EP0991572B1 - Packaging process for stand up containers - Google Patents

Packaging process for stand up containers Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0991572B1
EP0991572B1 EP98908237A EP98908237A EP0991572B1 EP 0991572 B1 EP0991572 B1 EP 0991572B1 EP 98908237 A EP98908237 A EP 98908237A EP 98908237 A EP98908237 A EP 98908237A EP 0991572 B1 EP0991572 B1 EP 0991572B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sleeve
feeding pipe
inlet
longitudinal
seams
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98908237A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0991572A1 (en
Inventor
Gino Rapparini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0991572A1 publication Critical patent/EP0991572A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0991572B1 publication Critical patent/EP0991572B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B65/00—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
    • B65B65/003—Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
    • B65B65/006—Multiple parallel packaging lines
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
    • B65B9/12—Subdividing filled tubes to form two or more packages by sealing or securing involving displacement of contents

Definitions

  • the present invention is related to the technical field of packaging processes for stand up containers made out of continuous tapes of flexible material.
  • kinematisms must also operate the mouth opening devices for the filling of the containers.
  • All these kinematisms must be adjust for the production change from a format to the other.
  • the horizontal machines present the problem of having a really short time available for the phase of intermittent dosing, thus limiting the system speed or demanding -this way raising costs and complexity- the employment of a bigger number of dosing devices.
  • foam productions represents a further problem.
  • the filling process of these plants is not aseptic because it is performed in touch with the surrounding atmosphere.
  • Vertical plants come in two different categories. In the first category the bags follow one another superposed, with the sides standing vertical. In the second category, instead, the bags follow one another with the sides laid horizontal.
  • the tape is wrapped around a forming vertical pipe through which the bags filling is performed.
  • the bags as described in these two patents especially in case of packaging of liquid substance, present considerable geometric flaws and an overall aesthetic quality worse than the one achieved in the packages obtained in the previously described horizontal plants. These flaws are due to the deformation that are produced during the filling process.
  • the problem underlying to the present invention is to allow to obtain geometrically regular and aesthetically good packages by means of a simple, economic and not so cumbersome packaging process which packages can be equipped with opening, dosing, closing and basically any other handling systems, easily insertable in the packaging process.
  • a process to package stand-up containers by making upon the gusseted side of a sleeve moving downward in a vertical direction a sequence of contiguous longitudinal seams and two correspondent sets of transversal equally distant seams on opposite sides of the sleeve aligned to each other, and keeping the two sets of correspondent seams at a distance that allows a central passage for the feeding pipe, characterized by that first only the transversal seam parts and the longitudinal seam opposite to a lateral inlet of the feeding pipe are formed during first steps above said inlet and only in next steps the transversal seam parts and the longitudinal seams on the side of the inlet of the feeding pipe below said inlet, and the feeding pipe has a bend within the sleeve to a downward direction from the inlet of the feeding pipe laterally protruding into the sleeve, and finally the sealing of the central passage by joining transversal seam parts is made in presence of liquid.
  • a positioning mechanism for positioning subsidiary devices remains at all times inserted within the folded sleeve, thus keeping always open the longitudinal edges, and that said positioning mechanism moves inwards to allow, during the making of the longitudinal sealing, the fixing of the subsidiary device upon the sleeve while said subsidiary device is being kept in place by a prehensile equipment.
  • Figure 1 represents schematically the unwinding of a continuous tape and its folding in correspondence of the area that will constitute the bottom of the container.
  • Figure 2 represents the section of the folded tape.
  • Figure 3 represents part of the continuous open sleeve obtained out of the folded tape, being said sleeve transformed through a set of combined sealings into a sequence of sections that will constitute the containers.
  • Figure 4 shows a filling device (7), inserted in the still open sleeve before the longitudinal (8) and transversal sealings (5') are made. On the upper side of the section (9) it can be observed the presence of a passage (11) to allow the introduction of the product in the already preformed and defined stand up container.
  • Figure 5 shows a section with the lower side already closed and with the product on the inside of it. It can be noticed that the sealing (5') is correspondent to the sealing (5) and the passage (11) results of smaller dimensions.
  • Figure 6 shows a container sealed and removed from the sleeve.
  • Figure 7 shows the sealing phase (12) of the passage (11). It is worth to point out the simplicity of this operation, that occurs between uniform thicknesses of flexible materials.
  • Figure 8 represents a variation that entails several sealings (16), performed in correspondence of the folding of the continuous sleeve, to preform the bottom of the containers.
  • Figure 9 represents schematically the unwinding of a continuous ribbon and its folding in correspondence of the zones that will constitute the bottom of the two opposite containers.
  • Figure 10 is the section of the folded ribbon as showed in figure 9.
  • Figure 11 shows a plurality of foldings (a soffietto) performed on a single tape of flexible material. It can be noticed that the packaging process as here described can be applied to each single sleeve (2).
  • Figure 12 shows the simplicity of application of subsidiary devices (15) to the package. It can be observed, in fact, that the application occurs in correspondence of the edges (3) of the open sleeve (2), before the longitudinal sealing (8) is made, this allowing the permanent presence of positioning device (14) inside the sleeve.
  • Figure 13 shows a tape roll of flexible material already set for the packaging of stand up containers, with the characteristics as highlighted in figure 3. In the figures of the drawings each single detail is marked with the following numbering. 1 is the tape of flexible material.
  • 2 is the continuous sleeve obtained folding the tape of flexible material.
  • 3 indicates the edges of the ribbon before the longitudinal sealing is made.
  • 4 is the folding resulting from the folding that will constitute the bottom of the stand up containers.
  • 5 indicates a sequence of scalings performed on the sleeve in the folding area. 5' indicates corresponding sealings performed in the zone opposite to the folding. 6 indicates some combined sealings that preform the bottom of the stand up containers.
  • 7 represents the filling device inserted in an open sleeve, before the longitudinal sealing is made.
  • 8 indicates the longitudinal sealing of the sleeve.
  • 9 indicates the sections that all together compose the sleeve.
  • 10 indicates the product to be packaged.
  • 11 indicates the passage made on the upper side of the section.
  • 12 indicates the sealing of the passage (11) on the upper side of the section. 12' indicates the sealing on the lower side of the container. 12" indicates the sealing of the upper side of the container. 13 indicates a packaged container. 14 indicates a device put inside the container for the positioning of subsidiary devices. 15 indicates a subsidiary delivery device. 16 indicates different sealing that preform the bottom of the stand up containers.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
  • Container Filling Or Packaging Operations (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
  • Making Paper Articles (AREA)
  • Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)

Abstract

Process to package stand up containers characterized by the fact that a sleeve (2), obtained by a folding (a soffietto) (4) of a flexible tape (1), is split, through a sequence of combined sealings (5, 6) in a set of sections (9) ready for the filling, the latter being performed, through an upper passage (11), by means of a feeling device (7) inserted inside the sleeve before the longitudinal sealing is made (8).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is related to the technical field of packaging processes for stand up containers made out of continuous tapes of flexible material.
STATE OF THE ART
From the previous patent literature the following documents may be regarded as relevant: FR1349272, FR1452880, EP0041924, EP0334242, EP0541821, EP0661208, WO95/04650, WO95/09771, WO97/15497. The just mentioned publications feature several different packaging processes with flexible tape laid out both horizontally and vertically. The horizontal ones fold the flexible tape, thus shaping the bottom, and make transversal sealings obtaining alongside tied containers, and then they fill them through the upward open mouth. Said horizontal plants are complicated and cumbersome, and present hassles both for the running of the containers and for their filling as well. They also require sophisticated alternate translation kinematisms in order to sustain and run a plurality of aligned containers. Said kinematisms must also operate the mouth opening devices for the filling of the containers. One may notice that all these kinematisms must be adjust for the production change from a format to the other. The horizontal machines present the problem of having a really short time available for the phase of intermittent dosing, thus limiting the system speed or demanding -this way raising costs and complexity- the employment of a bigger number of dosing devices. In case of dosing liquid substance, foam productions represents a further problem. Also the filling process of these plants is not aseptic because it is performed in touch with the surrounding atmosphere.
Vertical plants come in two different categories. In the first category the bags follow one another superposed, with the sides standing vertical. In the second category, instead, the bags follow one another with the sides laid horizontal. In the first category, to obtain a stand up bag complicated devices are needed, in order to make the support bottom flat.
In the second category, in which WO 97/15497 and GB2298850 are included, the tape is wrapped around a forming vertical pipe through which the bags filling is performed. The bags as described in these two patents, especially in case of packaging of liquid substance, present considerable geometric flaws and an overall aesthetic quality worse than the one achieved in the packages obtained in the previously described horizontal plants. These flaws are due to the deformation that are produced during the filling process.
Furthermore from FR-A 2 342 505 there has been known a process to package stand-up containers by making upon the gusseted side of a sleeve a sequence of contiguous longitudinal seams and two correspondent sets of transversal equally distant seams on opposite sides of the sleeve aligned to each other, and keeping the two sets of correspondent seams at a distance that allows a central passage for the feeding pipe in which both sets of transversal seams are formed simultaneously and the feeding pipe between the two sets of transversal seams is led vertically straight-lined from the top into the sleeve. This process has the drawback that it is too complicated and allows the introduction of the feeding pipe only from the top which is disadvantageous. The problem underlying to the present invention is to allow to obtain geometrically regular and aesthetically good packages by means of a simple, economic and not so cumbersome packaging process which packages can be equipped with opening, dosing, closing and basically any other handling systems, easily insertable in the packaging process.
This has been solved by the present invention.
According to the invention there is provided for a process to package stand-up containers by making upon the gusseted side of a sleeve moving downward in a vertical direction a sequence of contiguous longitudinal seams and two correspondent sets of transversal equally distant seams on opposite sides of the sleeve aligned to each other, and keeping the two sets of correspondent seams at a distance that allows a central passage for the feeding pipe, characterized by that first only the transversal seam parts and the longitudinal seam opposite to a lateral inlet of the feeding pipe are formed during first steps above said inlet and only in next steps the transversal seam parts and the longitudinal seams on the side of the inlet of the feeding pipe below said inlet, and the feeding pipe has a bend within the sleeve to a downward direction from the inlet of the feeding pipe laterally protruding into the sleeve, and finally the sealing of the central passage by joining transversal seam parts is made in presence of liquid.
Thereby surprisingly contrary to FR-A 2 342 205 beyond that the assemblage is easier to carry out there is the possibility of introducing the feeding pipe laterally at a place being lower, for example, about in the middle of the long side of the sleeve, whereby the filling path of the product to be filled in is reduced.
Furthermore according to a special embodiment of the invention there is provided a positioning mechanism for positioning subsidiary devices remains at all times inserted within the folded sleeve, thus keeping always open the longitudinal edges, and that said positioning mechanism moves inwards to allow, during the making of the longitudinal sealing, the fixing of the subsidiary device upon the sleeve while said subsidiary device is being kept in place by a prehensile equipment.
DESCRIPTION
The invention is now disclosed with reference to the figures of the attached drawings, as a not limiting example.
Figure 1 represents schematically the unwinding of a continuous tape and its folding in correspondence of the area that will constitute the bottom of the container.
Figure 2 represents the section of the folded tape.
Figure 3 represents part of the continuous open sleeve obtained out of the folded tape, being said sleeve transformed through a set of combined sealings into a sequence of sections that will constitute the containers.
Figure 4 shows a filling device (7), inserted in the still open sleeve before the longitudinal (8) and transversal sealings (5') are made. On the upper side of the section (9) it can be observed the presence of a passage (11) to allow the introduction of the product in the already preformed and defined stand up container.
Figure 5 shows a section with the lower side already closed and with the product on the inside of it. It can be noticed that the sealing (5') is correspondent to the sealing (5) and the passage (11) results of smaller dimensions.
Figure 6 shows a container sealed and removed from the sleeve.
Figure 7 shows the sealing phase (12) of the passage (11). It is worth to point out the simplicity of this operation, that occurs between uniform thicknesses of flexible materials.
Figure 8 represents a variation that entails several sealings (16), performed in correspondence of the folding of the continuous sleeve, to preform the bottom of the containers.
Figure 9 represents schematically the unwinding of a continuous ribbon and its folding in correspondence of the zones that will constitute the bottom of the two opposite containers.
Figure 10 is the section of the folded ribbon as showed in figure 9.
Figure 11 shows a plurality of foldings (a soffietto) performed on a single tape of flexible material. It can be noticed that the packaging process as here described can be applied to each single sleeve (2).
Figure 12 shows the simplicity of application of subsidiary devices (15) to the package. It can be observed, in fact, that the application occurs in correspondence of the edges (3) of the open sleeve (2), before the longitudinal sealing (8) is made, this allowing the permanent presence of positioning device (14) inside the sleeve.
Figure 13 shows a tape roll of flexible material already set for the packaging of stand up containers, with the characteristics as highlighted in figure 3.
In the figures of the drawings each single detail is marked with the following numbering.
1 is the tape of flexible material.
2 is the continuous sleeve obtained folding the tape of flexible material.
3 indicates the edges of the ribbon before the longitudinal sealing is made.
4 is the folding resulting from the folding that will constitute the bottom of the stand up containers.
5 indicates a sequence of scalings performed on the sleeve in the folding area.
5' indicates corresponding sealings performed in the zone opposite to the folding.
6 indicates some combined sealings that preform the bottom of the stand up containers.
7 represents the filling device inserted in an open sleeve, before the longitudinal sealing is made.
8 indicates the longitudinal sealing of the sleeve.
9 indicates the sections that all together compose the sleeve.
10 indicates the product to be packaged.
11 indicates the passage made on the upper side of the section.
12 indicates the sealing of the passage (11) on the upper side of the section.
12' indicates the sealing on the lower side of the container.
12" indicates the sealing of the upper side of the container.
13 indicates a packaged container.
14 indicates a device put inside the container for the positioning of subsidiary devices.
15 indicates a subsidiary delivery device.
16 indicates different sealing that preform the bottom of the stand up containers.
The clearness of the figures highlights the simplicity of realization of the process as described in the present invention. Of course the invention still allows several variations of practical realization as far as the dimensioning and the structural and morphologic proportioning of the containers and the devices employed are concerned.

Claims (2)

  1. Process to package stand-up containers by making upon the guaseted side of a sleeve (2) moving downward in a vertical direction a seguence of contiguous longitudinal seams (6) and two correspondent sets of transversal equally distant seams (5, 5') on opposite sides of the sleeve (2) aligned to each other, and keeping the two sets of correspondent seams (5, 5') at a distance that allows a central passage (11) for the feeding pipe (7), characterized by that first only the transversal seam parts (5) and the longitudinal seam opposite to a lateral inlet of the feeding pipe (7)
    are formed during first steps above said inlet and
    only in next steps the transversal seam parts (5') and the longitudinal seams on the side of the inlet of the feeding pipe (7) below said inlet, and the feeding pipe (7) has a bend within the sleeve (2) to a downward direction from the inlet of the feeding pipe (7) laterally protruding into the sleeve (2), and finally the sealing (12) of the central passage (11) by joining transversal seam parts (5, 5') is made in presence of liquid.
  2. Process to package stand-up containers according to claim 1 characterized by that, a positioning mechanism (14) for positioning subsidiary devices (15) remains at all times inserted within the folded sleeve (2), thus keeping always open the longitudinal edges (3), and that said positioning mechanism (14) moves inwards to allow, during the making of the longitudinal sealing (8), the fixing of the subsidiary device (15) upon the sleeve while said subsidiary device (15) is being kept in place by a prehensile equipment.
EP98908237A 1997-06-27 1998-03-26 Packaging process for stand up containers Expired - Lifetime EP0991572B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT97BO000391A IT1292642B1 (en) 1997-06-27 1997-06-27 STAND-UP CONTAINER PACKAGING PROCESS.
ITBO970391 1997-06-27
PCT/IB1998/000456 WO1999000304A1 (en) 1997-06-27 1998-03-26 Packaging process for stand up containers

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0991572A1 EP0991572A1 (en) 2000-04-12
EP0991572B1 true EP0991572B1 (en) 2002-06-19

Family

ID=11342366

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98908237A Expired - Lifetime EP0991572B1 (en) 1997-06-27 1998-03-26 Packaging process for stand up containers

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0991572B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE219437T1 (en)
AU (1) AU6631598A (en)
DE (1) DE69806158T2 (en)
ES (1) ES2178820T3 (en)
IT (1) IT1292642B1 (en)
WO (1) WO1999000304A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7207153B1 (en) * 1999-12-02 2007-04-24 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Method for attaching fitment at longitudinal fin seal and package resulting therefrom
DE10017479A1 (en) 2000-04-07 2001-10-11 Rovema Gmbh Vertical tubular bag machine and bag produced with it
DE10149476A1 (en) 2001-10-08 2003-04-17 Rovema Gmbh Tubular bag machine for producing edge-welded tubular bags

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2215359B1 (en) * 1973-01-26 1980-03-21 Doyen Leon
DE2553853A1 (en) * 1975-11-29 1977-06-02 Bosch Gmbh Robert Rectangular liq. packaging containers - are formed from continuously replenished liq. column in hose which is welded at cross:seams and cut
DE2608326A1 (en) * 1976-02-28 1977-09-01 Bosch Gmbh Robert METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING STAND-UP POUCH PACKS
US5348525A (en) * 1993-08-09 1994-09-20 Jebco Packaging Systems, Inc. Method of constructing flexible containers with tubular fitments
IT1280255B1 (en) * 1995-10-26 1998-01-05 Ica Spa Soc VERTICAL FORMER TUBE PACKAGING MACHINE.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU6631598A (en) 1999-01-19
ITBO970391A1 (en) 1998-12-27
IT1292642B1 (en) 1999-02-08
DE69806158D1 (en) 2002-07-25
ES2178820T3 (en) 2003-01-01
WO1999000304A1 (en) 1999-01-07
ITBO970391A0 (en) 1997-06-27
EP0991572A1 (en) 2000-04-12
DE69806158T2 (en) 2003-01-23
ATE219437T1 (en) 2002-07-15

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