Patent Description:
Several different apparatuses and related methods/processes are known for packaging articles like food products positioned on a support and then closed by a closure film.

In particular, packaging systems are known wherein a continuous plastic "bottom" film is unrolled along a machine working direction and subjected to thermoforming thereby defining a continuous precursor body having a plurality of cavities. The cavities in the precursor body receive corresponding products and are sealed by a top plastic film to make a plurality of packages: the bottom and top plastic films are then cut to create separate finished packages.

In an alternative solution, a cutting station, placed upstream with respect to a thermoforming station, cuts discrete portions from a plastic film and moves the film sheets to the thermoforming station; the thermoformed supports, which may be in the form of trays or flat supports, are then transferred to the subsequent packaging station where the tray or support receives a closure film.

<CIT> patent application shows an apparatus for thermoforming plastic containers; the apparatus comprises a feeder for supplying discrete film sheets of thermoformable plastic material to a conveyor. A transferring device is designed to simultaneously transfer the plurality of film sheets, arranged on the conveyor, to the thermoforming moulds. The feeder comprises a feed roll turning around an unwinding axis to provide subsequent portions of plastic film to a cutting station defining the consecutive flat sheets by transversally cutting an unrolled portion of plastic film. Each single transversal cut produces a single flat sheet having the same width of the unrolled portion of plastic film.

A plurality of drawbacks affect the currently known apparatuses.

First, plastic films used for the formation of the supports or trays are relatively thick, in the sense that they present thickness significantly higher than that of the plastic closure films used for sealing the package. This circumstance leads either to the need of handling big feed rolls having very large diameters or to the drawback of reduced time intervals between subsequent feed reel replacements. Large diameter rolls, on the other hand, cause problems in terms of handling, space management and rotation control of the feed roll during operation. On the other hand, as mentioned, intrinsic limitations in terms of maximum roll diameter may result in frequent feed roll replacements. Looking at the feed roll disclosed in <CIT>, it is clear that the only way to increase time intervals between subsequent feed roll replacements is to increase the roll diameter, since the width of the feed roll is laterally limited by the size of each single flat sheet. Moreover, each cut defines a single flat sheet, leading to several stops during the feed roll unwinding condition, therefore affecting the overall production speed.

The object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the drawbacks and/or limitations of the prior art.

A first object of the invention is to provide a packaging apparatus and process of compact size.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging apparatus and process entailing longer time intervals between subsequent feed roll replacements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packaging apparatus and process which combines relative small size with a high production yield.

An ancillary objective of the invention is to provide a packaging apparatus and process characterized by high production speed and reduced material scrap.

A further ancillary object is providing a packaging apparatus and process resulting in a more controlled unrolling of the plastic film from a feed roll serving the apparatus/process.

<CIT> shows a thermoforming apparatus for forming trays from a film web <NUM> pulled from supply roll <NUM> and moved along direction <NUM>. The film web <NUM> is first fed to a cutting unit <NUM> forming discreet sheets <NUM>. The sheets <NUM> are then transported from the cutting unit <NUM> towards a first heating unit <NUM> and then a second heating unit <NUM>. The heated sheets <NUM> are fed to a thermoforming unit <NUM> in which they are three-dimensionally deformed between a mold top 103a and a mold base 103b forming trays <NUM>.

One or more of the above objects are reached by an apparatus according to any one of claims <NUM>-<NUM> and by a process according to any one of claims <NUM>- <NUM>.

Some embodiments and some aspects of the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided for indicative and therefore not limiting purposes, in which:.

It should be noted that in the present detailed description, corresponding parts illustrated in the various figures are indicated with the same reference numerals. The figures could illustrate the object of the invention by means of non-scale representations; therefore, parts and components shown in the figures relating to the object of the invention could only concern schematic representations.

The terms upstream and downstream refer to a direction of advancement of a package - or of a support for making said package - along a predetermined path defined starting from a starting or forming station of a support for said package, through a packaging station and then up to a packaging unloading station.

Although certain aspects of the invention may find application for packaging a product into a packaging solely formed of one or more plastic films, the following description will mainly refer to packaging of a product positioned on a support to which a plastic film is heat sealed. Note the product may be a food product or not.

As used herein support means either a substantially flat element onto which a product is placed, or a container of the type having a base wall, a side wall and a top rim radially emerging from the side wall, the container defining a volume into which the product is positioned.

The tray or supports may have a rectangular shape or any other suitable shape, such as round, square, elliptical etcetera, and may be formed either while the packaging process takes place, e.g. at a thermoforming station of the packaging apparatus, or they may be manufactured beforehand and then fed to the packaging apparatus.

The tray or support may be made of a single layer or, preferably, of a multi-layer polymeric material. In case of a single layer material suitable polymers are for instance polystyrene, polypropylene, polyesters, high density polyethylene, poly(lactic acid), PVC and the like, either foamed or solid.

Preferably the tray or support is provided with gas barrier properties. As used herein such term refers to a film or sheet of material which has an oxygen transmission rate of less than <NUM> cm3 /m2-day-bar, less than <NUM> cm3 /m2-day-bar, less than <NUM> cm3 /m2-day-bar as measured according to ASTM D-<NUM> at <NUM> and <NUM>% relative humidity.

Suitable materials for gas barrier monolayer thermoplastic trays are for instance polyesters, polyamides and the like.

In case the tray or support is made of a multi-layer material, suitable polymers are for instance ethylene homo- and co-polymers, propylene homo- and co-polymers, polyamides, polystyrene, polyesters, poly(lactic acid), PVC and the like. Part of the multi-layer material can be solid and part can be foamed.

For example, the tray or support may comprises at least one layer of a foamed polymeric material chosen from the group consisting of polystyrene, polypropylene, polyesters and the like.

The multi-layer material may be produced either by co-extrusion of all the layers using co-extrusion techniques or by glue- or heat-lamination of, for instance, a rigid foamed or solid substrate with a thin film, usually called "liner".

The thin film may be laminated either on the side of the tray or support in contact with the product P or on the side facing away from the product P or on both sides. In the latter case the films laminated on the two sides of the tray may be the same or different. A layer of an oxygen barrier material, for instance (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) copolymer, is optionally present to increase the shelf-life of the packaged product P.

Gas barrier polymers that may be employed for the gas barrier layer are PVDC, EVOH, polyamides, polyesters and blends thereof. The thickness of the gas barrier layer will be set in order to provide the tray with an oxygen transmission rate suitable for the specific packaged product.

The tray or support may also comprise a heat sealable layer. Generally, the heat-sealable layer will be selected among the polyolefins, such as ethylene homo- or co-polymers, propylene homo- or co-polymers, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, ionomers, and the homo- and co-polyesters, e.g. PETG, a glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate.

Additional layers, such as adhesive layers, to better adhere the gas-barrier layer to the adjacent layers, may be present in the gas barrier material for the tray and are preferably present depending in particular on the specific resins used for the gas barrier layer.

In case of a multilayer material used to form the tray or support, part of this structure may be foamed and part may be un-foamed. For instance, the tray may comprise (from the outermost layer to the innermost food-contact layer) one or more structural layers, typically of a material such as foam polystyrene, foam polyester or foam polypropylene, or a cast sheet of e.g. polypropylene, polystyrene, poly(vinyl chloride), polyester or cardboard; a gas barrier layer and a heat-sealable layer.

The tray or supports may be obtained from a sheet of foamed polymeric material having a film comprising at least one oxygen barrier layer and at least one surface sealing layer laminated onto the side facing the packaged product, so that the surface sealing layer of the film is the food contact layer the tray. A second film, either barrier or non-barrier, may be laminated on the outer surface of the tray or support.

Specific formulations are used for food products which require heating in conventional or microwave oven before consumption. The surface of the container in contact with the product, i.e. the surface involved in the formation of the seal with the lidding film, comprises a polyester resin. For instance the container can be made of a cardboard coated with a polyester or it can be integrally made of a polyester resin. Examples of suitable containers for the package of the invention are CPET, APET or APET/CPET containers. Such container can be either foamed or not-foamed.

Film or film material is applied to the tray to form a lid onto the tray (e.g. for MAP - modified atmosphere packaging) or a skin associated to the tray or support and matching the contour of the product.

The film for skin applications may be made of a flexible multi-layer material comprising at least a first outer heat-sealable layer, an optional gas barrier layer and a second outer heat-resistant layer. The outer heat-sealable layer may comprise a polymer capable of welding to the inner surface of the supports carrying the products to be packaged, such as for instance ethylene homo- or co-polymers, like LDPE, ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers, ethylene/acrylic acid copolymers, ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymers, and ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, ionomers, co-polyesters, e.g. PETG. The optional gas barrier layer preferably comprises oxygen impermeable resins like PVDC, EVOH, polyamides and blends of EVOH and polyamides. The outer heat-resistant layer may be made of ethylene homo- or copolymers, ethylene/cyclic-olefin copolymers, such as ethylene/norbornene copolymers, propylene homo- or co-polymers, ionomers, (co)polyesters, (co)polyamides. The film may also comprise other layers such as adhesive layers or bulk layers to increase thickness of the film and improve its abuse and deep drawn properties. Particularly used bulk layers are ionomers, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, polyamides and polyesters. In all the film layers, the polymer components may contain appropriate amounts of additives normally included in such compositions. Some of these additives are preferably included in the outer layers or in one of the outer layers, while some others are preferably added to inner layers. These additives include slip and anti- block agents such as talc, waxes, silica, and the like, antioxidants, stabilizers, plasticizers, fillers, pigments and dyes, cross-linking inhibitors, cross-linking enhancers, UV absorbers, odor absorbers, oxygen scavengers, bactericides, antistatic agents and the like additives known to those skilled in the art of packaging films.

One or more layers of the film can be cross- linked to improve the strength of the film and/or its heat resistance. Cross-linking may be achieved by using chemical additives or by subjecting the film layers to an energetic radiation treatment. The films for skin packaging are typically manufactured in order to show low shrink when heated during the packaging cycle. Those films usually shrink less than <NUM>% at <NUM>, more frequently lower than <NUM>%, even more frequently lower than <NUM>% in both the longitudinal and transversal direction (ASTM D2732). The films usually have a thickness comprised between <NUM> microns and <NUM> microns, more frequently between <NUM> and <NUM> microns and even more frequently between <NUM> microns and <NUM> microns.

The skin packages are usually "easy-to-open", i.e. they are easily openable by manually pulling apart the two webs, normally starting from a point like a corner of the package where the upper web has purposely not been sealed to the support. To achieve this feature, either the film or the tray can be provided with a suitable composition, allowing easy opening of the package, as known in the art. Typically, the sealant composition and/or the composition of the adjacent layer of the tray and/or the film are adjusted in order to achieve the easy opening feature.

Various mechanisms can occur while opening an easy-to-open package.

In the first one ("peelable easy opening") the package is opened by separating the film and the tray at the seal interface.

In the second mechanism ("adhesive failure") the opening of the package is achieved through an initial breakage through the thickness of one of the sealing layers followed by delamination of this layer from the underlying support or film. The third system is based on the "cohesive failure" mechanism: the easy opening feature is achieved by internal rupture of a seal layer that, during opening of the package, breaks along a plane parallel to the layer itself.

Specific blends are known in the art to obtain such opening mechanisms, ensure the peeling of the film from the tray surface, such as those described in <CIT>. On the other hand, in case the film <NUM> is used for creating a lid on the tray, the film material may be obtained by co-extrusion or lamination processes. Lid films may have a symmetrical or asymmetrical structure and can be monolayer or multilayer. The multilayer films have at least <NUM>, more frequently at least <NUM>, even more frequently at least <NUM> layers. The total thickness of the film may vary frequently from <NUM> to <NUM> micron, in particular from <NUM> to <NUM> micron, even more frequently from <NUM> to <NUM> micron. The films may be optionally cross-linked. Cross-linking may be carried out by irradiation with high energy electrons at a suitable dosage level as known in the art. The lid films described above may be heat shrinkable or heat-set. The heat shrinkable films typically show free shrink value at <NUM> measured according to ASTM D2732 in the range of from <NUM> to <NUM>%, more frequently from <NUM> to <NUM>%, even more frequently from <NUM> to <NUM>% in both the longitudinal and transverse direction. The heat-set films usually have free shrink values lower than <NUM>% at <NUM>, preferably lower than <NUM>% in both the longitudinal and transversal direction (ASTM D <NUM>). Lid films usually comprise at least a heat sealable layer and an outer skin layer, which is generally made up of heat resistant polymers or polyolefin. The sealing layer typically comprises a heat-sealable polyolefin which in turn comprises a single polyolefin or a blend of two or more polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene or a blend thereof. The sealing layer can be further provided with antifog properties by incorporating one or more antifog additives into its composition or by coating or spraying one or more antifog additives onto the surface of the sealing layer by technical means well known in the art. The sealing layer may further comprise one or more plasticisers. The skin layer may comprises polyesters, polyamides or polyolefin. In some structures, a blend of polyamide and polyester can advantageously be used for the skin layer. In some cases, the lid films comprise a barrier layer. Barrier films typically have an OTR (evaluated at <NUM> and <NUM> % R. according to ASTM D-<NUM>) below <NUM> cm3/(m2·day·atm) and more frequently below <NUM> cm3/(m2·day·atm). The barrier layer is usually made of a thermoplastic resin selected among a saponified or hydrolyzed product of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVOH), an amorphous polyamide and a vinyl-vinylidene chloride and their admixtures. Some materials comprise an EVOH barrier layer, sandwiched between two polyamide layers. The skin layer typically comprises polyesters, polyamides or polyolefin.

In some packaging applications, the lid films do not comprise any barrier layer. Such films usually comprise one or more polyolefin are herein defined.

Non-barrier films typically have an OTR (evaluated at <NUM> and <NUM> % R. according to ASTM D-<NUM>) from <NUM> cm3/(m2·day·atm) up to <NUM> cm3/(m2·day·atm), more typically up to <NUM> cm3/(m2·day·atm).

Peculiar compositions polyester-based are those used for tray lidding of ready-meals packages. For these films, the polyester resins can make up at least <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>% by weight of the film. These films are typically used in combination with polyester-based supports.

For instance the container can be made of a cardboard coated with a polyester or it can be integrally made of a polyester resin. Examples of suitable containers for the package are CPET, APET or APET/CPET containers, either foamed or not-foamed.

Usually, biaxially oriented PET are used as the lid film due to its high thermal stability at standard food heating/cooking temperatures. Often biaxially oriented polyester films are heat-set, i.e. non-heat-shrinkable. To improve the heat-sealability of the PET lidding film to the container a heat-sealable layer of a lower melting material is usually provided on the film. The heat-sealable layer may be coextruded with the PET base layer (as disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT>) or it may be solvent- or extrusion-coated over the base film (as disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT>).

Particularly in the case of fresh red meat packages, twin lidding film comprising an inner, oxygen-permeable, and an outer, oxygen-impermeable, lidding film are advantageously used. The combination of these two films significantly prevents the meat discoloration also when the packaged meat extends upwardly with respect to the height of the tray walls, which is the most critical situation in barrier packaging of fresh meat.

These films are described for example in <CIT> and <CIT>.

The lid film can be monolayer. Typical composition of monolayer films comprise polyesters as herein defined and their blends or polyolefins as herein defined and their blends.

In all the film layers herein described, the polymer components may contain appropriate amounts of additives normally included in such compositions. Some of these additives are preferably included in the outer layers or in one of the outer layers, while some others are preferably added to inner layers. These additives include slip and anti- block agents such as talc, waxes, silica, and the like, antioxidants, stabilizers, plasticizers, fillers, pigments and dyes, cross-linking inhibitors, cross-linking enhancers, UV absorbers, odor absorbers, oxygen scavengers, bactericides, antistatic agents, anti-fog agents or compositions, and the like additives known to those skilled in the art of packaging films.

The films suitable for lidding application can advantageously be perforated, in order to allow the packaged food to breath.

Those films may be perforated by using different technologies available in the art, through laser or mechanical means such as rolls provided with several needles. The number of perforations per unit area of the film and their dimensions affect the gas permeability of the film.

Microperforated films are usually characterized by OTR value (evaluated at <NUM> and <NUM> % R. according to ASTM D-<NUM>) from <NUM> cm3/(m2·day·atm) up to <NUM> cm3/(m2 day atm).

Macroperforated films are usually characterized by OTR (evaluated at <NUM> and <NUM> % R. according to ASTM D-<NUM>) higher than <NUM> cm3/(m2·day·atm).

Furthermore, the films herein described for lidding applications can be formulated to provide strong or peelable sealing onto the support. A method of measuring the force of a peelable seal, herein referred to as "peel force" is described in ASTM F-<NUM>-<NUM>. Acceptable peel force values fare in the range from <NUM>/<NUM> to <NUM>/<NUM>, from <NUM>/<NUM> to <NUM>/<NUM>, from <NUM>/<NUM> to <NUM>/<NUM>.

The desired seal strength is achieved specifically designing the tray and the lid formulations.

In general, one or more layers of the lid film can be printed, in order to provide useful information to the consumer, a pleasing image and/or trademark or other advertising information to enhance the retail sale of the packaged product.

The film may be printed by any suitable method, such as rotary screen, gravure or flexographic techniques mas known in the art.

PVDC is any vinylidene chloride copolymers wherein a major amount of the copolymer comprises vinylidene chloride and a minor amount of the copolymer comprises one or more unsaturated monomers copolymerisable therewith, typically vinyl chloride, and alkyl acrylates or methacrylates (e.g. methyl acrylate or methacrylate) and the blends thereof in different proportions. Generally a PVDC barrier layer will contain plasticisers and/or stabilizers as known in the art.

As used herein, the term EVOH includes saponified or hydrolyzed ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and refers to ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymers having an ethylene comonomer content preferably comprised from about <NUM> to about <NUM> mole %, more preferably, from about <NUM> to about <NUM> mole % ethylene, and even more preferably, and a saponification degree of at least <NUM>%, preferably at least <NUM>%.

The term "polyamides" as used herein is intended to refer to both homo- and co- or ter-polyamides. This term specifically includes aliphatic polyamides or co-polyamides, e.g., polyamide <NUM>, polyamide <NUM>, polyamide <NUM>, polyamide <NUM>, polyamide <NUM>, polyamide <NUM>, polyamide <NUM>, copolyamide <NUM>/<NUM>, copolyamide <NUM>/<NUM>, copolyamide <NUM>/<NUM>, copolyamide <NUM>/<NUM>, copolyamide <NUM>/<NUM>, aromatic and partially aromatic polyamides or co-polyamides, such as polyamide 6I, polyamide 6I/6T, polyamide MXD6, polyamide MXD6/MXDI, and blends thereof.

As used herein, the term "copolymer" refers to a polymer derived from two or more types of monomers, and includes terpolymers. Ethylene homopolymers include high density polyethylene (HDPE) and low density polyethylene (LDPE). Ethylene copolymers include ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers and ethylene/unsaturated ester copolymers. Ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers generally include copolymers of ethylene and one or more comonomers selected from alpha-olefins having from <NUM> to <NUM> carbon atoms, such as <NUM>-butene, <NUM>-pentene, <NUM>-hexene, <NUM>-octene, <NUM>-methyl-<NUM>-pentene and the like.

Ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers generally have a density in the range of from about <NUM> to about <NUM>/cm<NUM>. The term linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) is generally understood to include that group of ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers which fall into the density range of about <NUM> to about <NUM>/cm<NUM> and particularly about <NUM> to about <NUM>/cm<NUM>. Sometimes linear polyethylene in the density range from about <NUM> to about <NUM>/cm<NUM> is referred to as linear medium density polyethylene (LMDPE). Lower density ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers may be referred to as very low density polyethylene (VLDPE) and ultra-low density polyethylene (ULDPE). Ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers may be obtained by either heterogeneous or homogeneous polymerization processes.

Another useful ethylene copolymer is an ethylene/unsaturated ester copolymer, which is the copolymer of ethylene and one or more unsaturated ester monomers.

Useful unsaturated esters include vinyl esters of aliphatic carboxylic acids, where the esters have from <NUM> to <NUM> carbon atoms, such as vinyl acetate, and alkyl esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid, where the esters have from <NUM> to <NUM> carbon atoms. Ionomers are copolymers of an ethylene and an unsaturated monocarboxylic acid having the carboxylic acid neutralized by a metal ion, such as zinc or, preferably, sodium.

Useful propylene copolymers include propylene/ethylene copolymers, which are copolymers of propylene and ethylene having a majority weight percent content of propylene, and propylene/ethylene/butene terpolymers, which are copolymers of propylene, ethylene and <NUM>-butene.

As used herein, the term "polyolefin" refers to any polymerized olefin, which can be linear, branched, cyclic, aliphatic, aromatic, substituted, or unsubstituted. More specifically, included in the term polyolefin are homo-polymers of olefin, co-polymers of olefin, co-polymers of an olefin and an non-olefinic co-monomer co-polymerizable with the olefin, such as vinyl monomers, modified polymers thereof, and the like. Specific examples include polyethylene homo-polymer, polypropylene homo-polymer, polybutene homo-polymer, ethylene- alpha -olefin co-polymer, propylene-alpha -olefin co-polymer, butene- alpha -olefin co-polymer, ethylene-unsaturated ester co-polymer, ethylene-unsaturated acid co-polymer, (e.g. ethylene-ethyl acrylate co-polymer, ethylene-butyl acrylate co-polymer, ethylene-methyl acrylate co-polymer, ethylene-acrylic acid co-polymer, and ethylene-methacrylic acid co-polymer), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ionomer resin, polymethylpentene, etc..

The term "polyester" is used herein to refer to both homo-and co- polyesters, wherein homo-polyesters are defined as polymers obtained from the condensation of one dicarboxylic acid with one diol and co- polyesters are defined as polymers obtained from the condensation of one or more dicarboxylic acids with one or more diols. Suitable polyester resins are, for instance, polyesters of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate) (PET). Preference is given to polyesters which contain ethylene units and include, based on the dicarboxylate units, at least <NUM> mol %, more preferably at least <NUM> mol %, of terephthalate units. The remaining monomer units are selected from other dicarboxylic acids or diols. Suitable other aromatic dicarboxylic acids are preferably isophthalic acid, phthalic acid, <NUM>,<NUM>-, <NUM>,<NUM>- or <NUM>,<NUM>-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid. Of the cycloaliphatic dicarboxylic acids, mention should be made of cyclohexanedicarboxylic acids (in particular cyclohexane-<NUM> ,<NUM>-dicarboxylic acid). Of the aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, the (C3-Ci9)alkanedioic acids are particularly suitable, in particular succinic acid, sebacic acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, suberic acid or pimelic acid. Suitable diols are, for example aliphatic diols such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, <NUM> ,<NUM>-butane diol, <NUM> ,<NUM>- butane diol, <NUM> ,<NUM>-pentane diol, <NUM>,<NUM>-dimethyl-<NUM> ,<NUM>-propane diol, neopentyl glycol and <NUM> ,<NUM>-hexane diol, and cycloaliphatic diols such as <NUM> ,<NUM>- cyclohexanedimethanol and <NUM> ,<NUM>-cyclohexane diol, optionally heteroatom- containing diols having one or more rings.

Co-polyester resins derived from one or more dicarboxylic acid(s) or their lower alkyl (up to <NUM> carbon atoms) diesters with one or more glycol(s), particularly an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic glycol may also be used as the polyester resins for the base film. Suitable dicarboxylic acids include aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, phthalic acid, or <NUM>,<NUM>-, <NUM>,<NUM>- or <NUM>,<NUM>-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as succinic acid, sebacic acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, suberic acid or pimelic acid. Suitable glycol(s) include aliphatic diols such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, <NUM> ,<NUM>-butane diol, <NUM> ,<NUM>-butane diol, <NUM> ,<NUM>-pentane diol, <NUM>,<NUM>- dimethyl-<NUM> ,<NUM>-propane diol, neopentyl glycol and <NUM> ,<NUM>-hexane diol, and cycloaliphatic diols such as <NUM> ,<NUM>-cyclohexanedimethanol and <NUM> ,<NUM>- cyclohexane diol. Examples of such copolyesters are (i) copolyesters of azelaic acid and terephthalic acid with an aliphatic glycol, preferably ethylene glycol; (ii) copolyesters of adipic acid and terephthalic acid with an aliphatic glycol, preferably ethylene glycol; and (iii) copolyesters of sebacic acid and terephthalic acid with an aliphatic glycol, preferably butylene glycol; (iv) co-polyesters of ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid. Suitable amorphous co-polyesters are those derived from an aliphatic diol and a cycloaliphatic diol with one or more, dicarboxylic acid(s), preferably an aromatic dicarboxylic acid. Typical amorphous copolyesters include co-polyesters of terephthalic acid with an aliphatic diol and a cycloaliphatic diol, especially ethylene glycol and <NUM>,<NUM>- cyclohexanedimethanol.

The term product P refers to an article or a composite of articles of any kind. For example, the product may be of a foodstuff type and be in the solid, liquid or gel state, i.e. in the form of two or more of the aforementioned aggregation states.

In the food sector, the product can include: meat, fish, cheese, treated meats, prepared and frozen meals of various kinds.

The packaging apparatus described and claimed herein may include one or more control units, designed to control the operations performed by the apparatus. The control unit can evidently be only one or be formed by a plurality of distinct control units according to the design choices and operational needs.

The term control unit means an electronic component which can comprise at least one of: a digital processor (for example comprising at least one selected in the group between: CPU, GPU, GPGPU), a memory (or memories), an analog circuit, or a combination of one or more digital processing units with one or more analog circuits. The control unit can be "configured" or "programmed" to perform some steps: this can be done in practice by any means that allows you to configure or program the control unit. For example, in the case of a control unit comprising one or more CPUs and one or more memories, one or more programs can be stored in appropriate memory banks connected to the CPU or to the CPUs; the program or programs contain instructions which, when executed by the CPU or the CPUs, program or configure the control unit to perform the operations described in relation to the control unit. Alternatively, if the control unit is or includes analog circuitry, then the control unit circuit may be designed to include configured circuitry in use to process electrical signals so as to perform the steps related to control unit. The control unit may comprise one or more digital units, for example of the microprocessor type, or one or more analog units, or a suitable combination of digital and analog units; the control unit can be configured to coordinate all the actions necessary for executing an instruction and instruction sets.

The term actuator means any device capable of causing movement on a body, for example behind the control unit (reception by the actuator of a command sent by the control unit). The actuator can be of an electric, pneumatic, mechanical (for example with a spring) type, or of another type.

The following description refers to an apparatus <NUM> for manufacturing plastic supports and/or packages (<NUM>) according but not limited to the different embodiments shown in the attached drawings; the description also discloses a process of manufacturing plastic supports and/or packages, in particular of the type using the apparatus (<NUM>). The packages are configured to carry at least one product, i.e. a food-type product.

According to a first embodiment shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a supplying station <NUM> presenting a feed roll <NUM> configured to turn around a respective unwinding axis A to unroll consecutive portions of plastic film <NUM>. The axis A, according to a preferred configuration, is arranged horizontally, in particular parallel to the ground. The feed roll <NUM> comprises several layers of a single plastic film <NUM> rolled around the axis A of the feed roll, such as in an initial condition the feed roll <NUM> comprises at least <NUM> meters of rolled plastic film <NUM>, in particular between <NUM> and <NUM> meters of rolled plastic film <NUM>. In the initial condition, the feed roll <NUM> has a width, measured parallel to the unwinding axis A, larger than the radius of the feed roll <NUM>. According to a preferred configuration, in the initial condition, the feed roll <NUM> presents a width, measured parallel to the unwinding axis A, which is at least <NUM> times than the radius of the feed roll <NUM>. The feed roll, in the initial condition, presents a diameter comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, and a width comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>. The plastic film <NUM> unrolled by the feed roll <NUM> has a thickness comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>. The width of the feed roll <NUM> is equal to the width, measured parallel to the unwinding axis A, of the plastic film <NUM> portions sequentially unrolled by the feed roll <NUM>: in other words, the feed roll <NUM> comprises a long plastic film ribbon rolled around the axis A defining the feed roll <NUM>, wherein the width of the ribbon is equal to the width of the feed roll <NUM>.

The supplying station <NUM> may have an electric motor <NUM> connected to the feed roll <NUM> and configured to put into rotation the feed roll <NUM> around the unwinding axis A, in order to unroll, in a controlled manner, subsequent portions of plastic film <NUM>. The electric motor <NUM> may be connected to the feed roll <NUM> through a gear train, in order to reduce the angular speed of the motor and increase the applied torque.

The apparatus <NUM> may also comprise a displacement sensor <NUM> associated to the feed roll <NUM> of the supplying station <NUM>, and configured for emitting a signal representative of at least one between:.

In other words, displacement sensor <NUM> is configured to measure either the rotation of the feed roll <NUM> and send an appropriate representative signal to a control unit <NUM>, which is then configured to retrieve the length of plastic film <NUM> unrolled by the feed roll <NUM> based on said representative signal; alternatively, displacement sensor <NUM> may directly measure the length of the plastic film <NUM> unrolled portion or detect presence at a pre-determined location of the leading edge of the unrolled portion and, again, provide a representative signal to the control unit <NUM>, which the control until may use to calculate the length of plastic film unrolled from the feed roll; the information provided by displacement sensor <NUM> may be used in combination with other signals coming from subsequent working stations as it will be explained later in description. The displacement sensor <NUM> associated to the feed roll <NUM> of the supplying station <NUM> may in practice comprise at least one between an encoder, an optical sensor, a potentiometer, a variable electric resistance or any other suitable transducer connected with the control unit <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> also comprises a cutting station <NUM>, shown if <FIG> and <FIG>, configured for carrying out a cutting procedure over the unrolled portions of plastic film <NUM> subsequently provided by the supplying station <NUM> to the cutting station <NUM>. The cutting procedure comprises separating, from the unrolled portion <NUM> of plastic film <NUM> coming from the feed roll <NUM>, a strip <NUM> of plastic film <NUM> presenting a flat rectangular shape. The strip <NUM> presents a width W and a length L, respectively measured parallel and perpendicular to the unwinding axis A, wherein the width W of the strip <NUM> is larger than the length L thereof. In a preferred configuration, the width W of the strip <NUM> is at least twice than the length L thereof, as shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>: for example, the strip <NUM> presents a width comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, and a length comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>. The strip <NUM> may also have a non-rectangular shape as long as the width remains larger than the length thereof as described above.

Moreover, the strips <NUM> have a thickness equal to the thickness of the plastic film <NUM> and are intended to define bottom portions (such as flat supports or trays), configured for receiving a product P, of the plastic package <NUM>, as explained herein below.

The cutting procedure, performed by the cutting station <NUM>, comprises making, on the unrolled portion, at least one cut or notch parallel to the unwinding axis A of the feed roll <NUM>. The cut or notch extends along the entire width of the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM> to define the strip <NUM>. In order to perform the cut or notch, the cutting station <NUM> may comprise a blade tool, a rotating blade tool, a laser cutting tool, a punching or notching tool, configured for separating the plastic strip <NUM> from the unrolled portions of plastic film <NUM>. <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> show a schematic representation of the cutting station <NUM>: the separation performed by the cutting station <NUM> may actually be performed according to several different cutting techniques configured to obtain the abovementioned strip <NUM>.

The cutting station <NUM> may comprise an actuator, optionally an electric actuator, associated to one or more cutting tools and configured to implement the cutting procedure: in particular the actuator is configured to move a cutting tool over the plastic film <NUM> in order to separate the strip <NUM> by the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM>. The operation of the cutting station <NUM> and of the supplying station may be coordinated and synchronized by the control unit <NUM>: for example the control unit <NUM> may be configured to cause a step-by-step advancement of the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM> to the cutting station and synchronize operation of the cutting station with operation of the supplying station such that the cutting procedure takes place when at least the part of unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM> that needs to be cut to form strip <NUM> is not in motion.

According to a preferred configuration, the apparatus <NUM> also comprises a thermoforming station <NUM>, configured for receiving and thermoforming the plastic strip <NUM> to form a plurality of plastic supports <NUM>. The thermoforming station <NUM> may present a plurality of adjacent moulds <NUM> configured to thermoform plastic supports <NUM>. The moulds are sequentially arranged to form a line of moulds positioned along a thermoforming direction TD, wherein the thermoforming direction TD is parallel to the axis A of the feed roll: <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> show four moulds aligned along the TD direction. The possibility of providing more than one line of moulds is not excluded: for example, the thermoforming station <NUM> may have two lines of juxtaposed moulds, both lines extending along the thermoforming direction TD parallel to the axis A of the feed roll <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a configuration of the apparatus <NUM> according to the first embodiment, wherein the feed roll <NUM> extends with axis parallel to the thermoforming station <NUM> and wherein the feed roll is positioned such as to face and be aligned with the mould of the thermoforming station <NUM>; <FIG> and <FIG> show an alternative configuration of the apparatus <NUM> according to the first embodiment wherein the feed roll <NUM> has axis parallel to the thermoforming station <NUM> but the position of the feed roll is shifted in a direction parallel to the thermoforming direction TD whereby the feed roll <NUM> is no longer aligned with the moulds of the thermoforming station by rather laterally shifted (in <FIG> and <FIG> on the right of the cutting station <NUM>).

The thermoforming station <NUM> comprises at least an upper and a lower tool <NUM>, <NUM>, movable one respect to the other between an open position and a closed position. During the open position, the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> are distanced and the moulds <NUM> are configured to receive the strips <NUM> coming from the cutting station <NUM>. On the other side, during the close position, the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> are approached or in contact, defining an inner volume for housing and thermoforming the plastic film <NUM>. At least when the upper and lower tools are in the close position, a heating source is configured to increase the temperature of the moulds <NUM>, to allow plastic deformation of the strip <NUM>, which may be and take the shape of the moulds using appropriate suction devices (which attract the film against the wall of the moulds) and/or mechanical system where a male tool portion cooperates with a female tool portion to form the film as desired. In the <FIG> it is shown how at the moulding station <NUM> each film strip <NUM> may be formed into <NUM> connected tray-shaped elements obtaining the plastic supports <NUM>.

The thermoforming station <NUM> may comprise an electric motor or other actuator <NUM>, configured to reciprocally move the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> between the open position and the closed position of the thermoforming station <NUM>.

The cutting procedure performed by the cutting station <NUM> is designed such that the width of the strips <NUM> of plastic film <NUM> is sized to completely cover the longitudinal extension, in the thermoforming direction TD, of the line of moulds <NUM>. In other words, the thermoforming station <NUM> presents a width, measured parallel to the thermoforming direction TD, equal to or lower than the width W of the strips <NUM> of plastic film <NUM>. Similarly, the cutting procedure performed by the cutting station <NUM> is designed such that the length L of the strips <NUM> of plastic film <NUM> is sized to completely cover the lateral extension, perpendicularly to the thermoforming direction TD, of the line of moulds <NUM>. The strip <NUM>, once moved from the cutting station <NUM> to the thermoforming station <NUM>, extends all over the plurality of moulds <NUM>, as clearly shown in <FIG>.

According to the first embodiment, the strip <NUM> is a unique body extending over the plurality of moulds <NUM>: therefore, the plastic supports <NUM> formed by the thermoforming station <NUM> are joined together forming an array of plastic supports or trays <NUM>: according to the configuration proposed in <FIG>, the thermoforming station <NUM> comprises four moulds <NUM>, defining therefore batches of four moulds joined together.

According to an ancillary configuration, the thermoforming station <NUM> may comprise a cutting tool configured for separating the plastic supports <NUM> from one another, e.g., when the upper and lower tools of the thermoforming station <NUM> are in the close position.

Each of the plastic supports <NUM> shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> comprise a bottom wall and a lateral wall emerging from the bottom wall thereby defining a thermoformed tray configured for receiving one or more products P.

The thermoforming station <NUM> may comprise a position sensor <NUM>, associated to the upper and/or to the lower tool <NUM>, <NUM>, and configured for emitting at least a representative signal of the upper or lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> absolute or relative position. In more detail, the position sensor <NUM> is able to evaluate if the thermoforming station <NUM> is in an open or close position and emit a corresponding signal which is received by the control unit <NUM>: the control unit is then configured to use this information in combination with information concerning the status of the other stations, i.e. the supplying station <NUM> and the cutting station <NUM>, in such a way that the sequential working operations are implemented in a synchronized manner by the control unit <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> also comprises a conveyor <NUM>, which includes a first conveying line <NUM> arranged between the cutting station <NUM> and the thermoforming station <NUM>. The first conveying line <NUM> is configured to move the strips <NUM> from the cutting station <NUM> to the thermoforming station <NUM>. According to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the first conveying line <NUM> of the conveyor <NUM> comprises a vacuum plate <NUM> presenting a plurality of openings fluidly communicating with a vacuum source which is configured to define, at least in an apparatus working condition, a pressure at a face of the vacuum plate <NUM> lower than the atmosphere pressure. The low pressure defined on the vacuum plate <NUM> allows the engagement of the strip <NUM> in order to move the latter from the cutting station <NUM> to the thermoforming station <NUM>. In particular, the first conveying line <NUM> moves the strip <NUM> from the cutting station <NUM> over the moulds <NUM> of the thermoforming station <NUM>, at least when the latter is in an open position. The first conveying line <NUM>, may comprise one or more arms connected each other presenting, at an end portion, the vacuum plate <NUM>, and movable from the cutting station <NUM> to the thermoforming station <NUM>.

Note that conveyor <NUM> may also be different from the vacuum plate <NUM> described above: for instance conveyor <NUM> may include side pincers active on the shorter borders of the strip and coordinated by control unit <NUM> to transfer the strip from the cutting station <NUM> to the moulding station <NUM>.

In another possible alternative, for example, the thermoforming station <NUM> may comprise a plurality of upper tools provided with suction holes connectable to a vacuum source and sequentially cooperating with the same lower tool, such that while one of the upper tools is used to pick the strip <NUM> from the cutting station, another upper tool may cooperate with the lower tool and form the trays or supports. Irrespective of its design, the conveyor <NUM> is controlled by the control unit <NUM> and its operation synchronized with that of the supplying station <NUM>, cutting station <NUM> and moulding station <NUM>.

Downstream with respect to the cutting station <NUM> and to the thermoforming station <NUM>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a filling station <NUM> configured for receiving the plastic supports <NUM> coming from the thermoforming station <NUM>, and placing/delivering at least one product on the plastic supports <NUM>. The products can be arranged on the plastic supports <NUM> manually by operators or by automatic means. The filling station <NUM> may be equipped with presence sensors configured to evaluate the position of consecutive plastic supports in order to synchronise the delivery of product P with the presence of a respective plastic support <NUM>. <FIG> shows a schematic and non-limitative representation of the filling station <NUM> according to the present embodiment.

The apparatus may also comprise an additional supplying station <NUM> arranged downstream with respect to the thermoforming station <NUM>, and configured to provide consecutive portions of a top plastic film <NUM> intended to sequentially engage with the plastic supports <NUM> coming from the thermoforming station <NUM>, in order to define a sealed package <NUM> comprising at least one product P. The top plastic film <NUM> supplied by the additional supplying station <NUM> preferably presents different features with respect to the plastic film <NUM> unrolled by the feed roll <NUM> and used to form the trays/supports <NUM> (please see in this respect above sections "The trays or supports" and "The film or film material applied to trays or supports to form a package". Specifically, the plastic film <NUM> of the additional supplying station <NUM> generally has a thickness significantly smaller than the one of the plastic film <NUM> provided by the supplying station <NUM>: in a preferred configuration, the plastic film <NUM> provided by the additional supplying station <NUM> presents a thickness comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>.

In an ancillary configuration, the apparatus <NUM> may not comprise any thermoforming station <NUM> for example if the products are directly positioned on the strip <NUM> which thus acts as a flat support: in this case, the filling station <NUM> is configured for receiving the strips <NUM> by the cutting station <NUM>, and placing/delivering at least one product P on the flat plastic strips <NUM> coming from the cutting station <NUM>. In this ancillary configuration, the additional supplying station <NUM> is arranged downstream with respect to the cutting station <NUM>, and configured to provide consecutive portions of plastic film <NUM> intended to sequentially engage with the strips <NUM> coming from the cutting station <NUM>, in order to define a sealed package <NUM> comprising at least one product P.

In a configuration shown in <FIG>, the additional supplying station <NUM> presents a feed roll <NUM> configured to rotate around a respective unwinding axis B to unroll consecutive portions of top plastic film <NUM> in the form of a continuous web, as schematically shown in <FIG>. The web is unrolled over the plastic supports <NUM> or, in case the apparatus does not comprise any thermoforming station <NUM>, over the strips <NUM>, in order to package the product P.

The additional supplying station <NUM> may comprise a motor (not shown in the attached figures) configured to put in rotation the feed roll <NUM> in order to allow the top plastic film <NUM> to be unrolled by the feed roll <NUM> and to control the plastic film <NUM> delivery. In an alternative configuration, the additional supplying station <NUM> provides consecutive portions of plastic film <NUM> in the form of a plurality of distinct plastic film sheets 9a, wherein each sheet 9a is configured to engage with a respective plastic support <NUM> or with a strip <NUM>, to define a sealed package <NUM> containing the at least one product P. Each sheet 9a is displaced over the plastic supports <NUM> or over the strips <NUM>, in order to package the product P: the displacement may be performed manually or by using a vacuum plate or other transfer device configured for engaging and moving one or more plastic film sheets 9a.

According to a preferred embodiment, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a packaging station <NUM>, schematically shown in <FIG>, configured for closing in a package at least one product P positioned on the plastic supports <NUM> coming from the thermoforming station <NUM>. Therefore, the packaging station <NUM> is arranged downstream with respect to the thermoforming station <NUM> along a machine direction MD of transportation of the plastic supports <NUM> to the packaging station <NUM>: in a possible configuration, the unwinding axis A of the feed roll <NUM> is parallel to the machine direction MD, as shown in <FIG>.

When the apparatus <NUM> does not comprise a thermoforming station <NUM> the packaging station <NUM> may be configured for closing at least one product P positioned on the strip <NUM> (which acts as flat support) coming from the cutting station <NUM>. In this configuration, the packaging station <NUM> directly receives the flat plastic strips <NUM> cut by the cutting station <NUM>, without any thermoforming procedure taking place between cutting and packaging station.

The packaging station <NUM> is also configured for receiving the consecutive portions of the top plastic film <NUM> in the form of a continuous web or in the form of distinct plastic film sheets 9a from the additional supplying station <NUM>: the packaging station <NUM> is configured for packaging the product P, by engaging top the plastic film <NUM> with the strips <NUM> or with the plastic supports <NUM> of plastic film <NUM>.

The packaging station <NUM> may comprise an upper and a lower tool <NUM>, <NUM>, movable one respect to the other between an open position, wherein the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> are spaced apart the one from the other, and a closed position, wherein the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> are approached or in contact, defining an inner close volume. The upper or the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> may comprise a welding head <NUM> configured to engage the continuous web of top plastic film <NUM> or the distinct plastic film sheets 9a provided by the additional supplying station <NUM> with the strips <NUM> or with the plastic supports <NUM> of plastic film <NUM>. The welding head <NUM>, schematically shown in <FIG>, comprises a heating source in order to locally melt and weld the plastic film <NUM> to the strips <NUM> or plastic supports <NUM>, defining a stable and fluid tight engagement.

The packaging station <NUM> may also comprise a vacuum device configured to suck gas from the package <NUM>, locally defining a pressure lower than the atmosphere pressure. In more detail, the vacuum device of the packaging station <NUM> is configured to remove gas (i.e., air) present between the plastic support <NUM> and the plastic film <NUM> of the additional supplying station <NUM>, or in between the strip <NUM> and the plastic film <NUM> of the additional supplying station <NUM>, in order to make a vacuum skin package. The vacuum device may include a hollow needle configured to perforate the plastic support defining holes configured to allow the air to be efficiently removed from inside the plastic support <NUM>.

The packaging station <NUM> may also comprise an electric motor or actuator <NUM>, controlled by control unit <NUM>, and configured to reciprocally move the upper and the lower tool <NUM>, <NUM> of the packaging station <NUM> between the open and the closed position, therefore allowing the plastic supports <NUM> or the strip <NUM> to enter the packaging station <NUM>. The packaging station <NUM> may also comprise a sensor <NUM> configured for emitting a representative signal whether the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> are in a close or open condition and communicatively linked to the control unit which may be configured to control the packaging station and in particular the motor or actuator <NUM> based on the signals coming from the sensor <NUM>.

In the embodiments shown in <FIG>, the conveyor <NUM> comprises a second conveying line <NUM> arranged between the thermoforming station <NUM> and the packaging station <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, and configured to move the plastic support <NUM> from the thermoforming station <NUM> to the packaging station <NUM>, optionally passing through the filling station <NUM> and the additional supplying station <NUM>. In a preferred configuration, the second conveying line <NUM> is configured to move the plastic supports <NUM> parallel to the machine direction MD. According to <FIG>, the second conveying line <NUM> comprises a belt stretching between a first and a second roller configured to guide the belt, defining a conveyor belt on which the plastic supports <NUM> exiting the thermoforming station <NUM> positioned. Note the exit from the thermoforming station may be achieved manually or with the aid of a gripper engaging the supports <NUM> and moving them from the moulds to the second conveying line <NUM>.

If the apparatus <NUM>, in an ancillary configuration, has no thermoforming station <NUM> then the second conveying line <NUM> is configured to move the strips <NUM> from the cutting station <NUM> to the packaging station <NUM>, passing through the filling station <NUM> and the additional supplying station <NUM>.

The conveyor <NUM> comprises an electric motor <NUM> configured to set in motion the second conveying line <NUM>: in particular, the motor <NUM> is connected to the first or second roller of the second conveying line <NUM> in order to put in rotation the rollers and to make the belt advance.

The apparatus may comprise a sensor <NUM> associated to the conveyor <NUM>, and configured for emitting at least a representative signal of a position, speed or acceleration of the conveyor <NUM>: according to a preferred configuration, the sensor <NUM> is associated to the second conveying line <NUM> and is configured to generate a signal relating to a position, a speed or an acceleration of the plastic supports <NUM> or of the strips <NUM> arranged on the second conveying line: the signal from sensor <NUM> is received by control unit <NUM> which is also communicatively connected to sensor <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> may comprise an encoder associated to motor <NUM> or to the conveyor rollers, an optical sensor, a potentiometer, and a variable electric resistance.

Asa we already mentioned, apparatus <NUM> comprises a control unit <NUM>, schematically shown in the attached figures, configured to communicate with the plurality of working stations in order to correctly synchronize the sequential operations described above.

In more detail, the control unit <NUM> is connected with the motor <NUM> of the feed roll <NUM> and to the displacement sensor <NUM> associated to the feed roll <NUM>: the control unit <NUM> is configured to receive the representative signal from the displacement sensor <NUM> and command the motor <NUM> based on said signal.

The control unit <NUM> is also connected to the cutting station <NUM>, optionally to the actuator of the cutting station <NUM>, and configured to command activation or stop of the cutting procedure performed on the unrolled portions of plastic film <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> may also be connected with the motor <NUM> of the thermoforming station <NUM> and to the position sensor <NUM> associated to the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> of the thermoforming station <NUM>: the control unit <NUM> is thus configured to receive the representative signal from the sensor <NUM> and command the motor <NUM> based on said signal to open and close the thermoforming station.

The control unit <NUM> may also be connected with the motor <NUM> of the packaging station <NUM> and to the sensor <NUM> associated to the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> of the packaging station <NUM>: the control unit <NUM> is configured to receive the representative signal from the sensor <NUM> and command the motor <NUM> based on said signal in order to approach or move apart one from the other the tools <NUM> and <NUM> of the packaging station <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> may also be connected with the motor <NUM> of the conveyor <NUM> and to the position sensor <NUM> associated to the conveyor <NUM>: the control unit <NUM> is thus configured to receive the representative signal from the sensor <NUM> and command the motor <NUM> based on said signal.

The control unit may be simultaneously connected to all the working stations present in the apparatus <NUM> receiving the signals by the respective sensors associated to the working stations and commanding the activation or the stop of each operation: in other words, the control unit <NUM> is configured to synchronize the supplying of plastic film <NUM> by the feed roll <NUM> of the supplying station <NUM> with all the subsequent operations, including the cutting, thermoforming, product filling, packaging and transportation procedure.

In a second embodiment schematically shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises the supplying station <NUM> previously described according to the first embodiment: in particular the supplying station <NUM> comprises the feed roll <NUM> and the plastic film <NUM> as previously described. Therefore, all the features related to the supplying station <NUM> and described according the first embodiment are reflected in the second embodiment of the apparatus <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM>, according to the second embodiment, also comprises a cutting station <NUM> configured for carrying out a cutting procedure comprising separating, from an unrolled portion of plastic bottom film <NUM> coming from the feed roll <NUM> of the supplying station <NUM>, a plurality of distinct film sheets <NUM> obtained from a same strip shaped portion <NUM> of plastic film <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. The strip shaped portion <NUM> presents a width W and a length L, respectively measured parallel and perpendicular to the unwinding axis A of the feed roll <NUM>, wherein the width W is larger than the length L. The strip shaped portion <NUM> has a width equal to the width of the portion of plastic film <NUM> unrolled by the feed roll <NUM>. More in detail, the strip shaped portion <NUM> has a width equal to the width of the feed roll <NUM>. According to a preferred configuration, the width W of the strip shaped portion <NUM> is at least twice than the length L thereof. The distinct film sheets <NUM> have a thickness equal to the thickness of the plastic film <NUM> unrolled by the feed roll <NUM>.

In other words, the second embodiment of the apparatus <NUM> differs from the first embodiment for the fact that the cutting station <NUM> is configured to make a plurality of distinct film sheets <NUM> instead of a single strip <NUM>: therefore, the operating stations following the cutting station <NUM> are configured to receive the distinct film sheets <NUM> instead of a single film strip <NUM>.

The cutting station <NUM> comprises a first blade or cutter, here identified as first blade tool <NUM>, and a second blade or cutter, herein identified as second blade tool <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>: the first blade tool may be a single blade extending parallel to roll axis A and covering the entire width of the plastic film <NUM> or a small blade movable parallel to axis A or other tool capable of forming a through cut or a notch extending parallel to axis A. In any case, the first blade tool is configured for sequentially separating strip shaped portions <NUM> from an unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM>, while the second blade tool is configured for making cuts or notches, over the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM>, perpendicularly to the axis A. In particular the second blade tool may include a plurality of tools arranged perpendicular to the axis A and configured for defining, in cooperation with the first blade tool, the plurality of film sheets <NUM> from a same plastic strip shaped portion <NUM>.

In currently preferred configurations shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a plurality of second blade tools <NUM> arranged upstream with respect to the first blade tool <NUM>: in such configuration, the cutting procedure comprises first making, on the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM>, cuts or notches perpendicular to the unwinding axis A by means of the plurality of second blade tools <NUM> to form a plurality of ribbons 3a, and then making further cuts or notches, on the plurality of ribbons 3a, parallel to the unwinding axis A by means of the first blade tool <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> the cutting station <NUM> may also comprise a guide <NUM> configured to offset ribbons 3a such that adjacent ribbons or ribbon portions are arranged on different paths. In practice, the guide cooperates with the second blade tools such that by imposing different trajectories to adjacent ribbons, separation is facilitated and guaranteed. In practice, guide <NUM> is configured to vertically and/or horizontally offset the ribbons 3a such that adjacent ribbons or ribbon portions are arranged on different and non-parallel lying paths. In the example of <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> the guide is configured to vertically offset portions of adjacent the ribbons 3a such that adjacent ribbons take different trajectories at least for a portion of their path thereby, as mentioned, facilitating separation. The guide <NUM> of the example of <FIG> comprises a plurality of adjacent guide members or rollers 15a extending parallel to the unwinding axis A; each guide member or roller 15a is configured to be active on a respective of said ribbons or ribbon portions and is vertically and/or horizontally shifted with respect to an adjacent guide member or roller 15a. In the non-limiting example of <FIG>, the plurality of guide rollers are positioned each one at a vertical height different from the height of the next adjacent roller, with the first and third roller being the same height and the second and fourth roller being at the same height vertically above the first and fourth roller, thereby forming a sequence of vertically alternated rollers. Of course the number of guide rollers is linked to the number of ribbons being formed and thus the fact that <FIG> shows four guide rollers 15a is merely exemplifying. Going back to the cut or notches and to the further cut of notches, it is to be noted that while the cut or notches oriented perpendicular to the unwinding axis A are generally straight, the further cut or notches may be straight (<FIG>) or straight with terminal portions which are either inclined (e.g. at <NUM>° relative to the same straight line) or rounded (e.g. in the form of an arc of circle); consequently, each of the film sheets <NUM> may present the shape of a rectangle or of a square (<FIG>) or the shape of a rectangle or square with rounded corners or with corners formed by a joining edge at an angle (e.g. at <NUM>°) relative to two adjacent sides the film sheet (as shown in <FIG>). The further cuts or notches may be obtained using a blade or a cutter (or first blade tool) <NUM> having straight conformation or operative along a straight line (as shown in <FIG>) or using a blade or cutter <NUM> having a central straight major portion forming a straight cutting segment and opposite end portions forming inclined or curved cutting lines to thereby obtain film sheets in the form of rectangles or squares with rounded or inclined corner regions, as shown in <FIG>; in this second case each blade <NUM> may comprise a single central straight major portion and, at each of the two opposite end portions, two diverging inclined or curved cutting portions to thereby form at each cut the curved of inclined corner regions of adjacent film sheets <NUM>. As it is visible in <FIG> and <FIG>, the further cuts or notches are or have a major portion oriented parallel to the unwinding axis A. In alternative configurations shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises one second blade tool <NUM> arranged downstream with respect to the first blade tool <NUM>: in such a configuration, the cutting procedure comprises first making, on the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM>, cuts or notches parallel to the unwinding axis A by means of the first blade tool <NUM> to form a strip <NUM>, and then making cuts or notches, on the strip <NUM>, perpendicular to the unwinding axis A by means of the second blade tool <NUM> to form the distinct film sheets <NUM>. The cuts or notches parallel to the unwinding axis A, executed by the first blade tool <NUM>, extend along the entire width of the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM>.

In the alternative configuration of <FIG>, <FIG> the strip <NUM> obtained by the first cut parallel to axis A is shifted parallel to the unwinding axis A towards the second blade tool <NUM> according to a stepwise motion, to then execute the cuts perpendicular to axis A. During the stepwise motion, strip <NUM> advances by steps equal to the width of each single film sheet <NUM>. In practice, in the variants shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, cuts or notches parallel to the unwinding axis A are made to form strip <NUM> and then further cuts or notches define the plurality of film sheets on each strip. In accordance with a possible optional form of execution, the shape of each one of said further cuts or notches may be that of a straight line (<FIG>) or that of a straight line with terminal portions which are either inclined (e.g. bevelled at <NUM>° relative to the same straight line) or rounded (e.g. in the form of an arc of circle as shown in <FIG>) such that each of the film sheets <NUM> presents the shape of a rectangle or of a square (<FIG>) or that of a rectangle or square (<FIG>) with rounded corners or with bevelled corners formed by a joining edge at an angle (e.g. at <NUM>°) relative to two adjacent sides the film sheet.

The further cuts or notches may be obtained using a blade or a cutter having straight conformation or operative along a straight line <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) which thus forms straight further cuts or notches and consequently film sheets in the form of perfect rectangles or squares; or a blade or cutter <NUM> having a central straight major portion forming a straight cutting segment and opposite end portions forming inclined or curved cutting lines to thereby obtain film sheets in the form of rectangles or squares with rounded or inclined corner regions, as shown in <FIG>; in this second case each blade <NUM> may comprise a single central straight major portion and, at each end portions) two diverging inclined or curved cutting portions to thereby form at each cut the curved of inclined corner regions of adjacent film sheets <NUM>. It should be noted that the film (which is used to then obtain the trays or supports in the thermoforming station) is relatively thick and rigid and therefore it is particularly advantageous before effecting the further curt or notches perpendicular to the unwinding axis A having first obtained a strip of relatively short length to thereby use a blade or cutter <NUM> which has to carry out relatively short cuts and thus which can operate with reliability without imparting an excessive cutting force particularly when non-straight cuts need to be made (<FIG>).

The apparatus <NUM> may also comprise a thermoforming station <NUM> of a type as previously described for the first embodiment, wherein the plurality of moulds <NUM> are configured to receive the distinct film sheets <NUM> coming from the cutting station <NUM>. In more detail, each mould <NUM> of the thermoforming station <NUM> is configured to receive a respective film sheet <NUM> coming from the cutting station <NUM>. In order to make this possible, the cutting station <NUM> is configured to size the film sheets according to the moulds sizes, in such a way that each single film sheet <NUM> is sized to completely cover the longitudinal and lateral extension of the respective one of moulds <NUM>. Since each mould <NUM> is configured to thermoform a single film sheet <NUM> to make a respective plastic support <NUM>, the thermoforming station <NUM> outputs a plurality of distinct plastic supports <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>.

The apparatus <NUM>, according to the second embodiment, comprises a conveyor <NUM> presenting a first conveying line <NUM> configured to move each one of the plurality of film sheets <NUM> from the cutting station <NUM> to a respective mould in the thermoforming station <NUM>. The first conveying line <NUM> comprises all the elements previously described for the first embodiment: the vacuum plate or a plurality of vacuum plates <NUM> or other transfer devices is/are configured to move the plurality of distinct film sheets <NUM> from the cutting station <NUM> towards the thermoforming station <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> may comprise a packaging station <NUM> configured for receiving plastic supports <NUM> coming from the thermoforming station <NUM>: the thermoforming station <NUM> has the same features as previously described for the first embodiment. In an alternative configuration wherein the apparatus <NUM> has no thermoforming station <NUM>, the packaging station <NUM> is configured to receive the plurality of distinct plastic film sheets <NUM> directly coming from the cutting station <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> according to the second embodiment comprises all the remaining features as previously described in the section related to the first embodiment.

The process steps described below may all be controlled by the control unit <NUM> which is connected to the sensors described above and acts on the respective actuators or motors of the various stations in order to execute the process and process variants described below.

The process comprises a step of unrolling consecutive portions of plastic film <NUM> by turning the feed roll <NUM> around the respective unwinding axis A: the step of unrolling may comprise a step of controlling the motor <NUM> connected to the feed roll <NUM> to achieve a predetermined advancement of the plastic film <NUM>.

The step of unrolling consecutive portions of plastic film <NUM> may also comprise advancing plastic film <NUM> by a length equal to the length of the strips <NUM> or of the strip shaped portion <NUM>.

The process also comprises a step of performing the cutting procedure at the cutting station <NUM> for separating, from a portion of plastic film <NUM> unrolled by the feed roll <NUM>, the strip <NUM> of plastic film <NUM> having a width W and a length L, respectively measured parallel and perpendicular to the unwinding axis A, wherein the width of the strip <NUM> is larger than the length thereof.

Alternatively, the process comprises a step of performing the cutting procedure at the cutting station <NUM> for separating, from an unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM>, a plurality of distinct film sheets <NUM> obtained from a same strip shaped portion <NUM> of plastic film <NUM>. The strip shaped portion <NUM> has a width W and a length L, respectively measured parallel and perpendicular to the unwinding axis A, wherein the width of the strip shaped portion <NUM> is larger than the length thereof. According to a configuration, the cutting procedure performed by the cutting station <NUM> comprises making, on the unrolled portion, at least one cut or notch parallel to the unwinding axis A to obtain a strip <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>: in particular the cut or notch extends along the entire width of the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM>.

The cutting procedure may comprise making on the strip <NUM>, one or more cuts or notches perpendicular to the unwinding axis A of the feed roll <NUM>, to form the plurality of film sheets <NUM>. The step of making the perpendicular cuts may occur after the step of making the parallel cuts as shown in <FIG>.

Alternatively, the process comprises a slightly different cutting procedure in order to obtain the distinct film sheets <NUM>: in particular the cutting procedure comprises making, on the unrolled portion, first one or more cuts or notches perpendicular to the unwinding axis A of the feed roll <NUM> to form the plurality of ribbons 3a (see <FIG>), and then, acting on the plurality of ribbons, making one or more cuts or notches parallel to the unwinding axis A. The parallel cuts or notches extend along the entire width of the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM> to define the plurality of film sheets <NUM>. The step of performing the cutting procedure is triggered by a step of evaluating at least one between an advancement of the plastic film <NUM>, an angular rotation of the feed roll <NUM>, an angular speed of the feed roll <NUM>, an angular acceleration of the feed roll <NUM>. The step of performing the cutting procedure may also be triggered by a step of evaluating the presence of the leading edge of the unrolled portion of plastic film <NUM> at a target position. Once the unrolled portion presents a predetermined length or once the leading edge of the unrolled portion reaches the target position, the step of performing the cutting procedure starts.

The process also comprises a step of moving the strip <NUM> or the plurality of film sheets <NUM> from the cutting station <NUM> to the thermoforming station <NUM> by a first conveying line <NUM>. The step of moving the strip <NUM> or the plurality of film sheets <NUM> may comprise the step of defining a pressure lower than the atmosphere pressure at a vacuum plate of the first conveying line <NUM>, in order to allow the vacuum plate to engage with the strip <NUM> or the plurality of film sheets <NUM>.

According to a preferred configuration, the process comprises a step of thermoforming the strip <NUM> or each sheet of the plurality of distinct film sheets <NUM> by means of the plurality of moulds <NUM> of the thermoforming station <NUM>. The thermoforming step defines the plurality of plastic supports <NUM>. The thermoforming step comprises a step of moving the upper and the lower tools <NUM>, <NUM> of the thermoforming station <NUM> from the open position, wherein the strips <NUM> or the plurality of film sheets <NUM> are allowed to enter the thermoforming station <NUM>, to the close position, wherein the strips <NUM> or the plurality of film sheets <NUM> are subjected to the thermoforming step.

The process may comprise a step of moving the plastic supports <NUM> from the thermoforming station <NUM> to the packaging station <NUM>, through the additional supplying station <NUM> and the filling station <NUM>, by the second conveying line <NUM>.

The process also comprises a step of sequentially placing one or more products P on the plastic supports <NUM> at the filling station <NUM>: this step is synchronized with the movement of the plastic supports <NUM> transported by the second conveying line <NUM>, such that when a plastic support <NUM> is at the filling station <NUM>, the step of placing a product on the plastic support <NUM> is triggered. Alternatively, in the apparatus configuration wherein the apparatus <NUM> does not comprise any thermoforming station <NUM>, the filling station <NUM> carries out the step of placing products directly over the strip <NUM> or over the distinct film sheets <NUM> coming from the cutting station <NUM>.

The process may also comprise a step of supplying top plastic film <NUM> at the additional supplying station <NUM>, wherein this step comprises either providing distinct film sheets 9a of plastic film <NUM> or unrolling a continuous web of plastic film from the feed roll <NUM> of the additional supplying station <NUM>.

The process may also comprise a step of packaging at least one product P positioned on at least one between the strip <NUM>, distinct film sheets <NUM> or plastic supports <NUM>. The step of packaging comprises a step of engaging at least one between the strip <NUM>, distinct film sheets <NUM> or plastic supports <NUM> with the plastic film <NUM> provided by the additional supplying station <NUM>, defining the sealed package <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An apparatus (<NUM>) for manufacturing plastic supports (<NUM>) and/or packages (<NUM>), the apparatus comprising:
a supplying station (<NUM>) comprising a roll support (1a) configured to receive a feed roll (<NUM>) and to rotate the feed roll (<NUM>) around a respective unwinding axis (A) to unroll consecutive portions of plastic film (<NUM>);
a cutting station (<NUM>) configured for carrying out a cutting procedure comprising separating, from an unrolled portion of plastic film (<NUM>) coming from the feed roll (<NUM>),
either
a strip (<NUM>) of plastic film (<NUM>) having a width, measured parallel to the unwinding axis (A), and a length, measured perpendicular to the unwinding axis (A), wherein the width of said strip (<NUM>) is larger than the length of the same strip (<NUM>);
or
a plurality of distinct film sheets (<NUM>) obtained from a same strip shaped portion (<NUM>) of plastic film (<NUM>), said strip shaped portion (<NUM>) having a width, measured parallel to the unwinding axis (A), and a length, measured perpendicular to the unwinding axis (A), wherein the width of said strip shaped portion (<NUM>) is larger than the length of the same strip shaped portion (<NUM>);
and
a thermoforming station (<NUM>) comprising a plurality of adjacent moulds (<NUM>) configured for:
receiving the strips (<NUM>) or the plurality of distinct film sheets (<NUM>), and
thermoforming said strips (<NUM>) or said plurality of distinct film sheets (<NUM>) in order to form a plurality of plastic supports (<NUM>),
wherein the apparatus further comprises a packaging station (<NUM>) configured for closing in a package (<NUM>) at least one product (P) positioned on at least one between said strips (<NUM>), film sheets (<NUM>) or plastic supports (<NUM>);
characterized in that the packaging station (<NUM>) is arranged downstream with respect to the thermoforming station (<NUM>) along a machine direction (MD) of transportation of the plastic supports (<NUM>) to the packaging station (<NUM>); and
wherein the unwinding axis (A) of the feed roll (<NUM>) is parallel to said machine direction (MD).