EP0773161B1 - Machine for thermoforming, filling and hermetic closing of plastic containers having a multiplicity of compartments - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a machine for thermoforming, filling and sealing of plastic containers comprising at least two compartments for receiving products different, such as food products.

There are machines of this type, in which the dosages of the products in the container compartments and closures therefor compartments are made in several stages, by example by dosing a product in first container compartments, closing of these compartments, dosing of another product in others container compartments and closure of others compartments, to prevent any of the dosed products from come and contaminate the other. However, the means used for this purpose are relatively complex and unsuitable for the production of groups or "packs" of containers, in particular when the container compartments are closed by individual lids or covers, or they are implemented on machines making it possible to dose a produced in the first compartments of the containers, to close these compartments and to cut out the containers or groups of containers to separate them from each other others, then to dose another product within second container compartments and close these second compartments (see for example EP-A-0611695).

To prevent a product dosed in a compartment could contaminate another product already dosed in another compartment of the same container or a neighboring container it was also proposed to establish barriers or air curtains between the compartments by a game of controlled overpressures and depressions but these means are ineffective and are moreover very delicate to regulate and control.

The object of the invention is to avoid disadvantages of known systems and to group on a all the means to dose different products in different compartments thermoformed containers and seal tightly these compartments while avoiding any risk of mutual contamination of the dosed products.

• des moyens prévus entre les moyens de dosage de premier produit et les moyens de fermeture étanche des premiers compartiments pour amener une première bande ou partie de bande au dessus de la file des premiers compartiments en vue de leur fermeture,
• des moyens prévus en amont des moyens de dosage de second produit pour éloigner une seconde bande ou partie de bande de la file des seconds compartiments en vue du dosage de second produit,
• et des moyens agencés entre les moyens de dosage de second produit et les moyens de fermeture des seconds compartiments pour amener ladite seconde bande ou partie de bande au-dessus de la file des seconds compartiments en vue de leur fermeture,

   et en ce que les moyens de découpe pour séparer les récipients ou les groupes de récipients du film de matière thermoplastique sont situés en aval des moyens de dosage et de fermeture étanche des compartiments.To this end, it offers a thermoforming, filling and sealing machine for plastic containers, each comprising at least two compartments intended to receive different products such as food products for example, means for thermoforming the containers in a film of thermoplastic material, means for metering at least a first product in the first compartments of the containers, means for sealing the first compartments, means for metering at least a second product in the second compartments of the receptacles, means for sealing these second compartments, sealing means for separating receptacles or groups of receptacles from the film of thermoplastic material and means for guiding at least one strip of flexible and impermeable material intended to form covers or lids for closing the aforementioned compartments, said compartments form ant parallel rows of compartments in the machine, characterized in that the guide means comprise:

• means provided between the means for metering the first product and the means for sealing the first compartments to bring a first strip or part of the strip above the line of the first compartments for closing,
• means provided upstream of the second product metering means for moving a second strip or part of the strip away from the line of second compartments for the purpose of metering the second product,
• and means arranged between the means for dosing the second product and the means for closing the second compartments to bring said second strip or part of the strip above the line of the second compartments for closing,

and in that the cutting means for separating the containers or groups of containers from the film of thermoplastic material are located downstream of the metering and sealing means for the compartments.

The invention therefore makes it possible, on a machine to thermoforming, filling and closing of containers, to dose different products in compartments different from the containers and ensure their closure waterproof by means of one or more strips of material flexible and waterproof which pass over guiding means individuals allowing the recovery and closing of compartments in which a first product is already dosed, before another product is dosed in other compartments of the same containers.

In a first embodiment, the machine also includes means for longitudinally cutting a aforementioned strip in at least two parallel strips which serve respectively to seal compartments different from the aforementioned containers.

These means of longitudinal strip cutting are arranged upstream of the aforementioned guide means.

The machine can then include means for support of a tape reel and deflection rollers which are arranged between the coil or the cutting means and the aforementioned guide means.

In another embodiment of the invention, the machine comprises at least two coils of strip arranged to unwind parallel strips intended respectively when closing different compartments of the aforementioned containers.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the machine comprises, upstream and at the level means for metering the second product, means for lifting at least one longitudinal edge of a strip above to free access to the second compartments containers.

The part of the strip which is thus raised for the dosage of the second product is then reduced to the second containers for sealing.

In general, the invention allows integrate on a thermoforming machine, filling and closing of means containers avoiding any risk of mutual contamination of different products dosed in compartments different from the containers and also allowing a tight closure of these compartments without discontinuity in moving or advancing the containers on the machine.

La figure 1 représente très schématiquement une machine selon l'invention ;

Les figures 2 et 3 sont des vues de côté et de dessus respectivement d'une première forme de réalisation des moyens de dosage et de fermeture selon l'invention ;

Les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues de côté et de dessus respectivement d'une autre forme de réalisation de ces moyens ;

Les figures 6 à 12 représentent schématiquement des variantes de réalisation de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood and other characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, given by way of example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 very schematically represents a machine according to the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are side and top views respectively of a first embodiment of the metering and closing means according to the invention;

Figures 4 and 5 are side and top views respectively of another embodiment of these means;

Figures 6 to 12 schematically represent alternative embodiments of the invention.

The machine of Figure 1 comprises means for supporting a reel 10 of thermoplastic film 12 and means for guiding and moving the film step by step 12 in a container thermoforming station 14 each comprising at least two adjacent compartments intended to receive different products such as example that dairy products on the one hand and dry products on the other hand, the mixture of which must not be realized that by the consumer, the compartments correspondents of successive containers being aligned by type of product to be received alongside the direction of movement of the film 12. The post of thermoforming 14 is followed by a 16 metering station minus a first product in first compartments containers, a station 18 for sealing these first compartments, a dosing station 20 of a second product in the second compartments of containers, a station 22 for sealing second compartments and a cutting station 24 used to deliver groups at the machine outlet or "packs" 26 of containers or possibly individual containers.

The watertight closure of the compartments of containers is secured by tape or film 28 of flexible and waterproof material unwound from a reel 30 carried by suitable means of the machine and passing on idler rollers 32 which bring this strip 28 above the thermoformed containers, between station 16 for dosing the first product and the closing station 18 of the first compartments of the containers.

In the embodiments of the invention which are described and represented in the drawings, in particular in FIGS. 2 to 5, the thermoformed containers each have two transverse compartments aligned with respect to the direction of travel of containers in the machine, these two compartments being of different sizes. In addition, two rows containers are thermoformed in the film 12, with an arrangement which is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the film 12, as can be seen in Figures 3 and 5.

Of course, the invention also applies in cases where the containers are formed differently in film 12, and in cases where the containers include more than two compartments intended to receive different products.

In Figures 2 and 3 which represent a first embodiment of the invention, we find the means 16 for dosing at least a first product in the first compartments 34 of the containers 36, the station 18 for watertight closure of the first compartments 34, station 20 for dosing at least one second product in the second compartments 38 of the containers, the station 22 for closing the second compartments of containers, the reel 30 of flexible and waterproof tape 28 used to close the container compartments and the deflection rollers 32 on which the strip passes 28 to arrive between the dosing station 16 of the first product and station 18 closing the first container compartments.

In this embodiment, the machine also includes means 40 for longitudinal cutting of the strip 28, which are arranged between the coil 30 and the return rollers 32 and which cut the strip 28 into three parallel strips, namely a central strip 42 intended to cover the first compartments 34 of thermoformed containers and two side strips 44 arranged on either side of the central strip 42 and intended to cover the second compartments 38 of thermoformed containers.

The three bands 42, 44 leaving the means of cutout 40 pass side by side on the idler rollers 32, then the central strip 42 is brought between the thermoformed containers and the closing station 18 for the closure of the first compartments 34 of containers, while the two side bands 44 first pass on a roller 46 arranged upstream of the first closing station 18 and at a certain height above the thermoformed containers as shown in Figure 2, then on a roller 48 located downstream of the means 20 for dosing the second product at the same height as the roller 46 and on a deflection roller 50 guiding the side bands 44 between the thermoformed containers and the means 22 for closing the second compartments 38.

The rollers 46, 48 and 50 are horizontal and transversely oriented, and arranged at a height sufficient above the thermoformed containers to not not interfere with the operation of the closing means 18 first compartments 34 and metering means 20 of the second product in the second compartments 38.

The functioning of this first form of realization of the invention stems clearly from what precedes:

One (or more) first product is dosed by station 16 in the first compartments 34 of thermoformed containers in film 12 and then these first compartments are sealed station 18 by the central strip 44 cut from the strip 28 unwound from reel 30. Then one (or more) second product is dosed at station 20 in the second compartments 38 of the containers, the side bands 44 cut from the strip 28 being raised above the row of containers, then the second compartments 38 of containers are closed by strips 44 at station 22. From conventionally, the central bands 42 and lateral 44 can be heat sealed on the edges of compartments 34 and 38 for closing waterproof.

We note that, in this first form of realization, the second product dosed in the second compartments 38 of the containers cannot contaminate the first product dosed in the first compartments 34, the latter being tightly sealed when the containers are brought to the level of station 20 of dosage of the second product. In addition, the waterproof shutter container compartments is secured from of a single reel 30 of a strip 28 of material appropriate, this filling occurring without discontinuity in the movement of the containers in the machine.

In an alternative embodiment, one can remove the means 40 for cutting the strip 28 in three parallel strips and replace coil 30 with three reels, one for supplying the tape central 42, the other two for the supply of the two side bands 44, this variant having the advantage that the lateral strips 44 for closing the second compartments 38 of the containers can be decorated independently of the central strip 42 for closing the first compartments 34 of containers.

Figures 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the invention, in which the watertight closure of compartments 34 and 38 of thermoformed containers is insured from a single coil 30 of a strip 28 of flexible and waterproof material appropriate, as in the embodiment of the figures 2 and 3, the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 does not comprising no means 40 for cutting the strip 28 into three parallel strips, but means for lifting the edges of this strip above the second compartments 38 sufficient to allow the dosage of second product in these second compartments.

More specifically, we find in Figures 4 and 5 a roller 32 with frustoconical ends for deflecting the strip 28 by which this strip 28 is brought to the above compartments 34, 38 of containers at level station 18 for closing the first compartments 34, means for lifting the edges of the strip 28 being arranged upstream and downstream of the metering station 20 second product and comprising a guide 52 arranged between the station 18 for closing the first compartments 34 and the second product dosing station 20, and another guide 54, similar to the first, arranged between station 20 of dosing of the second product and the closure means 22 second compartments 38, a transverse roller 56 advantageously being provided just upstream of the station 22 to ensure that the edges of the band 28 on the second compartments 38 of the containers, for the purpose of closing these second compartments.

Edge lifting guides 52 and 54 longitudinal of the strip 28 are oriented transversely above this strip and include two slots 60 located above the partitions between the first compartments 34 and the second compartments 38 of the containers, the longitudinal edges 62 of the strip 28 being engaged in these slots 60 for release the second compartments 38 for metering the second product.

How this form of realization of the invention is as follows:

The strip 28 unwound from the reel 30 is brought by the idler rollers 32 between the containers thermoformed and station 18 for closing the first compartments 34, and it is welded on the edges of the first compartments 34 to close them so waterproof. The longitudinal edges of the strip 28 are partially raised on the ends frusto-conical of roller 32 and partially overlap the second compartments 38 of the containers at the level of the post 18, then are raised vertically by passage in the slots 60 of the guides 52 and 54, to release access to these compartments and allow the dosing of second product at item 20. Then the edges 62 of the strip 28 are folded down by the roller 56 on the second compartments 38 and are welded on the edges of these compartments at station 22.

In general, the embodiment of the Figures 4 and 5 have the same advantages as that of Figures 2 and 3.

The means shown in Figures 6 to 9 prevent the lifting of the edges of the strip 28, which is generally a flexible plastic film or aluminum or an aluminum-paper complex or aluminum-paper-plastic, does not cause the formation of fold lines in this strip that would risk remain after the edges are folded down and would harm the appearance of the final product, and also does stretching of the edges of the strip 28 resulting in a plastic and permanent deformation thereof.

In Figures 6 and 7, the roller 32 located between the means 16 for dosing the first product and the means 18 for closing the first compartments of containers, is replaced by a shorter 66 roller, whose length is substantially equal to the width useful tape for closing the first compartments 34.

When the strip 28 passes over such a roll 66, its edges 62 are raised (insofar as they are then led into appropriate guides such as 52) as shown in figure 7 without causing stretching elastic or plastic of this band.

In the alternative embodiment of Figures 8 and 9, the rollers 68 used have ends frustoconical 70 allowing a raising of edges 62 of the band 28 without plastic deformation thereof.

In the alternative embodiment of Figures 10 and 11, the guides 52, 54 support rollers 72 free or rotated ensuring the lifting of edges 62 of the strip 28. As shown in FIG. 10, the axes of the rollers 72 can be inclined towards outside. They can also be tilted towards the rear relative to the direction of movement of the strip 28 as shown in FIG. 11 to ensure by a helix effect moving up the edges 62 of band 28.

Means for lifting the edges of the strip 28 may also, depending on the nature of the strip, consist of fixed parts 74, possibly adjustable in position, including ramps and slots 76 as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 12. The edges of the strip 28 are kept raised over the entire the distance required to fill the compartments unsealed, then folded flat by ramps and rolls and / or by any other appropriate means, for closing the compartments which have just been full.

Of course, it is possible to combine on one machine all embodiments which have just been described or some of them, especially when the machine allows manufacturing several containers at the same time compartments and the dosage of several products in the container compartments.

Claims (10)

1. Machine for thermoforming, filling and sealing closures for receptacles made from plastic material each comprising at least two juxtaposed compartments (34, 38) intended to receive different products, such as food products for example, the machine comprising means (14) to thermoform receptacles from a film (12) of thermoplastic material, means to dose a first product in the first compartment (34) of the receptacles, means (18) to close and seal these first compartments, means (20) to dose a second product in the second compartments (38) of the receptacles, means (22) to close and seal these second compartments, means of cutting (24) in order to separate receptacles or groups of receptacles from the line (12) of thermoplastic material and means to guide at least one strip (28) of flexible and sealing material intended to form covers or closures for the compartments (34, 38) quoted above, the said compartments forming parallel lines of compartments in the machine, characterised in that the means of guiding comprise:

   means (32) provided between the means (16) to dose the first product and the means (18) to close and seal the first compartments (34) in order to position a first strip or section of strip (28, 42) over the line of the first compartments (34) with the purpose of their closure,

   means (46, 52) provided before the means (20) to dose the second product in order to move a second strip or section of strip (44, 62) away from the line of the second compartments (38) of the receptacles with the purpose of dosing a second product,

   and means (48, 50, 54, 56) arranged between the means (20) to dose a second product and the means (22) to close and seal the second compartments (38) in order to move the said second strip or section of strip over the line of the second compartments (38) with the purpose of their closure,

   and in that the means of cutting (24) in order to separate the receptacles or groups of receptacles from the film of thermoplastic material are situated after the means to dose the products and close and seal the compartments (34, 38).
2. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means (40) to longitudinally cut a strip (28) quoted above into at least two parallel strips (42, 44) serving respectively to close the first and second compartments (34, 38) of the thermoformed receptacles.
3. Machine according to claim 2, characterised in that the means to cut the strip (40) are arranged before the means of guiding quoted above.
4. Machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that it comprises means to support a reel (30) of the strip (28) quoted above, and reverse rollers (32) arranged between the reel (30) or the means of cutting (40) and the means of guiding quoted above.
5. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it comprises at least two reels of strip quoted above, arranged to unroll parallel strips to close the first and second compartments respectively of the thermoformed receptacles.
6. Machine according to one of the previous claims, characterised in that the means of guiding quoted above are rollers (32, 46, 48, 50) arranged transversely above the thermoformed receptacles.
7. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it comprises before and in the vicinity of the means (20) to dose the second product, means (52, 54, 66, 68) to lift at least one longitudinal edge (62) of the strip (28) quoted above in order to free the access to the second compartments (38) of the receptacles.
8. Machine according to claim 7, characterised in that the means of lifting up comprise guides (52, 54) containing slits (60) to allow at least one longitudinal edge (62) of the said strip (28) to pass through.
9. Machine according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the means of lifting comprise rollers (66, 68) to guide the strip (28) before the means (18) to close the first compartments, these rollers having tapered ends (70) or a length less than the width of the strip (28) to allow the edges (62) of the strip to be lifted without the latter being pulled or deformed.
10. Machine according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the means of lifting comprise cylinders (72) to guide the edges (62) of the strip (28), the cylinders being inclined in relation to the running direction of the strip so that its edges are lifted by spiral action.

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