Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02135297 2004-05-04
1
MULTIPLE PACKAGE FORMING AND FILLING MACHINE
Background of the Invention.
The field of the invention pertains to machines that automatically form
packages from flat blanks, fill the packages with a liquid or highly viscous
material, seal the package and discharge the sealed packages for visual
inspection. In particular, the invention pertains to the formation of packages
from laminated and coated cardboard blanks to produce a complete sealed
and sufficiently sterile enclosure for food items, the packages incorporating
integral tear-off tops.
Examples of the packages to which the machines are intended are
disclosed in U.S. Pat.4,717,046 and German invention document DE
3143671 A1 wherein a separable tongue or top may be torn off fo provide the
dispensing outlet for the package, however, the disclosure below is not
limited
to the particular packages disclosed in these publications.
As a further example ~a~'erence is made to the package with a
replaceable tear-off top disclo5cd in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,157
wherein laminated flat blanks are formed into packages. In ti-,~s
disclosure the tear-off top is configured and sealed in a manner that pe~mrts
the top to be replaced over the dispensing outlet after it is torn off.
- U.S. Pat. 3,382,644 illustrates a bag forming and filling machine. In
this machine the bags or packages after forming on a separate apparatus are
raised on fixtures to insert nozzles of the filling apparatus into the
packages
and the packages are filled before the packages are again lowered. Belgian
invention publication No. 547082 discloses a package forming and filling
sequence wherein the packages are formed by folding a blank up around an
upper mandrel.. The package rests on a second mandrel through aside sealing
station and a filling station, the upper mandrel having been withdrawn to
permit filling. The open top formed packages are filled from hoppers that
travel with the packages. The hoppers have filling tubes depending therefrom
which enter the packages during the filling operation.
Belgian invention publication No. 538036 discloses the use of an
upper former or mandrel that drives a blank down into a die. As the bottom
~ or~ion of the blank ~s dr~v~n davMtl iritfl the c~i~ ~~d the ~d~kige Sides
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WO 93/210?0 P~flUS931033d4
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partially folded up toward the upper former, a lower former or mandrel moves
up into the die to meet the package bottom. The two formers then proceed
downward through the die to form the package. Below the die the package
proceeds between rotating side sealers and the formers retract allowing the
side sealed package to be blown into a chute as it drops from the side
sealers.
The machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. 4,669,253 forms a package similar
to the Belgian disclosures, however, this disclosure provides two significant
differences. Firstly, the bottom forming surfaces of the upper and lower
mandrel are complementary and the edges of these surfaces register with the
1tD upper edges of the die cavity to form the package sidewalls by defining
pronounced boundaries between the clamped bottom portion of the package
- blank and the adjacent outer portions of the package blank. To accomplish
these pronounced boundaries, the curvature of the upper edges of the die
cavity matches the curvature of the edges of the complementac~r former
surfaces. In the -forming cycle the formers come together at exactly the top
edge of the die cavity with the package black therebetween before descending
through the die cavity.
Secondly, in U.S. Pat. 4,669,253 the package blank is driven through
the die and into a fixture. The fixture is indexed from station to station for
2tJ sealirfg the package sides; filling the package and top sealing the
package.
The package is raised from the fixture for side sealing and again raised from
the fixturd fir filling the package: The package is pushed through the fixture
and supported from the bottom for top s~~ling and discharge from the
machine below the fixture.
U.S. Pat. 4;252;052 discloses a similar package forming machine,
however, this crra~chine differs in three significant Mrays. First, this
machine
lacks ~ lower farmer or mandrel. Second, the cower die comprises two
~opp~sed downwardly curving plates that are completely open to allow the
package edges to remain apart; Third; the package edges are air heated to
activate the sealant before the edges are clamped together: The air heater is
inserted between the package edges before the edges are clamped together.
The formation ~f pouch type packages from coated paper board
blanks requires careful and accurate folding and sealing. The open package
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must then be transported for dosing or filling with product and finally
positioned for sealing of the filled package. With a view toward avoiding
unnecessary movement of the package through the forming, filling and sealing
cycle, applicant has developed the machine and method disclosed below.
,~ummar~r of the In~,~n_t~ion.
The invention corroprises a step by step method of forming packages
or containers from blanks; heat seating the sides of the packages and
depositing the packages in fixtures, retaining the packages in the fixtures
during dosing of the packages mvith product, heat seating the tops of the
packages and ejecting the packages from the fixtures. The formed packages
remain in the fixtures from first placement therein until filled and
completely
sealed thereby greatly simplifying a complex package forming, filling and
seating procedure on an autorel~tic machine.
In forming the package; a blank is placed on a tray above a forming
die and positioned with the center ~f the blank spaced above the die and
bellow an upper reciprocable maradraal or former. A second mandrel ~r former
ascends to meet the center of the blank above the die and together with the
descent of the upper mandrel drarnr the blank down into the die opening. The
mandrels drive the blank center down into the die causing the blank sides to
fold upwardly. .
With the blank drawn down fully into the die, the mandrels hesitate
momentarily as heated elements enter vertical apertures in the sides of the
die
and heat seat the sides of tae blank together to form an open top package.
The m~r~drels then resume the downward movement through the die
tb deposit the ~acl~ges in a fixture. Once deposited in a fixture, the package
remains in the fixture end is indexed from station to station until filled and
the
top sealed.
The filling station bottom fiil~ the open packages by dosing each
package pith a measured amodnt of liquid or paste tike product. VI/ith
siroultane~us dosing ~f a pl~rr~iity of packages in a plura9ity of fixtures
each
package is fed by ~n adjust~bie stoke belt~ws purr~p. Normally alt of the
bellows pumps ~ritt be adjusted for squat d~sages, however, the machir ~ is
capable of simultan~usiy filling differing amounts into packages in separate
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fixtures. A single hopper feeds a manifold in turn directly connected with
tubes to the bellows pumps. The bellows pumps in turn are connected with
tubes to filling tubes that bottom feed the packages.
Although applicable to almost any liquid product from the thin and
5 watery to very thick viscous pastes, the adjustable dosing apparatus is
particularly suited to products that must be packaged essentially
contamination
free such as food items, creams and lotions, and medicinal items. The dosing
apparatus and entire machine is particularly suited for clean room operation.
t~f particular advantage, the hopper and manifold merely rest in the
machine on brackets from which they can be easily lifted and disassembled
for cleaning. The flexible connecting tubes are smooth walled plastic and the
filling tubes smooth walled metal tubes that merely rest in a vertically
movable
carrier. As with the hopper and manifold, the tubes can be disassembled for
cleaning and reassembled without tools. The bellows pumps with check
valves likewise can be removed from the machine without tools, however,
because the bellows and check valves can not so easily be thoroughly
cleaned, they are made from inexpensive plastic and are discarded to prevent y
any contamination with product changes.
Since the dosing apaaratus may be used for products sensitive to
degradation with time when exposed to the environment, ease of disassembly,
cleaning and reassembiy is paramount to the reduction of downtime. Product
never contacts any complex moving mechanical parts and the dosing
apparatus may be cleaned as often as necessary. The machine with this
particular dosing apparatus is particularly suitable for contract packages who
frequently change from cane product ran to a different product for the next
run.
Under such circumstances prevention a~ contamination by a previous product
is paramount.
The open but filled package is indexed to a top sealing or closure
station where an eject~r ~r ~nv~l raoses the package in the fixture to expose
the
3~ top for heat sealing. Upon heat sealing the ejector further raises the
package
from the fixture into an unloading station wherein the package slides down a
chute in full view of an operator for inspection purposes prior to discharge
from the rraachine.
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The machine is capable of high production rates with short downtimes
for cleaning and change of product. The package, upon being formed follows
a simpler less complicated path than the nearest previous similar machines
and therefore presents fewer mechanical problems with off size blanks and
5 packages. ..
~es~crintion of th,~ i~r,~evin~s.
FIG. i is a schematic plan view of the stations for the machine;
FiG. 2 schematically illustrates the movement of flat package blanks .
from the loading station into the forming station;
i 0 FIG. 2a illustrates the shape of a flat package blank;
FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the lower portion of a pair of
-. package forming units;
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the Gower portion of a package
forming unit;
FIGs. 5a; 5b, 5c and 5d illustrate schematically the package forming
sequence at the f~rming station;
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a fixture and package;
FIG: 7 is a partial perspective view of the fixture arm at an
intermediate sensing station;
2t? FIG. ~ is ~ schematic view of the filling apparatus at the filling station
with a filling tube inserted sn a package;
FIG. 9 i~ a schematic view of the filling nozzle retracted above the
package; x
FIG. 1 tD is a schervsatic view of the suck back rr,echanism taken in the
direction 1 tD-10~ in FIG. 8;
FIG: 1 i is a schematic view of the adjustable pumping mechanism for
the ~Bling apparatus;
FIG. 72 is a schematic view of the beginning of the package ejection
from the fixture at the ~r~al sealing station;
3~ FIG. i3. is a schematic view ~f the final sealing of the package;
FtG. 14 is a schematic view of the package elevating track; and
FIG. 15 is a schematic view of the package inspection chute.
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~~scr6ption of the Preferred Ernbodimen~
In FIG. 'I as shown the floor plan of the packaging and filling machine
is a square 20. Within the plan is a motor driven index drive turntable 22
having twelve arms 24 extending radially therefrom. Each of the twelve
arms 24 supports a plurality of package retaining fixtures disclosed below. At
each index cycle of the index drive 22 the arms 24 move one-twelfth of a full
rotation.
Above the rotating arms 24 and fixtures are located the three principal
stations, in particular, the package forming station 26, the filling station
28 and
the fine! sealing station 30. ~ In addition; a loading station 32 for package
blanks and an unloading station 34 for the inspection of filled packages
adjoin
-- the forming station 26 and the final sealing station 30 respectively. Two
separate sensor stations are included at locations separate from those above.
The sensor station at 36 senses for formed open packages in each fixture
location b~f~re the arm 24' rotates into the filling station 28. The sensor
station at 38 senses fvr empty fixtures beford the arm 24" rotates into the
farming station 26.
In FIG. 2 the loading mechanism and sequence is shown comprising
a tilted 'chute 4U stacked with a quantity of package blanks 42. Within the
chutQ 40 is a weight 44 on rollers 46 that rests against the stack of blanks
42
so that they move down the chute 40 in proper arientation for feeding to the
forming station 26. The forwardmost blank 48 is retained at the end of the
chute by small iab~ or edges on the end of the chute 40 such that blank 48
can be grasped by suction cups SQ on the grabber 52.
The grabber 52 moves over end up as indicated by arrow 54, grasps
the bBahk ~91~ with the action cups 50 and then retracts back, down and ''
horiz~n~,ally to the right as indicated by arrow 56: FIG. 2a shows the shape
~f the blanks 4~ with tabs 58 at each end that wentuaily form the dispensing
~c~tlet and tear-off top ~f the package. The central porti~n of the blank 48
as
' ipdicated at 6~ eventually f~rms the bottom of the package:
4Zeturning to FI~. 2. the grabber 52 includes an embossing or
imprinting ~rheel 62 ~rhi~h with air cylinder and paston rod 64 causes a
serial
number ~r ielentifi~ation number to be added to the central portion 60 of the
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WO 93/2107 Pt,'I'/US93/03344
7
blank 48. With the blank in this position a rotator 66 having a gripper 68
grips the blank 48 and retains the blank in a vertical position as the
grabber 52 retracts to the left and upwardly. The gripper 68 is rotatable into
gripping position as indicated by the arrow 70 and grasps the lower one of the
tabs 58 on the blank 48.
iNith the grabber 52 cleared, the rotator 66 moves with the blank 48
as indicated by arrow 1~ to place the blank 48 horizontally above the forming
tray 74 in the forming station 26. The blank 48 is then lowered onto the
tray ~4, the gripper 68 disengaged from the blank 48 and the rotator 66
retracted to its former position. Pins '6 are located on the tray 74 to either
side of the tab 58 that had been in the gripper 68. At the other end of the
-- blank 48 a pair of wires 78 rotatable as indicated by arrow 80 engage the
blank 48 to either side ~f tab 58 and push the blank 48 into engagement with
the pins 76 thereby properly piecing the blank 48 in the tray 74 for the y
package forming ~peration.
In FtGs. 3; 4~, 5 and 6 the package forming and fixture loading process
occurs at station 26. tn FIGs3 and 4 two parallel trays 74 are illustrated
with
the pins 76 and wires 78. The tray 74 is generally open at 82 to provide
clearance for the gripp~r 68 as the blank 48 is placed on the tray. And, the
2l~ tray 74 bottom is- fully apen transversely at the center 84 to provide an
aperture lading to the forming die 86 therebelow. The die cavity 88 is
~~nerally oblong with slots 90 to each side. At the top the die 86 is
generally
curved in a smo~th n iartner to guide the 6iank 48 into the die. Beneath each
tray 74 and upper porti~n bf the die 86 are dual opposed heated sealers 94
that are actuated'by air cylinders 96 to seal the edges ~f the package. The
sealers ~4 enter and retract through slots 98 in the dig 8fi as shown in FIG.
5
to squeeze the edges of the package together and seal them.
in FIG. 5 'the seqqersce of forsviing the package and placing the
package in a fixture is shown: In FiG. 5a the dank 48 is lying in the tray 74
spaced above the die caviler 8~. The lower mandrel 100 is ascending and the
upper r~~ndrel 1 ~2 is descending: V~ith the ioenrgr mandrel i 00 at the top
of
its stroke partially above the top ~f-the die cavity arid dust below the blank
48
on the tray 74, the upper mandrel ~ 02 forces the center 60 of the blank 48
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down against the top 104 of the lower mandrel 100. The bottom 60 of the
package is formed by the complementary bottom 105 of the upper
mandrel 102 against the top 104 of the lower mandrel. With the bottom 60
of the package trapped between the mandrels i 00 and 102, the mandrels
descend into the die cavity 88 drawing the blank 48 with them as shown in
FIG. 5b. The sides 106 of the package are driven upwardly against the upper
mandrel 102 by the action of the mandrels i 00 and 102 in driving the
bottom 60 of the package down into the die cavity 88 in conjunction with the
smoothly curved upper edges 108 of the die cavity 88. The sides of the lower
mandrel 102 are partially flattened at 103. The two mandrels 100 and i 02
may suitably be actuated by air cylinders (not shown).
- The two mandrels 100 and 102 carry the package blank 48 down
fully int~ the die cavity 88 to the hesitation position shown in FIG. 5c. The
edges of the package are thereby aligned with the slots 98 whereupon the heat
i 5 sealers 94 are actuated to enter the slots 98 and heat seal the package
edges
together. The heat sealers 94 are mounted on springs 1 i 0 to self align and
thereby provide a more even seal on the package edges.
Upon retractian of the heat sealers 94 the downward motion of the
mandrels 100 and 102 resumes until the package, now denoted 61, is
ZO deposited in the fixture l i 2 atop an arm 24 as shown in EtG. 5d. The
lower
mandrel 10~ further descends as shown to clear the arm 24. With the
package, 61 deposited in the fixture 112, the upper mandrel 102 ascends to
char the arm 24, package 61 and fixture 112 and further to clear the tray 74
and rotating moti~n of the blink 48 shown in FlG. 2.
25 It is importar~t'to note that the pat"kage 61 once deposited as shown
in FIG. 5d and FIG. 6 taasnains in fhe fixture 112 through the filling station
28
and into the sealing stati~n 30. It is also important to note that while
w described above generally in terms of one package forming unit and loading
unit, in most ~embodime~nts a plurality of units at each station are employed
so
30 that several identical oper~tic~ns are produced in parallel at each
station. In
the prototype rrtachine seven fixtures 1 i 2 are mounted in-line on each arm
24.
bet each station including fhe Toad 32 and unload 34 stations seven operations
pr~ceed in parallel. ~
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In FIG. 7 intermediate sensing station 36 comprises a plurality of
sensors 114 that each check for a package 61 in the fixture 112 thereabove.
1n the event that a package is absent, the subsequent filling unit at station
28
for that particular fixture is temporarily disabled to prevent spillage,
however,
the machine continues to operate. A similar plurality of sensors 114 are
located at sensor station 38, however; the fixtures are normally empty at this
portion of the cycle. In the event that a package v~ras not discharged at the
final sealing statian 30, a sensor 114 at station 38 stops the machine until
an
operetor can empty the fixture.
Turning to the filling station 28 illustrated in FIG. 8 is a hopper 116
for the supply of filling product or material to be supplied to the individual
- packages 61 therebelow: The hopper 116 is connected with a circumferential
quick disconnect chmp 118 to a manifold 120 having a plurality of orifice
tubes 122. The orifice tubes 122 in turn are each connected through plastic
tubes 124 to bellows pumps 126: The outlets of the bellows pumps 126
cammunicate through plastic tubes 128 with filling tubes 130. As shown the
filling tubes 13~ aye fully lowered into the packages 61 through the open
tops 132. C?nly pne pumping and ~Iling circuet is shown although as indicated
by the number of orifice tubes 122 shown on the manifold 120 seven are
intended and seven paekag~s 61 are f<lled simultaneously.
A squeezing stroke'of the bellows pumps 126 causes a measured dose
of product to be expelled from the filling tubes ~ 30 into the packages 61 as
the filling tubes 130 acre raised upwardly: Thus; product is bottom fed to the
packages 61. To accomplish the filling stroke, the filling tubes 130 are
regained in vertically movable frame member 734 and the Bo~nrer portions of
fhe tubes 128 grasped in t'he vertically movable frame 136. 1'hus, in FIG. 8
a filling taabe 1 ~0 is shovorn iry its lowermost position and in FIG. 9 in
its
upperrn~st positi~n.
t~ hown in fits: 8 and 9 the pa~k~ges 61 are vertically positioned
in the fixtures 112 on the arms 24. lr~ their uppermost position the filling
tubes 130 clear the package tops 132 to permit the f0xtures 112 on the arm 24
to index out and the next arm 24 with the next set of fixtures 112 and empty
packages 61 to index in beneath the filling tubes 130.
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Intermediate the lowermost position and the uppermost position on
the upward filling stroke, the bellows pump 126 completes the product
expulsion stroke. To control or eliminate drip or creep of excess product from
the tips of the filling tubes 130, the plastic tubes 128 are grasped between
5 frame members 138 and 140 as best shown in FIG. 10. Frame member 140
is movable relative to frame member 138 to squeeze shut plastic tubes 128
upon completion of the product expulsion stroke by~the bellows pumps 126.
A plurality air cylinders 142 are employed to provide even squeezing of ofl
tubes 128 by member 140 thus terminating flow of product. The air cylinders
10 142 react against frame members 144 and the entire assembly raises and
lowers with the filling tubes 1 ~0:
With the beginning of the expansion stroke of the bellows pumps 126,
the outlet valves within the b~llovvs pumps close sealing the upper ends of
the
tubes 128. With the tubes 128 thus sealed the air cylinders 142 open the
frame members 138 end 140 cau5ir~g a slight momentary suction or "suck
back" in the filling tubes 130 and thereby ~ontrotling or preventing drip or
creep of product from the tips of the 811in~ tubes 130. Section is maintained
merely by the viscosity arvd surface tension of the product until the filling
tubes 130 are agaih lowered info empty packages to repeat the filling cycle.
In FiG. 11 the mechanism for actuating a bellows pump 126
comprises an adjustable stroke air cylinder 146 v~rherein the piston rod 148
engages a lever arm tip 150 and arm 152. The arm 152 rotates about a
fulcrum 154 with a pump rod 156 attached at the end opposite the air
cylinder 146: Affixed to the upper end of tfie; pump rod 156 is an internally
thrasaded cap 158. The bellows pump 126 base is threaded into the cap 158.
Inset tube 124 and outlet tubs 128 are connected to the bellows pump 126
through internal' inlet poppet valve 160 and internal outlet poppet valve 162.
~'ihus, the adjustable stroke of the air'cylinder piston reed 148 adjusts the
stroke
o~ the bellodvs pump 26 and the quantity ~f produet dispensed. An
extension 164 affixed to the lever arm tip 150 reciprocates between a pair of
pr~nxi~it~r seris~rs 166 arid 168 to sense the operation of the bellows pump
126. These sensors 1 X66 and 168 indicate if no dose of product has been fed
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to a package. The mechanism illustrated in FIG. 11 is repeated for each of the
bellows pumps 126 at filling station 28.
The filling station 28 apparatus is particularly suited to ease of
disassembly, cleaning and reassembly of all parts contacted by product. The
hopper 116, manifold 120 and clamp 118 are constructed of stainless steel.
The tubes 124 and 128 are constructed of a flexible food grade plastic such
as polyethylene and internally smooth. The filler tubes 130 are straight
smooth walled stainless steel with no internal changes in cross-section.
Collars 170 are affixed to the filler tubes 130 to retain the tubes 130 in
holes
in frame member 134. The plastic tube 124 and 128 connections are sued
for frictional engagement with the manifold orifice tubes 122 and the filling
-- tubes 130 as well as ~rvith the bellows pump 126 inlet and outlet. The
hopper ..
116 and manifmld 120 rest in brackets 172.
Thus, for change of product cleaning the plastic tubes 124 and 128
are slipped off, the hopper 116 acid manifold 120 are lifted out of the
brackets
172 and disconnected at clamp 118. The bellows pump 126 is unscrewed
from the cap 158 and the filling tubes 130 are lifted from the holes in the
frame member 134:
The bellows pump 126 and valves 160 and 162, having product
contacting areas difficult to clean, are constructed of inexpensive plastics
and
discarded. The plastic tubes 124 and 128 may be cleaned or discarded as
desired and the remaining stainless steel hopper 116, manifold 120 and filling
tubes 130 cleaned. No coanplicated drive, adjusting or sensing devises
con~ct product, therefore they need not be disasser»bled, cleaned or
discarded. Turn-around time for changes in product are greatly decreased in
comparison with prior art machines wherein disassembly, cleaning and
reassembly require many h~urs of machine downtime.
As shown in F9G: 12 in final sealing station 30 each package 61 in a
fixture 112 located on en arm 24 is contacted from the bottom by an
ascending ejector 1 ?4. The ejector 174 moves the package 61 upwardly
partially out of the fixture 112 end then hesitates in the position shown in
FIG.
13. ~ pair of heated package sealers 176 clamp the top 178 of the package
61 together to complete the sealed package. As shown the package sealers
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176 include shaped squeezing dies 180 to provide a tight bond about the top
178 of the package including sealing the tabs 58 together. Each pair of heated
package sealers 176 is driven by a pair of air cylinders (not shown) in the
' same manner as the heated sealers 94 at station 26.
With the completion of the top sealing the ejectar 174 continues its
ascent fully ejecting the sealed package 61 from the fixtures 112. The
package 61 is pushed up into a vertical track 182 in the unloading station 34
as shown in FIG. 14. The package 61 continues up the track 182 into the
rotatable tracks 184 as shown. As the ejector 174 begins its descent, the
rotatable tracks tilt as indicated by arrow 186 in FIG. 15 and with a nudge
from an air nozzle 188 the package 61 begins its descent as indicated at 190.
The package 61 slides down a-chute 192 and queues against a rotatable stop
194 for easy visual inspection before release into a carton 196. In the
prototype embodiment of this machine the seven chutes can be easily
watched by the machine oper~~or and packages visually checked.
The arm 24 indexes with empty fixtures 112 into station 38 wherein
sensors similar to those at station 3b check for packages not ejected at
station
30. In the event a. package has not been ejected the indexing of the
packaging machine is halted to provide access for the operator to remove the
package and restart the machine.
