DE20206253U1 - Fill and seal packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

Hugo Beck GmbH & Co. KG April 19, 2002

Packaging Machinery Engineering _K/ ..

72581 Dettingen

560/23

Flow pack packaging machine Description

The present invention relates to a tubular bag packaging machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such tubular bag packaging machines are well known and are often also designed as side-welding packaging machines, in which the goods to be packaged are welded on the open long side after they have been introduced into the film tube fed transversely to the transport direction. This is usually followed by cross-welding and separation of the individual packaging bags with the goods inside. These side-welding packaging machines have generally proven themselves and allow various goods to be packaged well over a relatively short transport route at sufficient speed. The disadvantage of side-welding packaging machines is that, due to their design, a film strip is created during the side-welding process and must be carried along and disposed of.

On the other hand, it is also known to pack goods by folding the packaging film on both sides and connecting it on the top side and then separating it by means of a cross-weld.

The packaging film is fed to the packaged goods from below as a single-layer web and both sides are folded over. However, this sometimes requires a longer transport route in the area of the packaging machines.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of proposing a tubular bag packaging machine which can be easily converted from a side-welding packaging machine to a packaging machine with welding or gluing of the packaging film to the top of the packaged goods.

According to the invention, devices for folding and fixing the lower film onto the upper, narrower film of an asymmetrically fed film tube are arranged downstream of the side forming shoulder in the transport direction and directly adjacent to the latter.

The packaging machine corresponds in its basic principle and structure to a side-welding packaging machine, whereby instead of the side-welding device, the devices for folding and fixing the film are arranged on the top of the packaged goods. These can be easily removed and replaced by a side-welding device. The film tube is fed asymmetrically, i.e. the lower film of the film tube is wider than the upper film. This can be achieved simply by placing the film roll carrying the single film slightly offset to the side relative to the film folding device, usually a folding triangle for forming the film tube, i.e. asymmetrically to the folding triangle. Depending on the asymmetry, the films can overlap from close to the edge of the product to the middle.

According to a preferred embodiment, in the area of the transport track in which the devices for folding and fixing are located, a side welding device is arranged as an alternative closing device at the side of the transport track, the distance of which from the transport track

is changeable, and which is in an inactive position when the devices for folding and securing are installed and an active position when the devices for folding and securing are removed. The tubular bag packaging machine according to the invention allows the simultaneous presence of a side sealing device and a closing device for closing the packaged goods on the top, whereby the side sealing device is inactive in this case. If the tubular bag packaging machine is to work as a side sealing packaging machine for a different packaged goods, the devices for folding and securing can be easily removed and the side sealing device moved into its position. In addition, the film drum must be brought symmetrically to the folding device for the film tube. All of this can be achieved in just a few simple steps, so that two packaging principles are basically contained in one machine and the packaging machine can be easily converted.

The sealing device on the top can either be a welding device or a device with glue application. A double-sided adhesive tape can also be inserted between the upper and lower film.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the devices for folding and fixing comprise a first film guide device directly after the side forming shoulder and then a second film guide device and a closure device that cooperate with the film guide device. The first film guide device serves to guide the film edge of the lower, wider film upwards over the upper film as it runs into the overlapping end position and to keep it taut. The second film guide device guides the folded lower film located over the upper film and ensures with its guide rollers that the film is not pulled away from the opposite side. This is followed by the connection of the lower folded lower film lying on the upper film with

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the upper film. This can be done either by a thermal welding device arranged in this area or by gluing, whereby the glue is applied to the top of the upper film before the lower film is guided onto the upper film by the first film guide device.

Basically, there are various measures familiar to the expert for folding the lower, wider film over the upper, narrower film in an overlapping manner. Surprisingly, however, it was found that this measure enables the packaging of the goods to be packaged to be successfully and safely achieved in a short way by folding the lower film over, without an additional longer transport route having to be provided. This means that it is not necessary to make the packaging machine that uses such a device longer in the transport direction than a conventional side-welding packaging machine.

To ensure that the welding can be changed quickly, the first film guide device forms a first structural unit and the second film guide device together with the closure device forms a second structural unit. Both structural units can be removed from the transport track using quick-release connecting elements, for example simple screw connections. For this purpose, these structural units are attached to the machine frame or other machine parts, depending on the design of the machine. According to a preferred embodiment, the first guide device has a guide rod with guide rollers arranged longitudinally and running from the edge of the lower film over the packaged goods, rising slightly in the transport direction, with the lower film running between the guide rod and the guide rollers. When the film is transported, the lower, wider film is guided over the guide rod and held taut by the guide rollers running on it, which are slightly inclined to the running direction of the film in this area.

According to the invention, the film tube is fed with the upper and lower films folded asymmetrically and, in the transport direction after the side forming shoulder, the lower, wider film of the film tube is placed on the upper film and fixed to it. This takes place over a distance that is no longer than with a conventional side-welding packaging machine. Thanks to the structural design, a side-welding packaging machine can be easily converted into a packaging machine in which the packaging bag is packaged by placing the side film edges on top of each other on the top of the packaged goods. A film tube is fed into the packaging machine each time, in one case it is a film half-tube and in the other case an asymmetrically shaped film tube.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying schematic drawings. They show:

Figure 1 shows a basic representation of the film guide and the

packaged goods in plan view; and 20

Figure 2 a perspective view of the packaging machine

with a side welding device and a device for applying and fixing the asymmetrically folded film half-tube.
25

Figure 1 shows the basic representation of the film tube packaging machine with a film roll 1, which is arranged asymmetrically to the folding device 2 in the form of a folding triangle familiar to the expert. The film 3 unwound from the film roll 1 is folded in the folding device 2 in such a way that a film tube 4 with a folding edge 5 is created, which comprises a narrower upper film 6 and a wider lower film 7. This film tube 4 is fed in the usual way to a

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Side forming shoulder 8 and there deflected by 90° in the transport direction of the packaging item 9. In the manner known from side-welding packaging machines, the packaging item 9 is introduced into the film tube 4 in the area of the forming shoulder and conveyed further together with the film tube on a transport track 10.

Following the side forming shoulder 8 there is a first guide device 11 which transports the side edge of the lower, wider film 7 and keeps the film taut. For this purpose the first guide device has a guide rod 12 and transport rollers 13. The lower film 7 then runs over a second guide device 14 with two further guide rollers 15 which press and clamp the lower film 7 against a guide plate 26 and are arranged in such a way that they prevent the film from being pulled away from the opposite side. After the two guide rollers 15 the lower film 7 runs into its final position which overlaps the upper film 6 and rests on it. When setting up the machine the lower film 7 is brought into this position by hand and clamped. During the packaging process the film then runs along the specified path. A thermal welding device (not shown) can then be provided in area 16. However, hot glue can just as easily be applied beforehand or a strip with double-sided adhesive can be run in. This takes place in area 17 in front of the second guide device.

This can be followed in the usual way by a cross-cutting device 31, which is conventionally designed and is not the subject of the present invention.

In the area of the transport path in which a closure device (area 16 or 17) is to be arranged and the second guide device 14 is located, a side welding device 18 is arranged laterally in this embodiment, the distance of which from the transport path 10 can be varied. In the embodiment, the side welding device 18 is provided with

Guide rods 30 are arranged in an inactive position, since the first guide device 11 ends in the area in which the side welding device 18 would have to be arranged if it were to actively carry out a welding process. The figure therefore only shows that in the packaging machine according to the invention it is not necessary to remove the side welding device 18, but it is sufficient to move it sideways. This makes the conversion from a side welding packaging machine to a packaging machine with welding on the top of the packaged goods much easier, since only the components required for this need to be removed or attached.

The attachment of the first guide device 11 and the second guide device 14 with a closure device is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The special feature here is that the first guide device 11 forms a first structural unit 20 and the second guide device 14 together with the closure device forms a second structural unit 21, which can be released by a simple screw connection 19. For the conversion, only the positioning of the side welding device 18 and the film roll 1 is then required.

Figure 2 shows, in another view, the arrangement of the guide rod 12 for the lower film 7 with the guide rollers 13, which are inclined to the running direction of the lower film 7 in this area. The lower film 7 runs over the guide rod 12, with the film edge 29 being guided ever further in the direction of the lower film 6. Figure 2 shows a schematic of the structure and attachment of the structural units 20 and 21. It shows the structural unit 20 with the first guide device 11, which comprises the guide rod 12 and the guide rollers 13. These are attached to a square profile 22, which in turn is fixed to a holder 24 via an angle piece 23 by means of screw connections 19. The entire structural unit 20 can be removed by loosening these screw connections.

The structural unit 21 consists of the second guide device 14 with the guide rollers 15 and a closure device. The second guide device 14 also comprises a guide plate 26 which has a recess 27 through which the upper film 6 is guided. The guide plate 26 acts as a counterpart to the guide rollers 15 in the area in which the upper film 6 runs over the guide plate 26. The guide plate 26 is attached to a support arm 32 which, in the exemplary embodiment, is attached to the subsequent cross strut 28 of a subsequent press belt (not shown in more detail) downstream in the transport direction. A corresponding closure device (not shown) mentioned above is also attached to the support arm 32. The support arm 32 can also be quickly released via screw connections 25, so that the second structural unit 21, like the first structural unit 20, can be quickly removed or attached.

Claims (5)

1. Tubular bag packaging machine with a film feed for a film tube transverse to the transport path of the packaged goods, a side forming shoulder for the film tube and a closing device arranged after the introduction of the packaged goods into the film tube in the area of the forming shoulder in the transport direction for closing the film tube in the longitudinal direction, characterized in that in the transport direction after the side forming shoulder ( 8 ) directly adjacent to this devices ( 11 to 17 ) for folding and fixing the lower wider film ( 7 ) on the upper narrower film ( 6 ) of an asymmetrically fed film tube ( 4 ) are arranged. 2. Packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that in the region of the transport path in which the devices ( 11 to 17 ) for folding and fixing are located, a side welding device ( 18 ) is arranged to the side of the transport path ( 10 ) as an alternative closing device, the distance of which from the transport path ( 10 ) is variable, and is in an inactive position when the devices ( 11 to 17 ) for folding and fixing are installed and an active position when the devices ( 11 to 17 ) for folding and fixing are removed. 3. Packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the devices ( 11 to 17 ) for folding and fixing comprise a first film guide device ( 11 ) directly after the side forming shoulder ( 8 ) and subsequently cooperating with the film guide device ( 11 ), a second film guide device ( 14 ) and a closure device ( 16 , 17 ). 4. Packaging machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the first film guide device ( 11 ) forms a first structural unit ( 20 ) and the second film guide device ( 14 ) together with the closure device ( 16 , 17 ) forms a second structural unit ( 21 ) which can be removed from the transport track ( 10 ) by means of quick-release connecting elements ( 19 ). 5. Packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the first guide device ( 11 ) has a guide rod ( 12 ) with guide rollers ( 13 ) arranged in the longitudinal direction and running from the edge of the lower film ( 7 ) over the packaged goods ( 9 ), rising slightly in the transport direction, wherein the lower film ( 7 ) runs between the guide rod ( 12 ) and the guide rollers ( 13 ).