Abstract:
A forming tool usable with a packaging machine utilizes adhesive bonds rather than weld joints or fasteners to interconnect structural components of the forming tool. Using adhesive rather than weld joints and mechanical fasteners provides smooth interfaces thereby reducing the collection of bacteria, germs and cleaning residue on the surfaces of the forming tool, which is particularly advantageous for forming tools used with packing machines used in sanitary environments, such as for food or pharmaceutical packaging.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a packaging machine, and more particularly to a sanitary construction for various components of a packaging machine. 
         [0002]    Equipment used in sanitary environments, such as in the handling of food products or pharmaceuticals, must frequently be washed down or sanitized for product safety. In such equipment, it is desirable that the construction and assembly details are such as to avoid areas in which particulate material can build up. Accordingly, components or connectors that include recesses, pockets, crevices or the like, such as set screws, socket head cap screws, etc. should be avoided. However, connectors of this type are commonly employed in the construction of such machinery components. In addition, welding of such components is also not desirable because welded joints include pockets or cracks in which particulate matter can become trapped. 
         [0003]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction for certain components of equipment for use in a sanitary environment which does not include the use of undesirable welds, connectors or the like. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a construction in which the various parts of the components are securely and permanently interconnected together. Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a construction which allows components to be assembled together in layers so as to provide internal chambers, recesses or passages which are unobstructed. 
         [0004]    The present invention contemplates a forming tool usable with a packaging machine in which adhesive rather than weld joints or fasteners are used to assemble the components of the forming tool. Using adhesive rather than weld joints and mechanical fasteners provides smooth, crevice-free and pocket-free interfaces between the various components of the forming tool. Such smooth interfaces are less prone to germ and other bacteria collection that can affect the sterility of the packaging machine, which is particularly advantageous for packaging machines used in sanitary environments, such as for food or pharmaceutical packaging. The forming tool is adapted to removably engage a receiver of the packaging machine. This removability allows different forming tools to be mounted to the receiver as packaging needs or conditions change. 
         [0005]    Therefore, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for use with a packaging system includes a base plate adapted to be received by a receiver of the packaging system. A box is coupled to the base plate and has a set of frame members coupled to the base plate. The set of frame members and the base plate define an interior volume accessible from an opening normal to the base plate. The box is coupled to the base plate by a bonding agent. In a further aspect, the bonding agent is a water resistant epoxy. In yet a further aspect, tongue and groove joints together with adhesive are used to connect the frame members to one another. In addition, the base plate may be secured over a vacuum plate. The vacuum plate includes a passage through which vacuum may be supplied from the receiver to the interior of the box, for deforming a web of packaging material into the interior of the box in order to form a product-receiving cavity in the web. The vacuum plate includes an inlet that cooperates with a vacuum supply associated with the receiver. The vacuum plate has a layered construction, in which the layers are bonded together using an adhesive. 
         [0006]    Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. 
           [0008]    In the drawings: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a packaging system incorporating an adhesively constructed tooling component assembly in accordance with one aspect of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the packaging system shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of an adhesively constructed forming tooling component assembly incorporated into the packaging system shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the tooling component assembly is engaged with a receiver associated with the packaging system; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the tooling component assembly shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the tooling component assembly shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a partial section view of the tooling component assembly taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a partial section view of the tooling component assembly taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a tongued wall member of the tooling component assembly shown in  FIGS. 4 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of a grooved wall member of the tooling component assembly that engages with the tongued wall member shown in  FIG. 8  according to one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The present invention will be described with respect to a food packaging machine and, more particularly, to a formation tool usable with a food packaging machine. However, it is understood that the invention may also be applicable with other food handling machines as well as non-food handling systems, such as packaging systems for packaging pharmaceutical products or any other product that is suitable for packaging between a pair of sealed webs. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a food packaging machine  10  that generally includes a lower web supply station  12  for supplying a web of flexible web material from a supply roll  14  to a formation station  16 . The web of flexible material is advanced to the formation station  16  at which cavities are formed in the web. The deformed web is then presented to a loading station  18  at which a user or machine loads products, e.g., hot dogs, cheese, etc., into the cavities formed in the sheet of web material. After product is loaded into the cavities, the sheet of web material is advanced to an upper web station  20  that supplies a web of flexible material from a supply roll  22 . As is known in the art, the upper web of flexible material is placed atop the loaded cavities, and the upper and lower webs of material are presented to a sealing station  24 , which may evacuate the loaded cavities, and seals the upper and lower webs of material together. As is known in the art, the sealing station  24  may include a heating assembly that heats the webs of flexible material to seal the upper web to the lower web of flexible material. The sealed packages may then be presented to a cutting station (not shown), labeling station (not shown), and bulk packaging station (not shown) as generally understood in the art. As further known in the art, the packaging machine  10  may also include a display unit (not shown) that presents a touch screen, for instance, to allow a user to control the food packaging machine  10  while proximate the loading station  18 . It is noted that the packaging machine  10  may include various doors and covers (not shown) to limit access to the various moving parts of the machine  10  as known in the art. 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , the various components of the food packaging machine  10  are supported by a frame assembly that includes a pair of spaced parallel upper frame members  26 ,  28  and lower spaced frame members such as shown at  30 ,  32 , and  34 . Legs  36  support the frame members in a raised position above floor  38 . In a preferred embodiment, the frame members are joined using a suitable adhesive, such as described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/246,915, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0021]    The formation station  16  includes a lift mechanism  40  that reciprocally moves a formation box  42  between a lowered position and a raised position. As is known in the art, the formation box  42  may have a set of dividers that define a set of cavities that may be evacuated using vacuum supplied from a vacuum pump (not shown) so as to draw the lower web material into the cavities. More particularly, when the formation box  42  is in its fully raised position, the formation box  42  contacts an underside of the lower web material. The cavities may then be evacuated to draw the lower web of flexible material downward into the cavities to form a deformed lower web of flexible material. It is recognized that stamps (not shown) may also be used to help force the lower web of flexible material into cavities so as to deform the lower web of flexible material. This process forms a number of cavities in the lower web that may be used for receiving product as described with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0022]    As known in the art, the formation box  42  is lowered and the deformed web material is advanced to the filling station  18  and thereafter to the finishing stations of the machine  10 , such as the upper web station  20 , the sealing station  24 , and the cutting, labeling and bulk packaging stations. The upper web station  20  may include an evacuation box (not shown) that receives the filled lower web material. The upper web material is then placed atop the filled cavities whereupon the evacuation box is evacuated to draw the upper web material into contact with the lower web and evacuate the cavities. The pair of webs are then sealed, cut, labeled, etc. 
         [0023]    The present invention will be described with respect to the formation box  42  for use with a packaging machine, such as that described with respect to  FIGS. 1-2 . It is understood, however, that the principles of the present invention may be used to construct an evacuation box or any other tooling components that are incorporated in the packaging machine. 
         [0024]    Turning now to  FIG. 3 , the formation box  42  is shown mounted to a receiver  46  of packaging machine  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the formation box  44  has four wall panels  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  connected together and supported by a base panel  56  to provide an opened-ended rectangular enclosure. The base panel  56  is seated on a planar support plate  58  that, in turn, is supported by a vacuum plate  60 . The vacuum plate  60  is fastened to the receiver  46  by fasteners  62 . The receiver  46  is secured within the packing machine  10  in a manner that is known. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the vacuum plate  60  has a pair of openings  64  formed in a side thereof into which the fasteners  62  are received to attach the formation box  42  to the receiver. The base panel  56  of box  44  includes a set of elongated openings  66  that communicate with transversely oriented slots  68  formed in the support plate  58 . The elongated openings  66  communicate through slots  68  with vacuum recesses  70  formed in the vacuum plate  60 . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the receiver  46  provides a planar surface  72  supported by a mounting block  74 . The mounting block  74  also supports a manifold  76  that provides a pair of vacuum ports  78  connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) via hoses (not shown) extending from the opposite side of the manifold  76 . The vacuum ports  78  are thus fluidly connected with the elongated openings  66  of the base panel and the slots  68  of the support plate  58  for applying a negative pressure to the internal volume of the box  44 . Adjacent the vacuum ports  78  are alignment pins or fasteners  80  to assist with proper placement of the vacuum plate  60  on the planar surface  72 . The alignment pins or fasteners  80  may be retracted or extended by movement of levers  81 . Proper alignment is necessary so that the vacuum ports  78  align and thus properly communicate with the vacuum recesses  70  formed in the vacuum plate  60 . 
         [0026]    The support plate  58  is adhesively affixed to the vacuum plate  60 . Preferably, a thin sheet of adhesive is applied to either the top surface of the evacuation plate, the underside of the support plate  58 , or both. The support plate  58  and the vacuum plate  60  are of equal length and width and, as such, the alignment of the support plate  58  and the vacuum plate  60  is straightforward. Nevertheless, it is preferred that the adhesive have a bonding time of sufficient length to allow fine adjustments, as needed, to the placement of the support plate  58  atop the vacuum plate  60 . 
         [0027]    Before the adhesive is applied, the vacuum recesses  70  of the vacuum plate  60  are filled with a blocking material, such as wax, to the top surface of the vacuum plate  60 . If desired, the elongated slots  68  of support plate  58  may also be filled with a blocking material, such as wax. In this manner, when the adhesive is applied to the upper surface of vacuum plate  60  and/or the underside of support plate  58  and the vacuum plate  60  and support plate  58  are secured together, any excess adhesive that would otherwise drip or run into vacuum recesses  70  or elongated slots  68  comes into contact with the wax material in the recesses  70  and slots  68 . After the adhesive has set and cured, the assembled vacuum plate  60  and support plate  58  are subjected to a sufficiently high temperature to melt in the wax material contained within the vacuum recesses  70  and slots  68 . In this manner, the vacuum recesses  70  and slots  68  are free of adhesive that otherwise may make its way into the recesses  70  and slots  68  when the vacuum plate  60  and support plate  58  are adhesively secured together. 
         [0028]    The support plate  58  includes a first pair and a second pair of upwardly extending dowels  82  and  84 , respectively. Dowels  82  are slidable along a groove  86  whereas dowels  84  are slidable along a groove  88  spaced from and parallel to groove  86 . The base panel  56  of the formation box  42  includes pairs of spaced openings  90  and  92  such that when the formation box  42  is fitted onto the support plate  58 , the dowels  82  and  84  extend therethrough, respectively. The base panel  56  is preferably adhesively affixed to the support plate  58 , which also may be accomplished using the lost wax process described above in connection with the adhesive securement of vacuum plate  60  and support plate  58 . The combination of the dowels and the corresponding openings assist with aligning the base panel  56  to the support plate  58 . Alternatively, the engagement of base panel  56  and support plate  58  may be accomplished using studs extending upwardly from support plate  58 , in combination with threaded nuts that are engageable with the studs. In this regard, wall panels  50  and  54  include pockets, such as shown at  93 ,  95 , which are configured to receive the dowels or fasteners that are used to align or connect base panel  56  to support plate  58 . The pockets are sufficiently deep so that the dowels or fasteners do not extend past the inside surface of the panels  50  and  54 , so as not to interfere with deformation of the web material into the interior of the formation box  42 . 
         [0029]    With additional reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the wall panels  48 ,  50 ,  52  and  54  are interconnected in a series of adhesively enhanced tongue and groove connections. More particularly, wall panels  50  and  54  each have a planar body  94  defined by a pair of ends  96  and  98 . Each end  96 ,  98  includes a tongue  100 ,  102 , respectively. Wall panels  48  and  52  also have a planar body  104  defined by a pair of ends  106  and  108 . Ends  106  and  108  have longitudinally extending grooves  110  and  112 , respectively, which receive corresponding tongues of the wall panels  50  and  54 . As described above, adhesive may be used to securely connect the tongue and groove connections. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate the adhesive bonding that is used to attach the various components of the formation box  42  to one another. Specifically, an adhesive bond  114  is used to interconnect the wall panels to one another. Similarly, various adhesive bonds are used to interconnect the base panel  56 , support plate  58 , and the vacuum plate  60 . More particularly, adhesive is used to bond the support plate  58  to the vacuum plate  60  such that an adhesive layer  116  is formed therebetween. Similarly, adhesive is used to bond the base panel  56  to the support plate  58  such that an adhesive layer  118  is formed therebetween. Adhesive is also used to attach the wall panels to the base panel  56 . For example, an adhesive bond  120  is made between wall panel  52  and the base panel  56 . Similarly, adhesive  122  is used to attach the lower ends of the wall panels, e.g., wall panel  52  to the lower end of an adjacent wall panel, e.g., wall panel  54 . 
         [0031]    It is contemplated that a number of different adhesives may be used to for the aforementioned adhesive bonds, but it is preferred that an adhesive, such an epoxy, be used that is water resistant. It also desirable that the adhesive bonds maintain their integrity when exposed to cleaning and sterilizing agents. 
         [0032]    It is understood that the principles of the formation box  42  heretofore described can be applied to the construction of an evacuation formation box. More particularly, using adhesive rather than conventional mechanical fasteners is particularly advantageous in reducing the collection of bacteria and other germs, as well as cleaning residue on the surfaces of the evacuation box. 
         [0033]    Various alternatives and embodiments are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.