Packaging machine with punch

Abstract

A packaging machine and method for producing a packaging with a packaging machine, in which a lower material web is unrolled from a supply roll and transported along the packaging machine and at the same time a material to be packaged is placed on the lower material web and, to complete the packaging, an upper film is sealed to the lower material web in a sealing station, the packaging is cut from the upper and lower material webs, the cutting of the lower material web takes place partially upstream and partially downstream of the sealing station and/or partially upstream and partially in the sealing station.

Claims

1. A method for producing a packaging with a packaging machine, the method comprising: unrolling a lower material web from a supply roll; transporting the lower material web along a transport direction of the packaging machine; forming a packaging trough into the lower material web with a forming tool in a forming station to include a base and a horizontal flame that extends horizontally from the base; placing a material to be packaged in the packeting trough; sealing an upper film to the horizontal flame of the packaging trough in a sealing station; wherein before and/or during the forming step in which the packaging trough is formed in the lower material web, the method comprises completely severing one or more sections of the lower material web resulting in one or more corner areas of the horizontal flame being completely several from the horizontal flange.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises severing the upper film in and/or downstream of the sealing station.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein after the step of completely severing the one or more sections of the lower material web, and after the step of sealing the upper film to the horizontal flange, the upper film protrudes beyond the horizontal flange in a region where the one or more corner areas of the horizontal flange have been completely severed.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more sections of the lower material web that have been completely severed is/are cut at an angle of 40 degrees to 50 degrees relative to the transport direction of the lower material web.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises forming one or more opening aids at a top surface of the horizontal flange of the packaging trough to facilitate releasing the upper film from the packaging trough.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the one or more opening aids comprise one or more recessed areas in the top surface of the horizontal flange, the one or more recessed areas are defined in a horizontal plane that is lower than a horizontal plane that includes the top surface of the horizontal flange.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the horizontal flange comprises two corner areas that have been completely severed, the two corner areas that have been completely severed are located at one side of the horizontal flange; and the one or more opening aids are located at an opposite side of the horizontal flange.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the packaging machine comprises a punch that completely severs the one or more sections of the lower material web before and/or during the forming of the packaging trough, wherein the punch comprises a knife and a counter knife, and the lower material web is provided between the knife and the counter knife.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the counter knife comprises a biasing device that is compressed during vertical movement of the counter knife.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more sections of the lower material web that is/are completely severed is/are disposed of as waste or is/are bonded to the upper film.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal flange comprises two adjacent sides that are arranged in an orthogonal relationship, wherein a straight edge extends between the two adjacent sides.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal flange comprises a straight edge where the one or more sections been completely severed from the lower material web.

13. A method for producing a packaging with a packaging machine, in which a lower material web is unrolled from a supply roll and transported along the packaging machine the method comprises forming a packaging trough in the lower material web with a forming tool, placing a material to be packaged in the packaging trough, and sealing an upper film to the lower material web in a sealing station to complete the packaging, wherein the packaging trough comprises a flange to which the upper film is sealed in the sealing station, wherein the flange comprises a corner area where a section of the lower material web is completely cut from the flange before and/or during the forming of the packaging trough resulting in the flange having a straight edge in the corner area remaining where the section of the lower material web was completely cut, and wherein the method comprises forming one or more opening aids on the flange of the packing trough to facilitate releasing the upper film from the packaging trough, wherein the one or more opening aids comprise a depression formed in a top surface of the flange that is a low spot relative to a remainder of the top surface of the flange.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the section of the lower material web that has been completely cut from the flange is cut at an angle of 40 degrees to 50 degrees relative to a transport direction of the lower material web.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein after the section of the lower material web is completely cut from the flange, and after the upper film is sealed to the lower material web, the upper film protrudes beyond the flange in the corner area of the flange.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the upper film is cut in a step after the section of the lower material web has been completely cut from the flange.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the packaging machine comprises a punch that completely cuts the section of the lower material web before and/or during forming of the packaging trough, wherein the punch comprises a knife and a counter knife and the lower material web is provided between the knife and the counter knife.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the counter knife comprises a biasing device that is compressed during vertical movement of the counter knife.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the section of the lower material web that has been completely cut from the flange before and/or during the forming is disposed of as waste or is bonded to the upper film.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the flange comprises two adjacent sides that are arranged in an orthogonal relationship, wherein the straight edge extends between the two adjacent sides of the flange.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The inventions are explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. These explanations are merely exemplary and do not limit the general idea of the invention. The explanations apply equally to all subject matter of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the packaging machine according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows an example of the packaging to be produced.

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 show the punch

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows the packaging machine 1 according to the invention, which optionally has a forming station 2, a filling station 7 and a sealing station 15. A lower material web 8, in this case a plastic film 8, is pulled off a supply roll 22 and transported from right to left in cycles along the packaging machine according to the invention. In each cycle, the bottom web 8 is advanced by one format length/feed length. For this purpose, the packaging machine has two transport means (not shown), in the present case respectively two endless chains, which are arranged to the right and left of the lower material web 8. Both at the beginning and at the end of the packaging machine, respectively at least one gear is provided for each chain, around which the respective chain is redirected. At least one of these gears is driven. The gears in the inlet section and/or in the outlet section can be connected to each other, preferably by a rigid shaft. Each transport means has a plurality of clamping means/grippers which grip the lower material web 8 in a clamping manner in the infeed area 19 and transfer the movement of the transport means to the lower material web 8. In the outfeed area of the packaging machine, the clamping connection between the transport means and the lower material web 8 is released again. Downstream of the inlet section 19, heating means can be provided to heat the lower material web 8, especially when it is standing still. The forming station 2 has a lower tool 4 and an upper tool 3. The lower tool 4 can be moved up and down as indicated by the double arrow, wherein it is moved upward toward the lower material web 8 for forming and downward for further transport of the lower material web 8. In the raised position, the lower material web is preferably clamped between the two tools 3, 4. Punching means 10, which are explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, can be provided on at least one of the two tools 3, 4. The lower tool 4 can be located on a lifting table 5, which, as symbolized by the double arrow, can be vertically adjustable to produce the lower tool movement described above. As this happens, the punch 10 or its knife 25 is moved along. In the further course of the packaging machine, the packaging troughs 6 formed in the lower material web as indicated here or the lower material web 8 are then loaded with the material to be packaged 16 in the filling station 7. In the sealing station 15 following downstream therefrom, which also consists of an upper tool 12 and a, if applicable, vertically adjustable lower tool 11, an upper film 14 is attached to the lower material web 8 in a material-bonding manner by sealing. Thereby, the movement of the lower material web 8 is transferred to the upper material web 14. In the sealing station, too, the upper tool and/or optionally the lower tool are lowered or raised before and after each film transport. The upper film 14 can also be guided in transport means or transported by transport chains, wherein these transport means then only extend before the sealing station and, if applicable, upstream. Otherwise, the explanations given for the transport means of the bottom film apply. The upper film can also be heated and/or deep drawn with heating means. For sealing, the lower tool 11 is provided, for example, as a heatable sealing frame which has an opening for each packaging trough into which the, if applicable, present packaging trough dips during sealing, i.e. during the upward movement of the lower sealing tool. For sealing, the upper and lower material webs are pressed together between the upper and lower tools 12, 11 and bond under the influence of heat and pressure. After sealing, the tools 11, 12 are moved apart again vertically. A dancer, for example, a rotary dancer, which keeps the film web 14 at a constant tension to the extent possible, can be provided between the supply roll of the upper material web 14 and the sealing tool. The person skilled in the art understands that a dancer is also preferably provided in the area of the lower material web 8, preferably downstream of the supply roll. Preferably, the dancer is a linear dancer. A gas exchange preferably takes place in each packaging trough before and/or during the sealing of the upper material web to the lower material web. For this purpose, the air present in the packaging trough is first partially extracted and/or replaced by an exchange gas. For this purpose, holes can be made in the area of each format in the lower material web 8 in the area of the transport chains, through which holes the air between the material webs 8, 14 is extracted and/or the exchange gas is blown in. However, these holes are different from the contour cut explained with reference to FIG. 2. In the further course of the packaging machine, the completed packagings are separated, which, according to one embodiment of the method according to the invention, is done with the transverse cutter 18 and the longitudinal cutter 17. In the present case, the transverse cutter 18 can also be raised or lowered by means of a lifting device 9. Preferably, each cycle produces several packagings simultaneously, arranged as matrix in a so-called format. According to another embodiment of the method according to the invention, the sealing tool 11, 12 has a punch which severs the lower and upper material webs before, during and/or after sealing.

(6) According to the invention, the lower material web 8 is punched/cut in at least two different places along the contour of the carrier of the material to be packaged, for example, in the forming station and downstream of the sealing station or in the forming station and in the sealing station. The contour cut of the upper material web 14, on the other hand, only takes place in the sealing station or downstream of it.

(7) FIG. 2 shows a packaging that can be produced with the method according to the invention or, respectively, with the packaging machine according to the invention. The packaging has a packaging trough which has been formed, in particular deep drawn, from the lower material web 8. Here, the packaging trough has a horizontal flange 31 to which an upper material web 14 is sealed along a sealing seam 27. The packaging may optionally have opening aids 28 to facilitate releasing the upper material web from the packaging trough. For separation, the finished packaging is cut along its contour 29 out of a format from the lower and upper material webs. Reference number 19 indicates one, in this case two, contour cut(s) provided only in the lower material web, but preferably severing it completely along the cut. The contour cut 19 is provided here in the corner area of the packaging trough 6. The contour cut 19 is provided upstream of the sealing station, particularly in the forming station. Complete separation of the packaging, on the other hand, takes place either in the sealing station or downstream of the sealing station by separating the packaging along its contour from the lower and upper material webs. In the present case, this is done by four straight cuts, two longitudinal and two transverse cuts, or one contour cut. After separation, at least two, in this case three, separate parts are produced for each packaging from the bottom web material 8, in this case the packaging trough 6 and two corner parts 13. The corner parts can be disposed of as waste or bonded to the top web material 14. In the first case, the top web material protrudes beyond the corner area of the packaging trough 6 and can thus be easily grasped with two fingers for opening the packaging. In the second case, the cut-off area 13 is bonded to the upper material and provides additional grip for opening the packaging. Because the cut 19 already takes place upstream of the sealing station, the separation of the packaging can be made by simple straight cuts and the contour of the packaging trough and the contour of the upper material web of a packaging can be different. In particular, the contour of the upper material web can be larger than the contour of the packaging trough, providing engagement surfaces for easier opening of the packaging.

(8) A gassing or degassing opening in the lower material web 8, which serves to change the atmosphere in the resulting packaging, is not a contour cut 19 in the sense of the present invention.

(9) FIGS. 3 and 4 show the punching means 10, which consist of a knife 25 and a counter knife 23, in this case a counter plate. The knife 25 and the counter plate 23 interact in a cutting and/or squeezing manner and thereby sever the lower material web 8. In the present case, the knife 25 is connected to the lower tool 4 of the forming station and the counter knife 23 is connected to the upper tool 3 of the forming station. When producing a format consisting of several packagings, at least one punch 10 is provided for each packaging to be produced. The knife 25 or the counter knife 23 can be interchangeably connected to the respective tool 3, 4, here by means of the screws 20, 21. The knife 25 is driven by the vertical movement of the tool 4. The position of the knife 25 and/or the counter knife 23 with respect to the clamping plane is preferably adjustable, in particular individually adjustable for each packaging to be produced. For this purpose, the knife 25 preferably has a knife holder 26. The counter knife is displaceably mounted on the tool 3, in particular vertically displaceably. The vertical displacement takes place in particular by the knife 25 during and/or after the material web 8 has been severed. In order to build up a certain cutting pressure before or during cutting, the counter knife, on the side opposite the knife, has spring means 22, for example, an elastic plate, in particular a silicone or rubber plate, which compresses elastically during the vertical movement of the counter knife. Alternatively, the spring means 22 are designed as a gas cushion or oil cushion, for example.

(10) In the area of the clamping plane 30, here on the lower tool 3, which serves as a mold for forming the packaging troughs, a seal 24 is provided, which preferably extends around the entire circumference of each punch 10. Preferably, the seal is elastically compressed when the two tools 3, 4 are moved together. The seal 24 facilitates the vacuum build-up in the tool 3 for forming, in this case deep drawing, the packaging trough 6 and, if applicable, supports the clamping of the film.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

(11) 1 Packaging machine 2 Forming station, deep drawing station 3 Upper tool of the forming station, upper tool of the deep drawing station 4 Lower tool of the forming station, upper tool of the deep drawing station 5 Lifting table, carrier of a tool of the sealing station, deep drawing station and/or cutting device 6 Carrier of the material to be packaged, packaging trough, lower tray, tray 7 Filling station, inserting station 8 Material web, lower material web 9 Lifting device 10 Punching means 11 Lower tool of the sealing station 12 Upper tool of the sealing station 13 Separated section, corner 14 Upper material web, cover material web 15 Sealing station 16 Material to be packaged 17 Longitudinal cutter 18 Transverse cutter 19 Contour cut, partial contour cut, preferably by means of the punch 10 20 Fastening, screw, adjusting screw, adjusting means 21 Fastening, screw, adjusting screw, adjusting means 22 Spring means, elastic plate, silicone cushion, elastic adjusting means 23 Counter knife, counter plate 24 Seal 25 Knife 26 Holder for cutting line, knife holder 27 Sealing seam, sealing seam area 28 Opening aid, for example, peel corner 29 Contour of the packaging 30 Clamping plane 31 Flange