METHOD OF PRODUCING A PACKAGE

The invention relates to a method of producing a reclosable package with a reinforced package edge, the package comprising a bottom film, a cover film and a frame.

Identical components are designated by identical a reference numerals throughout the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows, in an exploded view, a package1comprising a bottom film/foil3formed into a trough2in which a product4, for example, a cheese block, is packed. The bottom film3has disposed thereon a circumferentially extending frame5with an opening6and, on top of said frame and opening, a cover film7, said components being sealed to one another in a gastight manner along a sealing seam8. The bottom film3and the cover film7can be made of a soft film, whereas the frame5can be made of a hard film so as to impart sufficient mechanical stability to the edge9of the package.

FIG. 1ashows the package1during opening by pulling the cover film7off the frame5. The connection between the cover film7and the frame5is here peelable, i.e., it can be pulled off, but may also be gastight.

When the cover film7has been pulled off the frame5to a very large extent, the frame5can, due to the largely complementary opening6of the frame and of the trough2and due to the fact that the bottom film3is configured as a soft film, expose product4through downward displacement along the product4, as shown inFIG. 1b.Subsequently, the product4can easily be removed or handled. For example, cheese can be removed from a cheese block by means of a scraper.

FIG. 1cshows the package1prior to reclosing the cover film7with the frame5, after the frame5has been raised. The connection, i.e., the sealing seam8between the cover film7and the frame5, is here adhesive so that the cover film7can be attached to the frame5to prevent the product from drying out, when it is, for example, kept in a refrigerator. This can be accomplished easily and ergonomically by using a hard film for the frame5so as to impart the necessary stability to the edge of the package and consequently to the sealing seam8, so that an approximately planar surface is provided.

On the thermoform packaging machine12shown inFIG. 2, a bottom film3is unwound from a film roll13. In a forming station15, the bottom film3can be thermoformed sectionwise into troughs2. In a downstream filling station16the troughs2are filled with a product4.

Frames5are unwound from a film roll17and supplied to a sealing station18. In said sealing station18, the frames5are sealed onto the bottom film3, each trough2of the bottom film3having associated therewith a frame5. The sealing may here be a continuous gastight sealing seam8(not shown) or the frame5may be fixed to the bottom film3only by means of a plurality of sealing points.

In a further sealing station19located downstream of said first sealing station18, when seen in the direction of production R, the cover film7is supplied and sealed onto the frame5along the sealing seam8so as to faun a gastight sealed package1. Sealing takes place in the manner known under the influence of heat and pressure onto the sealing seam8.

Downstream of the additional sealing station19, a cross cutting unit20and a longitudinal cutting unit21can be provided for separating the product packages1from the bottom film composite3. The singulated packages1may be transferred onto a discharge belt22on which they are conveyed out of the thermoform packaging machine12.

Optionally, a punching device24may be provided, which is arranged upstream of the sealing station18, when seen in the direction of production R, for punching openings6into a webshaped film web, preferably a hard film, so as to produce frames5.

FIG. 3shows an alternative thermoform packaging machine14in which, other than in the case of the thermoform packaging machine12according toFIG. 2, the cover film7is supplied together with the frames5to the sealing station19where it is, together with the bottom film3, subjected to sealing so as to form a gastight package1. Like inFIG. 2, the frames5are configured as a webshaped film material, made preferably of a hard film, in the form of a kind of film grid with openings6.

Also in the case of the alternative machine14according toFIG. 3, a punching device24may optionally be provided, which is arranged upstream of the sealing station18, when seen in the direction of production R, for punching openings6into a webshaped film web, preferably a hard film, so as to produce frames5.

According to an alternative embodiment, individual frames5produced, for example, by injection molding are placed into the sealing tool lower part23(cf.FIG. 3) by means of robots, which are not shown, and are subjected to sealing together with the bottom film3and the cover film7. According to this embodiment, a supply of frames5, as shown inFIG. 3, does not take place. The frames5are, however, not sealed in position between the bottom film3and the cover film7, but the frames5are sealed onto the bottom film3from below and the cover film7is then sealed onto the bottom film3.