Patent Publication Number: US-9902510-B2

Title: Device and method for packaging products in a foil device, package produced and filled using the method

Description:
The present invention relates to a device for packaging products in a foil package, comprising corner forming means for forming a number of folded and attached-together sections of foil material in a foil web, which sections extend outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the foil web, which sections each form a seam on the inner side of the foil web, and, downstream of the corner forming means, packaging means provided with a tube-shaped forming element, with shaping means for shaping the foil web around the forming element into a tube shape, with sealing means for sealing the tube-shaped foil on the downstream side of the forming element for forming a sealed first side of a package yet to be filled and for forming a sealed second side of an already filled package below the package yet to be filled, wherein the first side and the second side of a package are positioned opposite each other, and with filling means for filling the tube-shaped foil web, which is sealed on the first side, with products via the inner side of the forming element, the device further comprising transport means for transporting the foil web from a supply roll along the corner forming means and along the packaging means, respectively. The inner side and the outer side of the foil web are determined by the inner side and the outer side, respectively, of the package which is produced from the foil web. A device as described in the introduction is described in the international patent application WO 2009/139618 A1. Using such a device it is possible to increase the stiffness of corner edges of foil packages produced by means of a form, fill and seal machine, at which locations the folded and attached-together sections of foil material, so-called corner seals, are provided, resulting in a package having increased shape stability. 
     It is also known with other packages which are produced using a form, fill and seal machine to make use of elongate closing elements which are provided to the web foil material in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the form, fill and seal machine, and with which it is possible to reclose a package after opening thereof by pressing together opposite sides of an opening in the package, causing parts of the closing elements provided on opposite sides of the opening to interlock and in this way close the opening. Such closing elements, also called reclosable strips, are available in many embodiments, wherein the parts of the closing elements present on opposite sides of the opening may be similar to each other or different from each other. This means that in the latter case two different closing elements are used for each package. Examples of closing elements as well as of devices with which closing elements can be provided to the foil web are described in the European publication EP 726665 A1 and EP 970804 A1. Closing elements as can be used in the present invention are marketed by the companies Zip Pak, Slide-Rite or Aplix using the names of Slider, Press-to-Close, PerfCap or Easy-Lock. 
     The present invention aims at providing a device as described in the introduction, with which it is possible to produce packages with corner seals, which packages are moreover provided with closing elements for the reclosure of a package which has been opened. To this end the device further comprises application means for applying elongate closing elements perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the web to the inner side of the web, wherein the application means are provided between the corner forming means and the shaping means and are adapted to apply the elongate closing elements such that the closing elements cross at least some of the seams. Since the closing elements are only applied after the corner seals have been formed when the device according to the invention is used, the forming of the corner seals is not complicated by the presence of the closing elements, which would have been the case if the closing elements would have been applied to a fully flat foil web as this is known from the prior art. Consequently it is possible to reliably make corner seals on the one hand and nevertheless make use of closing elements on the other hand. 
     The invention also relates to a method for packaging products in a foil package using a device according to the invention as described above. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of 
     a transporting a foil web along the corner forming means and the transport means, respectively, 
     b forming a number of folded and attached-together sections of foil material, which extend outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the foil web, in the foil web, using the corner forming means, which sections each form a seam on the inner side of the foil web, 
     c forming the foil web into a tube shape around the forming element, using the shaping means, 
     d sealing the tube-shaped foil web on the downstream side of the forming element, using the sealing means, for forming a first sealed side of a package yet to be filled and for forming a second sealed side of a package which has already been filled below the package yet to be filled, wherein the first side and the second side of a package are positioned opposite each other, 
     e filling the tube-shaped foil web, which is sealed on the first side, with products via the inner side of the forming element, 
     f applying at least one elongate closing element for each package to the inner side of the foil web, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the web, using the application means, after step b and before step c, wherein the elongate closing elements cross at least some of the seams. 
     The advantages obtained by using the method according to the invention correspond to the advantages which have been described above related to the device according to the invention. 
     Preferably, at least one elongate closing element is applied to the inner side of the foil web for each package during step f, preferably such that the at least one elongate closing element crosses no more and no less than two seams. This way it is possible to produce a package with a spout opening which can be folded out and which is reclosable using the at least one closing element in question. This way a package of the spout zip type is obtained. 
     According to an alternative preferred embodiment, at least one elongate closing element is applied to the inner side of the foil web for each package during step f, such that the at least one elongate closing element extends over the full width or almost the full width of the foil web, crossing all seams. The reclosable opening which can be obtained in the package using such a method extends over the full width of the package, the width of the package being oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the foil web from which the package is provided. 
     The invention finally also relates to a package produced and filled using a method according to the invention as discussed above. Such a package combines the advantages of corner seals and closing elements. Since the corner seals are already attached before the closing elements are applied, the closing elements do not extend on the inner side of the folded and attached-together sections of foil material. More specifically the invention provides a package produced and filled using a method according to the invention as elucidated above, wherein the package is formed from a foil web and comprises a number of folded and attached-together sections of foil material, which extend outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the foil web, which sections each form a seam on the inner side of the package and wherein the package further comprises a elongate closing element which is attached to the inner side of the package perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sections foil material, wherein the closing element crosses at least some of the seams. 
    
    
     
       The invention will now be further elucidated by means of the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is not to be interpreted as limiting, with reference to the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of parts of a packaging device according to the invention which are relevant to the invention; 
         FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b    respectively show a first embodiment of a foil package which can be produced using the invention, as well as a part of the foil web as used for producing the package according to  FIG. 2   a;    
         FIGS. 3 a  and 3 b    respectively show a second embodiment of a foil package which can be produced using the invention, as well as a part of the foil web as used for producing the package according to  FIG. 3   a.    
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows parts of a packaging device  1  which is capable of making foil packages from a foil web which is unwound from roll  2 . Packaging device  1  comprises a corner forming unit  3  which is adapted to form a number of folded and attached-together sections of foil material, which extend outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the foil web in foil web  4  being unwound from roll  2 . These sections are also indicated as corner seals  5 . Such corner seals  5  are indicated by reference numbers  5   a ,  5   b ,  5   c  and  6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c  in  FIGS. 2 a  to 3 b   . The corner seals  5   a - 5   c  are not shown in the foil web  4  in  FIG. 1 . The corner seals  5  extend parallel to the opposite longitudinal edges  7   a ,  7   b  of foil web  4  and each comprise a seam  6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c  which is located on the inner side of the foil web  4 , the inner side of the foil web  4  being determined by the inner side of the package of the resulting foil package. For a more detailed description of the corner forming unit  3  reference is made to international application WO 2009/139618 A1, the contents of which are to be considered to be incorporated in the present description. 
     Packaging device  1  further comprises a packaging unit  8  downstream of the corner forming unit  3 , which packaging unit  8  is well-known to the skilled person from several embodiments of so-called form, fill and seal machines. Packaging unit  8  inter alia comprises a shoulder element  9 , a tube element  10  and a hopper  11 . Using the shoulder element  9 , the foil web  4  is formed into a tube shape which joins the circumference of the tube element  10 , wherein the longitudinal edges  7   a ,  7   b  of the foil web overlap each other. On the outer side of tube element  10 , packaging unit  8  comprises longitudinal sealing means at the location of this overlap, by means of which sealing means the foil web  4  is sealed together at the location of the longitudinal edges  7   a ,  7   b , forming a fourth corner seal  5   d  (not shown), as it were. 
     For an alternative package, four corner seals  5   a - 5   d  can be formed in the corner forming unit  3 , wherein said longitudinal sealing means form a simple longitudinal seal at the location of the overlapping longitudinal sedges  7   a ,  7   b.    
     Below tube element  10 , packaging unit  8  comprises transverse sealing means, which transverse sealing means press opposite sides of the tube shape against each other in order to obtain a closed bottom side of a package yet to be filled as well as a closed upper side of package which already has been filled. Filling of the packages takes place by feeding products to be packaged, via hopper  11  and the inner side of the tube element  10 , to the foil web  4 , which has been formed into a closed tube shape above the transverse sealing means. 
     Packaging device  1  further comprises an application unit  15  between corner forming unit  3  and packaging unit  8 . Application unit  15  is adapted to connect elongate closing elements  16   a ,  16   b  (see  FIGS. 2 b  and 3 b   ) to the foil web  4 , more specifically to the inner side thereof. This connection is such that the elongate closing elements  16   a ,  16   b  extend transverse to the longitudinal direction of the foil web and consequently transverse to the seams  6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c , and that at least some of the seams  6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c  are crossed. In  FIG. 2 b    all three corner seals  5   a ,  5   b ,  5   c  are crossed and closing element  16   a  extends almost the complete width of foil web  4 . Only a relatively small area close to the longitudinal edges is left free. In this area the foil web  4  overlaps itself at the location of the longitudinal edges  7   a ,  7   b  when the fourth corner seal is made using the longitudinal sealing means as described above. Closing element  16   b  in  FIG. 3 b    only crosses two seams  6   a ,  6   b.    
     The closing elements can be of different types and are, just like application unit  15 , as such known to the skilled person, and need not be described in detail herein, therefore. In this connection reference is made for example to publications EP 726665 A1 and EP 970840 A1. The closing elements are unwound from roll  16  and made in a desired length and connected to the foil web  5 , for example by welding or glueing, in the application unit  15 . 
       FIG. 2 a    shows a package  21  as can be made from a foil web  4  shown in  FIG. 2 b   . Package  21  has a rectangular cross section over the largest part of the height thereof, wherein the corner seals  5   a ,  5   b ,  5   c,d  are positioned at the corners of the rectangle and provide a certain shape stability to the package  21 . Close to the upper side of package  21 , the sides of package  21  between corner seals as well as between corner seals  5   c  and  5   d  are folded inwardly according to lines  26   a ,  26   b  such that, seen in vertical cross-section, package  21  has a point  22  which is directed upwardly parallel to the side faces, which are folded inwardly. On the upper side of this point  22 , package  21  comprises a flat sealing part  23  where corner seals  5   a ,  5   b  and corner seals  5   c ,  5   d  abut against each other. In the lower part of the sealing part  23 , closing element  16   a  is provided, which closing element  16   a  has a (mirrored) W-shape close to the corner seals  5   a ,  5   b  on the one hand and close to the corner seals  5   c ,  5   d  on the other hand. In the upper part of sealing part  23  the upper side of package  21  is closed using transversal sealing means with seal  24 . Opening package  21  for the first time is done by separating seal  24  from the remaining part of package  21 , for example by or tearing cutting seal  24  loose along line  25 . The opposite parts of closing element  16   a  can be pulled loose from each other thereafter causing the package  21  to be actually opened and that the packaged products can be taken from the package  21 . Package  21  can be easily closed again by pressing the parts of the closing element  16   a  that originally abutted against each other together again. 
     Package  31  according to  FIG. 3 a    differs from package  21  according to  FIG. 2 a    in that a shorter closing element  16   b  is used. At the location in the lower part of sealing part  23  of package  21  where closing element  16   b  is not provided, a second seal  21  is provided, besides seal  24  which is provided in the upper part of the sealing part  23 . Opening the package  31  for the first time takes place in the same way as for package  21 , i.e. by making a separation along line  25 . The opposite parts of closing element  16   b  can then be pulled apart, after which the inwardly folded upper part of the side of package  31  that extends between the corner seals  5   a  and  5   b  can be folded outward, thus creating a spout. This spout can serve as a pouring spout. The package  31  can subsequently be closed again by pressing together opposite parts of the closing element  16   b , possibly after the respective side has been folded inwardly again. 
     Although the invention has been explained above by means of a description of a preferred embodiment in which the tube element  10  is oriented vertically, it is also possible within the framework of the present invention that the tube element is oriented horizontally or obliquely.