for characterising a pouch precursor shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a cut view of the first exemplary embodiment of a device for characterising a pouch precursor along the cut line IV-IV shown in FIG. 3

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a device for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film according to the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the welding unit of an automatic pouch forming machine of a first exemplary embodiment of a system for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine according to the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 7 show a front view of part of the welding unit of the automatic pouch forming machine of the first exemplary embodiment of a system for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine shown in FIG. 6.

[0041] FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of a method for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

[0042] The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, to be taken in an illustrative and not limitative way.

[0043] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a perspective, front and top view, respectively, of a first exemplary embodiment of a device 1 for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film according to the present invention, said device 1 comprising a punch 10, a heat source for heating at least a tip of the punch 10 to a given temperature, an actuator for pressing the punch 10 against the pouch precursor made of heat-sealable film, with a given pressure, and a measurement device 40 for measuring the penetration of the punch 10 in the pouch precursor, under the given conditions of temperature and pressure.

[0044] The device 1 for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film according to the present invention may be configured to perform one or more tests to determine the physical properties of a pouch precursor, i.e., to characterise a pouch precursor. Once a pouch precursor is characterised, the operating parameters of an automatic pouch forming machine can be determined with a method and/or a system according to the present invention, as will be explained hereinafter.

[0045] In the first exemplary embodiment shown, the actuator comprises a pneumatic cylinder 30 operatively connected to the punch 10 via at least a connecting rod 20. In other embodiments, the cylinder 30 can be operatively connected to the punch 10 using any other suitable mechanism. It is also possible that, in other embodiments, the punch 10 is fixed or attached to the piston rod of the cylinder 30. In other embodiments, said cylinder 30 can be hydraulic instead of pneumatic.

[0046] The first exemplary embodiment of a device 1 according to the present invention can be installed on, or be related to, an automatic pouch forming machine or be installed in a standalone manner, for example, in a testing material lab or any other suitable room without an automatic pouch forming machine therein. If the device 1 is installed in a standalone configuration, independent from any automatic pouch forming machine, the results obtained by said device 1, can be used to calibrate the operating parameters of any suitable automatic pouch forming machine that uses the same pouch precursor tested or characterised by said device 1.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a cut view along the cut line IV-IV depicted in FIG. 3 of the first exemplary embodiment of a device 1 according to the present invention. In this first exemplary embodiment, the punch 10 comprises a ceramic resistor 11 acting as a heat source arranged at a tip of the punch 10. However, in other embodiments, the heat source can heat the punch 10, or at least its tip, by other means, for example, magnetic induction.

[0048] Arranged over the punch 10, and aligned with it, the first exemplary embodiment comprises the measurement device 40 for measuring the penetration of the punch 10 in the pouch precursor. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the measurement device 40 comprises a micrometre which measures the travel of said punch 10.

[0049] As can be seen in greater detail in the cut view of FIG. 4, in the first exemplary embodiment, a first end of the connecting rod 20 is connected in an articulated manner to the piston rod of the cylinder 30 and a second end of the connecting rod 20, opposite to the first one, is connected in an articulated manner to the body of the device 1. The punch 10 is connected in an articulated manner to the connecting rod 20 at a point located between said first and second ends.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a device 1 for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film according to the present invention.

[0051] Similarly to the first exemplary embodiment of a device 1 for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film according to the present invention, this second exemplary embodiment can also be installed on, or closely related to, an automatic pouch forming machine or in a standalone configuration.

[0052] Compared to the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 further comprises a processing unit 2 configured to execute the steps of conducting a comparison 3000 and automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine 4000 of a method for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine according to the present invention, said method being described in great detail in the context of FIG. 8.

[0053] In this second exemplary embodiment the processing unit 2 is not integral with the body of the device 1, that is to say, it is a separate element. However, in other embodiments the processing unit 2 can be integral with the body of the device 1.

[0054] Both the first and second exemplary embodiments of a device 1 for characterising a pouch precursor can perform the penetration tests with its punch 10 on a pouch precursor made of an unfolded band of flexible heat-sealable film or on a pouch precursor made of a band of flexible heat-sealable film folded at least in half along a folding line following a longitudinal direction of said band.

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of part of a system for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine according to the present invention. In particular, FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the welding unit 3 of an automatic pouch forming machine comprised in the first exemplary embodiment of a system according to the present invention. The welding unit 3 of the first exemplary embodiment shown comprises a plurality of pressure applicators 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 fixed in a slidable manner to a guide 120, so that their longitudinal position along a longitudinal axis of the welding unit 3 can be adjusted. However, in other embodiments, the welding unit 3 can have a different configuration than the one shown in FIG. 6, for example, can lack the guide 120 or have less pressure applicators 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105.

[0056] In the exemplary embodiment shown, at an end thereof, the welding unit 3 comprises a device 1 for characterising a pouch precursor made of flexible heat-sealable film according to the present invention. The welding unit 3 of this third exemplary embodiment of a system according to the present invention further comprises a processing unit 2 configured to execute the steps of conducting a comparison 3000 and automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine 4000 of a method according to the present invention. Said steps 3000, 4000 are described in great detail hereinafter in the context of FIG. 8.

[0057] Although it is not shown, the automatic pouch forming machine of the first exemplary embodiment of a system according to the present invention comprises: an unwinding unit for unwinding a pouch precursor made of a band of a flexible heat-sealable film in a forward movement direction; a folding unit of the band configured for folding said band in half on itself along at least one folding line parallel to the forward movement direction, a welding unit of the folded band configured for making welding lines at least in a direction transverse to the forward movement direction of the folded band; and a drive unit for moving the band in the forward movement direction.

[0058] FIG. 7 shows a front view of part of the first exemplary embodiment of a system for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine shown in FIG. 6 and, in particular, FIG. 7 shows a front view of part of the welding unit 3 shown in FIG. 6.

[0059] In the first exemplary embodiment shown, the device 1 for characterising a pouch precursor is supported in a slidable manner by a support 110, which is also slidable along the guide 120. In particular, the device 1 can slide along a bar of the support defining an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the welding unit and perpendicular to the forward movement direction of the pouch precursor made of a band of a flexible heat-sealable film. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the processing unit 2 is fixed on top of the support 110, but in other embodiments such processing unit 2 could be installed in any other suitable location of the automatic pouch forming machine or outside said automatic pouch forming machine. As long as the processing unit 2 can receive data from the device 1 and transmit data to it, it is no relevant the placement of said processing unit 2.

[0060] The device 1 can slide along the bar of the support 110 in order to reach a position substantially coincident with the one of the container precursor (not shown) so that it can perform the tests to characterise said container precursor. Once the tests have been performed, the device 1 can slide up or down along the support 110 in order to reach a position where it does not interfere with the container precursor. Although such configuration is preferred, in other embodiments the device 1 can have a fixed position.

[0061] FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram of first exemplary embodiment of a method for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine according to the present invention. This method is specially envisaged or configured for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine comprising an unwinding unit for unwinding a pouch precursor made of a band of a flexible heat-sealable film in a forward movement direction; a folding unit of the band configured for folding said band in half on itself along at least one folding line parallel to the forward movement direction, a welding unit 3 of the folded band configured for making welding lines at least in a direction transverse to the forward movement direction of the folded band; and a drive unit for moving the band in the forward movement direction.

[0062] The first exemplary embodiment of a method for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine comprises the steps of: performing a test operation 1000 on the material of the pouch precursor; performing a characterisation 2000 of the material of the pouch precursor based on the results of the testing of the material performed; conducting a comparison 3000 of the characterised material of the pouch precursor with other known materials on which the steps of the test operation 1000 and the characterisation 2000 have already been performed, said known materials being further related to known operation parameters of a pouch forming machine including welding pressure, welding temperature and welding time; and automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine 4000 with operating parameters, including welding pressure, welding temperature and welding time for the tested material of the pouch precursor, obtained from the result of conducting the comparison 3000 and an algorithm treating said results.

[0063] In this first exemplary embodiment, the step of performing a test operation 1000 further comprises the steps of: pressing the band 1100 folded on itself of the pouch precursor with a punch 10, said punch 10 being heatable at least at one tip by a heat source at a given temperature; and measuring the penetration 1200 of the punch 10 in the band folded on itself with a measurement device. However, as stated hereinabove, in other embodiments of the method for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine object of the present invention, the container precursor made of a band of flexible heat-sealable film can also be characterised or tested in an unfolded configuration or being folded two or more times.

[0064] In this first exemplary embodiment, the step of performing a test operation 1000 is performed on the automatic pouch forming machine (see FIGS. 6 and 7) while the pouch precursor moves in its forward movement direction. However, in other embodiments, the step of performing a test operation 1000 can be performed with the pouch precursor stopped with respect to its forward movement direction. In other embodiments, the step of performing a test operation 1000 can also be performed outside the automatic pouch forming machine to be calibrated, for example, in a material testing lab or any other suitable place to perform such kind of testing.

[0065] In the first exemplary embodiment of a method according to the present invention, the penetration of the punch 10 in the pouch precursor is measured with respect to one or more values of at least two of the following variables: [0066] i. pressure applied by the punch 10 to the pouch precursor; [0067] ii. temperature of the tip of the punch 10; [0068] iii. duration of the pressure applied to the pouch precursor by the punch 10.

[0069] In this first exemplary embodiment, the step of performing a characterisation 2000 comprises the step of obtaining a characteristic curve of the tested material based on the measurements of the penetration of the punch 10 under given conditions of pressure, temperature and duration. However, in other embodiments this step may not be performed.

[0070] In a second exemplary embodiment of a method for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine, the method further comprises the step of generating a database with the operating parameters of an automatic pouch forming machine for a plurality of known materials, that is to say, known operating parameters for known pouch precursor materials are entered in a database, so that in the steps of conducting a comparison 3000 and automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine 4000, an algorithm can determine the operating parameters corresponding to the tested material in particular. In said second exemplary embodiment, the operating parameters corresponding to a tested material obtained in step 4000 are entered in said database, so that said database is increased and improved over time.

[0071] In the first and second exemplary embodiments of a method for calibrating an automatic pouch forming machine according to the present invention, the steps of conducting a comparison 3000 and automatically adjusting the automatic pouch forming machine 4000, are implemented by a processing unit 2 which executes a machine learning algorithm to determine the operating parameters corresponding to the tested material, and in particular, corresponding to the properties of the tested material.

[0072] It will be understood that various parts of one embodiment of the invention can be freely combined with parts described in other embodiments, even being said combination not explicitly described, provided that such combination is within the scope of the claims and that there is no harm in such combination.