Hffs packaging method and apparatus for refrigerated dough

Abstract

A method for packaging products utilizes a horizontal form, fill and seal (HFFS) system in combination with a vertical loading system. The packaging method includes creating product receiving cavities in a lower film, directly vertically stacking products in the product receiving cavities and then sealing the vertically stacked products in the cavities with an upper film to form product pouches. In one embodiment of the invention, a product fill station of the HFFS system is advantageously defined by a shaped packer including a stamping unit for directly vertically stacking the products. In another embodiment, a vertical lift and feed mechanism is employed to vertically stack the products in the receiving cavities.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 229,316 entitled “HFFS PACKAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATED DOUGH” filed Jul. 29, 2009.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention pertains to the art of packaging and, more particularly, to packaging refrigerated dough in a horizontal form, fill and seal (HFFS) system utilizing direct vertical product loading.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]It is common to package a refrigerated dough product in a canister of a fixed volume formed from composite paperboard which is spirally wound into a cylinder, with the refrigerated dough product being further proofed in the canister. In one known system, a packer is used to cut hexagonal shaped dough pieces, such as biscuits, from a sheet of dough and direct the dough pieces into respective canisters traveling below the packer. This overall process can be used to effectively stack multiple dough piece...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is about a way to package refrigerated dough products using a horizontal form, fill and seal system. The method involves creating empty spaces in a lower film, vertically stacking the products in those spaces, and then sealing them with an upper film to create pouches. The invention includes a packer with a stamping unit that can cut and stack the products in one operation, or a vertical lift and feed mechanism to stack the products vertically. The technical effects of this invention include improved efficiency in packaging refrigerated dough products and reduced labor costs.

Problems solved by technology

However, packaging products in cardboard is actually, relatively expensive and, at least in connection with products having a small profit margin, can be cost prohibitive.

While vertical form, fill and seal systems have mainly been limited for use in connection with making sealed bags, such as potato chip and other types of snack bags, horizontal form, fill and seal packaging systems are considered to be much more versatile, yet scarcely employed.

Although evacuating the headspace is appropriate for frozen dough products, employing a vacuum on a refrigerated dough product would inherently destroy nucleation sites for leavener in the dough and, consequently, the overall product.

Although the above discussion exemplifies disadvantages with utilizing an HFFS system with refrigerated dough products, HFFS systems have been employed in packaging other types of food products, including a single package containing a meal of meat, cheese and crackers.

At least one major problem associated with the known uses of HFFS systems in packing refrigerated products is that the products are fully formed at one process location and loaded into the package at another process location in a non-continuous fashion.

However, these advantages have mostly been outweighed by their disadvantages, at least with respect to particular products and loading constrictions.

In particular, there has not heretofore been proposed a way to integrate a HFFS system to be used in efficiently mass producing and concurrently, vertically packaging refrigerated dough products.

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