Method and machine for packaging articles.

The foregoing invention berifft a method and a machine for packaging articles, using the so-called "flow pack" technique.

There is already such a packaging machine has become known in the products, such as confectionery products, bakery products but also technical products which have a stable, defined shape on a conveyor belt to kontinuiertlich^Gbe efuehrt. The conveyor belt has for this purpose on suitable projections or ribs for supplying the products. Subsequently, the products supplied by a film, preferably a plastic film wrapped, wherein the packaging film is placed on top of the products, followed down to the product and a closing of zusammengefuegten Verpackungsraender by welding the same is led. The welding process is carried out in the known machine using welding rollers, 'located below the feed plane to be packaged products. Following this, the packaging tube produced is divided into individual packages by the same time a welding at the beginning and end of the packaging material, which is placed huellenartig to the product, whereby individual packages are produced, which are commonly referred to as "flow pack" packagings.

The known packaging machines of this type have proved successful for the packaging not too sensitive products, ie for the packaging of products, while experiencing no any scratching of feed movement by movement through the transport layer from the above feed means.

Due to a mechanical stress, which is transmitted by way of the feed devices on particularly sensitive and fragile products. and due to the rubbing action that occurs between the horizontally arranged feed plane and the product to be packaged, it is not possible fragile and sensitive to mechanical stress products such as fruits and vegetables, packaged as tomatoes, peppers and pears, since the sensitive surface of these products would be damaged and would inevitably lead to an impairment and any scratching of Ezeugnisses.

In the known machines, it is also not possible to package products with a specific, gleichmaessigen shape, eg carrots, cucumbers, zucchini or because those products do not can their specific packaging arrangement during the feed movement in the machine maintained. Further, it is not possible, in the known packaging machines in addition to the aforementioned products also loose or piled products, such as small vegetables or fruits such as cherries or plums, pack. It is still not possible to pack loose flowers or flower arrangements with the known machines of this type, since these products are not, are vorwaerts moved using sliders which protrude from the plane of advance of the machine, since the extremly sensitive parts of these products, due to the friction which is established between the product and the support and sliding of the packaging machine, to get ruined.

In the known machines of this type also carried out the welding at the beginning and at the end of the wrapped around the products Verpackungsfol IE always between two Transportbaendern arranged on mutual distance, and for this reason it is obvious that the packaging loose or smaller, irregular products with these known devices is not possible because of themselves constantly vorwaertsbewegende packaging tube would have the tendency, in the gap between the two in spaced Transportbaendern in which the welding device is provided to penetrate what would lead to disturbances and frequent interruptions.

In order to create the possibility, also pack the above products with irregular shape or in a loose accumulation in the conventional packaging machines of the aforementioned type to be able, for the most part carried out a prepackaged these products by hand, using appropriate trays or Aufnahmebehaeltern that in cardboard or polystyrene are prepared. The need vorzuverpacken such products, by hand, and the need to provide appropriate documentation and shipping container, beats detrimental to the packaging costs low, so that the sale price of the packaged product increases.

The object of the above invention is to propose a new method and a new machine, with using the so-called "flow pack" technique also sensitive products, products with irregular shape, as well as small products or loosely aggregated products in a safe and fast way , are automatically packed can, without the product thereby mechanically stressed or even because of direct contact with the conveyor or by a frictional movement opposite the transport plane, could be damaged.

The inventive object is solved by a method which thereby is characterized that occurs peeling the wrap film from the supply roll in a plane which is located over the transport plane of the machine that the packaging film by welding the parallel zusammengefuegten empty margins of the film after the supply roll zusammengefuegt and that is made in an intermediate support path of the film on a conveyor belt, with the same speed at which the wrapping film is withdrawn from the supply roll depositing the product to be packaged products to the packaging film.

This process is achieved in about surprisingly and advantageously, that the packaging film of his departure point on the supply reel to the welding device, a gradual deformation of a horizontal plane (pick roller) learns in a rohrfoermige Case, said parallel adjacent empty margins of the packaging film in the welding device can be connected and that the packaging film between the horizontal take-off roll and the welding unit, lie in the form of a gradually becoming preformed pipe on the conveyor belt that moves at the same speed as the packaging film. In the edition of the packaging film agestrecke on the conveyor belt is carried out in an advantageous manner, the depositing of the products to be packaged; this is done without mechanical stress due to lack of relative motion between the product and the feed plane. Immediately after placing the product to be packaged products on the packaging film and the feed plane of the conveyor belt to be packaged products are definitely in place through the packaging material, which is already zusammengefuegt in the welding device with its parallel edges and a locking angle or Umhuellungszwickel between the product and the packaging film forms, stabilized.

The apparatus for performing the inventive method is characterized by the provision of a recording device for a packaging material coil, which is associated with a horizontal and in the height adjustable disposed off roll, which is provided by the feed plane of the machine, that on the feed plane runs a continuous Trasportband, and an adjustable in their position welding unit is disposed above the conveyor belt. With such a device designed allowing the take-off roll of the packaging film in the height is adjustable and that correspondingly adjusting the welding device is possible that the packaging film from a straight, arranged in a horizontal plane position, with the two parallel edges of the packaging film to the maximum distance (horizontal draw-off roller), gradually decreases due to the mutual approaching of the parallel edges of the packaging film, down, is supported on the conveyor belt of the feed plane of the machine, and subsequently present in the manner of an already preformed Verpackungshuelle, and neither wrinkles nor irregularities are caused in the packaging film and following this Auflagezoone immediately lock bracket (triangular closure gusset) between the parallel edges forms that are joined in the welding unit. This inside the increasingly deformed to a closed Case packaging film carried a Zusammenfuegen and stabilize the product to be packaged products, particularly in the case of irregularly shaped products.

Further advantages and features of the invention may be of the following description, the Unteranspruechen, as well as the drawings are entnommmen.

The subject invention will now be described in more detail and schematically illustrated by way of Ausfuehrungsbeispieles in the accompanying drawings.

Show it:<ul><li>FIG. 1 schematically shows the inventive packaging machine in view;</li><li>FIG. 2 shows the machine of Figure 1 in plan view.</li><li>Fig. 3a and 3b schematically in plan view and partially in cross-section, the drop zone to be packaged products;</li><li>Fig. 4a and 4b in a top view, and partially in cross-section, the beginning of the wrapping, and the beginning of the formation of the so-called shutter angle (gusset);</li><li>Figures 5a and 5b schematically in plan view, partly in cross-section the finished packaged product, together with the packaging film in the welding device.</li><li>Figure 6 is an adjustable guide and tensioning device for the packaging film, which is provided in front of the welding unit. and</li><li>Fig. 7 shows the device according to Fig. 6 in plan view.</li></ul>

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the packaging machine 1 of a base frame having a horizontal Supporting table 3, which extends over the entire length of the machine. At the beginning of the horizontal plane holding, guiding and casters 4 are provided which are eg directly driven by a motor or a drive wheel 5 and thus drive the supply roller 6 in the direction of arrow f and ensure that the packaging film 7 at the same speed with which the conveyor belt moves along the horizontal plane 3, is driven.

Immediately after the supply roll 6, the frame 2 of the packaging machine has two vertical Props 9 which receive a guide roller 10, by which the amount deducted from the supply roll 6 packaging film 7 runs. The supports 9 have Langloecher 11 to allow adjustment of the horizontally disposed draw-off roller 10 in the vertical direction.

At a distance from the stock roll 6, the machine frame 2, a welding device, which is designated in its entirety with the 12th

Said welding device has holding supports 13 which can be displaced along a horizontally arranged Fuehrung 14 and along vertically arranged bearings Guideways 155 to can make a setting opposite the machine level. In the holding slide rests 13 welding rollers 15 are rotatably supported, which are motor-driven.

As shown particularly in FIG. 1 it can be seen, it is advantageous that the take-off roll 10 which carries out the packaging film 7, and the welding rollers 15, are arranged approximately at the same height. The set height positions are primarily dependent on the dimensions of the packaged product 29 and inevitably on the width of the packaging film 7, and the dimensions of the Banstrecke in which the bulged portion intended to rest 7a of the film on the conveyor belt 8, the laengs horizontal support plane 3 of the packaging machine 1 runs out.

Advantageously, a known storage device 16 is in the drop zone, in which the packaging film 7a rests on the conveyor belt 8a provided in the direction of the arrow g upwards or downwards which is movable in an advantageous manner. These feed or even dosing is capable of the product to be packaged 29 gently and automatically in the bulged drop zone 7a of the packaging film 7, which rests on the driven conveyor belt 8 to store.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1 can be seen, does not have the conveyor belt 8 no interruptions, even in the vicinity of the splitter on.

Formed as a cutting and welding device partitioner 17 consists of a double arm which is pivotable about the point 18, which is provided in the lower part of the machine frame, supported. The swiveling double arm 17 via a yoke traverses the conveyor belt 8 and has a transverse strut or a transversely disposed Schweissbuegel 19 which, for example, via the piston rod of a pneumatic cylinder or similar drive means marked with 20 is operatively connected.

To adjust the double arm 17, taking into account the thickness of the packaged product, the arm 17 in the highest displaced and for this purpose, for example, serves a set screw or a per se known automatic transmission.

Under the conveyor belt 8, the double arms 17 are connected in an advantageous manner by a transverse, rotatably mounted roller 21 during the closing movement of the bracket 19 serves as Gegendruckflaeche to Schweissbuegel 19, ie during the execution of the welding and cutting process at the beginning and at the end of Packaging. During the welding and Aufteilphase follows the double arm 17, the movement of the Foerderbandes 8 in the direction of arrow h. During this movement takes place a slight lifting of the Foerderbandes, as well as to be welded Verpackungshuelle. Taking into account that the radius between the pivot point 18 and the platen roller 21 is very large compared to the swing angle of the double arm 17, it is understandable that the slight lifting of the Foerderbandes 18 by its elasticity is fully compensated. Furthermore 8 pulleys 22 are provided on the lower run of Foerderbandes that can perform a compensating movement in case of need. Following the Foerderband 8 followed by another Foerdereinrichtung 23, which merely has the task of the finished packages to separate 29 and other devices that operate independent of the packaging machine 1 feed.

The FIG. 2 can be seen that in the height of the shutter angle (gusset) may be provided between the Seitenraendern 7b of the packaging film 7, a known folding and Schweissbuegel 24 that by a certain amount in the deformed already a rohrfoermigen Verpäckungshuelle packaging film may occur, thereby enabling that eg using rolls with a horizontal axis (not shown for reasons of clarity), the production of a welding with uebereinandel ying edges is possible. This was in the Verpackungsaschinen berereits known previously not possible since been placed in these facilities of packaging film on top of the product to be packaged 29, and the welding was performed below the horizontal plane of advance of the machine.

The operation of the inventive packaging machine is now following in detail with reference to the schematic representations gemasess 3a - 5b described..

has In Fig. 3a, the product to be packaged 29 is shown in the Auflegestrecke in which the packaging film 7 fully rests on the conveyor belt 8, and the zone in which the formation of the closing angle already (gusset) between the two approximated edges 7 of the packaging film started ,

In the schematic sectional view of FIG. 3b is shown that the packaging film 7 vollflaechig with its bulged Teilstueck rests on the conveyor belt 8 and has that already started in this zone of the amount deducted from the pick roller 10 packaging film 7, by which to huellenfoermig or schlauchfoermig to put packaged product. . During its advancing movement in the direction of arrow (i), as shown in FIG 4a is apparent from the product to be packaged 29 is enveloped by the packaging film 7 and stabilized due to the voltage occurring in the packaging film 7; Here there is a reinforced Huellenbildung the packaging film due to further rapprochement of empty margins 7b of the film that will be the next roll welding unit supplied leads 12th

FIG. 4b can be seen that already carried out in this case, an application of the packaging film to the sides of the packaged article 29 and that present in the packaging film 7 Power already leads to an automatic stabilization of the product to be packaged 29.

The Fig. 5a can be taken that the product 29 through the packaging film 7 is already completely umhuell, the empty margins 7b of the packaging film are zusammengefuegt completely tight operatively connected by the rollers 15 of the welding unit.

By the pivotally mounted bracket 19 is done in the closure station a welding at the beginning and at the end of the packaged product, as well as a division into individual packages. While in Figures 3a - 5b was merely a packaging and closing process by directly connecting the empty margins 7b of the packaging film 7 t, the inventive machine is also 7b advantageously for producing overlapped welds the zusammengefuegten empty margins. For this purpose it is only necessary that in the Zusammenfuegezone the edges of a Gegendruckbuegel 24 is provided, which is introduced to the interior of the huellenfoermigen packing 7 and with an already known welding and folding means, which is disposed above the Gegendruckbuegel 24, cooperates.

With particular advantage of Level 3 of the packaging machine 1 sensing devices and measuring devices 30 and 31 (photocells, breakers and similar devices) are laengs provided with which it is possible to be packed of the beginning and the end of the packaged product 29 and the end product to detect or measure 29th This sample and measuring devices 39 and 31 can over do an appropiate electric or electronic control circuit, the z. B. is equipted with Mikroprosessoren, festellen the length of the packaged product 29, process this value and send 8 control pulses in dependence on the feed rate of the feeding belt to the welding and dividing means 17 - to drive 21 accordingly and durchzufuehren the welding and severing the packaging film 7 at the beginning and at the end of the article. This fact emoeglicht to also pack products with different length.

In the case of products with a constant length, is the possibility, with the aid of a switch as is expected number on the control panel of the machine to switch off the automatic switch 30 to make 31, whereby the welding and splitter (17th - 21) with a constant partial step is driven.

Further, as the figures refer 6 and 7, a holding device is at the front of the welding unit, which is generally indicated with 12, 50 provided which has two horizontally arranged parallel support rods 51 and 52 takes up. The rods 51 and 52 are inserted into recesses of the holder 5 and, according to Let's remove a corresponding locking screw 53, which rods can be adjusted in position to be subsequently tightened again.

Each rod 51, 52 has at the front on a blind hole 54, 55 and 56 receives the tapered end of another rod. The rods 55, 56 are in the direction of arrow (a) adjusted to can make a setting of rod 55 or 56, with a corresponding adjustment screw 57, with a tightening is possible, is provided.

I n a slot which is incorporated in the front ends of the rods 55, 56, a pivot lever 59 and 60 mounted by means of a horizontally disposed cross bolt 58, which terminates at its upper end in a handle 61 or 62 and at its lower end having guiding and guide rollers 63, 64th

By pressing the handles 61, 62, can the levers 59, 60 and therefore the guide rollers 63, 64 in the direction of the arrow (s) to be pivoted. At the bottom of the rods 51, 52 also has a flat cut-out is 65 or 66 is provided, and in this cut-out an appropriate receiving plate 67 or 68 used, which can be pivoted about a fixing screw 69th Each plate 67, 68 assumes its lower rotatable Fuehrungsrollen 70, 71, 72, 73 with a vertical axis of rotation and, by pivoting the respective plate 67, 68, can the rollers in the direction of arrow (o) are pivoted.

With the apparatus shown in Figures 6 and 7, the inclination angle of the roller 63, 64 in the direction of arrows (n) can be changed opposite the vertical, and thus the edges of the packaging film B an upward component of movement and a descending movement component will be imparted.

A further division can be obtained by pivoting of the rods 55, 56 carried about its horizontal axis and finally, through a pivoting of the roller groups 70, 71 and 72, 73 about the vertical axis in the direction of arrow (o), it is made possible, a larger or to carry over smaller voltage on the empty margins of the packaging film, whereby a further adjustment is given, which can be further 52 tapestry complete about the horizontal axis by a pivoting movement of the rods 51; this the set screw 53 is solved.

By providing this adjustment means provided in front of the welding rollers 51, can be acted on the empty margins of the packaging film P, and these can be accurately set up by the welding rollers 15 in their position, further according to the material properties or the state of deformation of the packaging film P, for example, in case of corrugated or crumpled empty margins can be effected a balancing classification, thereby obtained that the empty margins of the packaging film are fed in the desired position accurately with straight edges of the welding unit and especially the welding rollers 15th