Method and apparatus for manufacturing a package and a kit of parts
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA
- Filing Date
- 2023-04-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-22
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for attaching protective strips to roll-fed packaging machines often result in overheating of the packaging material, leading to defects such as blisters and delamination, which compromise the integrity and safety of the packaged food.
A method and apparatus that utilize separate heating streams for the packaging web and the protective strip, allowing for individual optimization of the heating process to reduce overheating and improve adhesion reliability.
This approach reduces the risk of overheating, minimizes material usage, and enhances the reliability of food packages by ensuring better control over the heating process and maintaining the integrity of the packaging material.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] This invention relates generally to packaging technology, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for applying a protective strip over a longitudinal seal. [Background technology]
[0002] Today, roll-fed packaging machines are commonly used to package liquid foods. The advantage of using a roll-fed packaging machine is speed. By continuously feeding the packaging material, folding this into a tube, filling the tube with the food, and sealing and cutting the tube at the bottom end, food packages can be produced at an incredible speed of, for example, 30,000 per hour. In addition to the impressive speed of roll-fed packaging machines, the retention of the food within the tube efficiently prevents unwanted microorganisms from coming into contact with the food. In this way, so-called aseptic packaging, i.e. packaging that allows foods like UHT-treated milk to be stored at room temperature for several months, can be produced.
[0003] To achieve a package that can protect food for several months, several points must be considered, such as preventing microorganisms from coming into contact with the food and preventing sunlight from reaching the food. In addition, measures must be taken to ensure that the package can withstand several months. For example, in the case of carton packaging, a protective strip called a longitudinal seal (LS) strip is placed on the inside of the tube over the longitudinal seal, preventing contact between the food and the carton layer of packaging material and preventing dissolution by the food.
[0004] Applying a protective strip to the inside of a tube is a common practice in roll-fed carton packaging machines. To apply the protective strip (usually a polymer-based strip), the strip and the packaging material are first heated to melt the inner plastic layers of the protective strip and the packaging material, and then the two are pressed together to seal them together.
[0005] Since the protective strip adheres to both sides of the longitudinal seal, a portion of the protective strip is first attached to a first longitudinal edge of the web of packaging material and formed into a tube shape, and then another portion of the protective strip is attached to the inside of the tube, so that the joint of the tube, i.e. the longitudinal seal, is covered by the protective strip from the inside of the tube.
[0006] Although the application of protective strips has been used for many years and the technology behind it has been developed and improved over the years, there is a need to further improve the process. For example, the packaging material is affected by the application of heat to melt the inner plastic layer of the packaging material. If the effect of heat on the packaging material could be reduced when applying the protective strip, the risk of the packaging material being affected and producing a defective product would be reduced. Also, by gaining more control over the process, less heat would be required, which would be an environmental positive. Furthermore, it would be possible to reduce the thickness of the protective strip as well as the thickness of the various layers of the packaging material, which is also environmentally beneficial. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0007] The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome one or more of the above identified limitations of the prior art. In particular, it is an object to provide a protective strip application process that provides reliable adhesion of the strip while reducing the risk of overheating the packaging material. A further object is to further reduce the material required to provide a food-safe package.
[0008] According to a first aspect, there is provided a method for manufacturing a package for holding a food product, the method comprising: providing a web of packaging material including at least an outer protective layer, a cellulose-based intermediate layer, and an inner protective layer; Providing a protective strip; heating a first longitudinal edge of an inner surface of the web by applying a first stream of heated air through a first nozzle; heating a first longitudinal portion of the inner surface of the protective strip by applying a second heated air flow through a second nozzle; attaching an outer surface of a first longitudinal portion of the protective strip to an inner surface of a first longitudinal edge of the web; forming a tube of a web of packaging material by turning a first longitudinal edge of the web inwardly of a second longitudinal edge of the web; attaching an outer surface of the first longitudinal edge to an inner surface of the second longitudinal edge; attaching an inner surface of the second longitudinal portion of the protective strip to an outer surface of the intermediate portion of the web and disposing the intermediate portion between the first and second longitudinal edges, thereby preventing the food from contacting the cellulose-based intermediate layer of the packaging material; Filling the tube with food; sealing the tube laterally with a lateral seal at the lower end of the tube; cutting the tube at the transverse seal such that a package is formed; Equipped with.
[0009] The advantage of heating the web with a first pass and the strip with a second pass is that separate heating of both can be achieved, which reduces the risk of overheating and, therefore, reduces the risk of blisters forming in the packaging material and reduces the risk of delamination in the packaging material.
[0010] Separate heating also has the advantage that the strip and web can be individually optimized for the strip application process, which can result in a reliable food package using less material and / or materials with a smaller carbon footprint.
[0011] The first flow of heated air may have a first temperature and the second flow of heated air may have a second temperature, the first temperature may be adjusted according to the characteristics of the packaging material and the second temperature may be adjusted according to the characteristics of the protective strip.
[0012] The first temperature may be in the range of 50 to 90°C and / or the second temperature may be in the range of 70 to 250°C.
[0013] A first flow of heated air provided through a first nozzle may be directed in a first flow direction, and a second flow of heated air provided through a second nozzle may be directed in a second flow direction, and the first and second flow directions may differ by at least 90 degrees.
[0014] By offsetting the first and second machine directions by 90 degrees or more, separate heating of the web and strip is possible.
[0015] The first flow of heated air may have a first volumetric flow rate, the second flow of heated air may have a second volumetric flow rate, the first volumetric flow rate may be adjusted according to characteristics of the packaging material, and the second volumetric flow rate may be adjusted according to characteristics of the protective strip.
[0016] The advantage of having different volumetric flow rates for the first and second nozzles is that even though the heated air is supplied from the same source, different heating is achieved due to the different volumetric flow rates.
[0017] The web of packaging material may further include a barrier layer disposed between the outer protective layer and the inner protective layer, the barrier layer providing to prevent oxygen from passing through the packaging material into the food product, and the first temperature and / or the first volumetric flow rate of the first stream may be adjusted to prevent adverse effects on the barrier layer.
[0018] Disturbance of the barrier layer can result in a loss of quality of the manufactured food held in the package, so measures should be taken to ensure that the integrity of the barrier layer is maintained. Separate heating of the strip and web in combination with the first flow rate and / or the first volumetric flow rate being selected such that the barrier layer is not compromised allows for the production of good quality packages while providing for individually regulated heating of the strip.
[0019] The first and second temperatures and / or the first and second volumetric flow rates may be set based on a measured humidity level, a measured pressure, and / or a measured ambient air temperature.
[0020] An advantage of taking into account the humidity level, pressure and / or temperature of the surrounding air is that the heating of the strip and / or web can be dynamically set based on the specific conditions provided at the heating location. In this way, by heating the strip and web separately and adjusting based on the surrounding air measurements, more reliable heating can be achieved with less adverse effects on the packaging material.
[0021] According to a second aspect there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing packages for holding a food product, the apparatus comprising: a web holder arranged to hold a web of packaging material including at least an outer protective layer, a cellulose-based intermediate layer, and an inner protective layer; a protective strip holder arranged to hold a protective strip; an air heating section comprising a first nozzle and a second nozzle, the first nozzle being arranged to heat a first longitudinal edge of an inner surface of the web by applying a first flow of heated air, and the second nozzle being arranged to heat a first longitudinal edge of an outer surface of the protective strip by applying a second flow of heated air via the second nozzle; a first strip attachment portion arranged to attach an outer surface of the first longitudinal portion of the protective strip to an inner surface of the first longitudinal edge of the web; a tube former positioned to form a tube of the web of packaging material by turning a first longitudinal edge inwardly of a second longitudinal edge of the web; a longitudinal seal portion arranged to longitudinally seal the web by attaching an outer surface of the first longitudinal edge to an inner surface of the second longitudinal edge; a second strip attachment portion arranged to attach an inner surface of the second longitudinal portion of the protective strip to an outer surface of the intermediate portion of the web, the intermediate portion being disposed between the first and second longitudinal edges, thereby providing inhibition of the food from contacting the cellulose-based intermediate layer of the packaging material; a food pipe arranged to fill the food within the tube; a transverse seal disposed at a lower end of the tube to transversely seal the tube and to cut the tube at the transverse seal to form a package; Equipped with.
[0022] The same features and advantages as set out above in relation to the first embodiment also apply to this second embodiment.
[0023] The first flow of heated air may have a first temperature and the second flow of heated air may have a second temperature, the first temperature may be adjusted according to the characteristics of the packaging material and the second temperature may be adjusted according to the characteristics of the protective strip.
[0024] A first flow of heated air provided through a first nozzle may be directed in a first flow direction, and a second flow of heated air provided through a second nozzle may be directed in a second flow direction, and the first and second flow directions may differ by at least 90 degrees.
[0025] The first flow of heated air may have a first volumetric flow rate, the second flow of heated air may have a second volumetric flow rate, the first volumetric flow rate may be adjusted according to characteristics of the packaging material, and the second volumetric flow rate may be adjusted according to characteristics of the protective strip.
[0026] The web of packaging material may further include a barrier layer disposed between the outer protective layer and the inner protective layer, the barrier layer providing to prevent oxygen from passing through the packaging material into the food product, and the first temperature and / or the first volumetric flow rate of the first stream may be adjusted to prevent adverse effects on the barrier layer as well as the package being produced.
[0027] The first and second temperatures, and / or the first and second volumetric flow rates may be set based on a measured humidity level in the surrounding air, a measured pressure, and / or a measured temperature in the surrounding air.
[0028] According to a third aspect, there is provided a kit of parts arranged to be attached to an existing filling machine, the existing filling machine comprising: a web holder arranged to hold a web of packaging material including at least an outer protective layer, a cellulose-based intermediate layer, and an inner protective layer; a protective strip holder arranged to hold a protective strip; a first strip attachment portion arranged to attach an outer surface of the first longitudinal portion of the protective strip to an inner surface of the first longitudinal edge of the web; a tube former positioned to form a tube of the web of packaging material by turning a first longitudinal edge inwardly of a second longitudinal edge of the web; a longitudinal seal portion arranged to longitudinally seal the web by attaching an outer surface of the first longitudinal edge to an inner surface of the second longitudinal edge; a second strip attachment portion arranged to attach an inner surface of the second longitudinal portion of the protective strip to an outer surface of the intermediate portion of the web, the intermediate portion being disposed between the first and second longitudinal edges and inhibiting the food from contacting the cellulose-based intermediate layer of the packaging material; a food pipe arranged to fill the food within the tube; a transverse seal portion disposed at a lower end of the tube to transversely seal the tube and to cut the tube at the transverse seal portion to form a package; Equipped with The kit of parts comprises: an air heating section comprising a first nozzle and a second nozzle, the first nozzle being arranged to heat a first longitudinal edge of an inner surface of the web by applying a first flow of heated air, and the second nozzle being arranged to heat a first longitudinal edge of an outer surface of the protective strip by applying a second flow of heated air via the second nozzle; Equipped with.
[0029] The same features and advantages as mentioned above with respect to the first and second aspects also apply to the third aspect.
[0030] According to a fourth aspect there is provided a method of preparing a web of packaging material and a protective strip prior to being adhered to one another, the method comprising the steps of: Receiving material data of the protective strip; Determining a first temperature and / or a first volumetric flow rate based on material data of the protective strip; controlling the air heating section to expose the protective strip to a first flow of heated air through a first nozzle, the first flow having a first temperature and / or a first volumetric flow rate; Receiving packaging material data; determining a second temperature and / or a second volumetric flow rate based on the packaging material data; controlling the air heating section to expose the web to a second stream of heated air through a second nozzle, the second stream having a second temperature and / or a second volumetric flow rate; Equipped with.
[0031] An advantage of this fourth aspect is that it reduces the risk of the packaging material overheating, which may result in blistering and / or delamination, and it allows for less web and / or strip material as the heating of both the packaging material and the protective strip material can be more finely tuned when forming them, respectively.
[0032] This information may be limited to the materials used, but may also include production data, ie measurements of production parameters, of the material of the protective strip and / or of the packaging material.
[0033] Further objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings. [Means for solving the problem]
[0034] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0035] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roll-fed packaging machine. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the strip application process by induction heating as seen in the machine direction MD. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the web in the cross direction CD after the protective strip has been applied. [Figure 3A] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a tube of packaging material after the strips have been applied and a longitudinal seal has been made. [Figure 3B] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a transverse seal of a tube. [Figure 4]As an example, four cross-sections of packaging material that has blistered or delaminated due to overheating are shown. [Diagram 5] As an example, four cross-sections of packaging material that has blistered or delaminated due to overheating are shown. [Figure 6] As an example, four cross-sections of packaging material that has blistered or delaminated due to overheating are shown. [Figure 7] As an example, four cross-sections of packaging material that has blistered or delaminated due to overheating are shown. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified model of how blisters and pinholes form during the strip application process. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an air heating section. [Figure 10A] FIG. 1 shows an example of an air heating section that can be used to retrofit an existing filling machine. [Figure 10B] FIG. 1 shows an example of an air heating section that can be used to retrofit an existing filling machine. [Figure 11] 10B is attached to a filling machine. FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a package for holding a food product. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an apparatus for producing packages for holding food products. [Figure 14] 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method of preparing a web of packaging material and a protective strip prior to lamination. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] FIG. 1 generally illustrates a packaging machine 100. In the illustrated example, the packaging machine 100 is a roll-fed carton packaging machine. The general principle of such machines is that a web 102 is formed from a roll of packaging material PM. Although not illustrated, if necessary to meet food safety regulations, the web 102 may be sterilized using a hydrogen peroxide bath, a low voltage electron beam (LVEB) device, or other device capable of reducing a large number of unwanted microorganisms. After sterilization, the web 102 can be formed into a tube 106 by using a longitudinal sealing arrangement 104. After forming the tube, a food product FP, for example milk, can be fed into the tube 106 via a product pipe 108 that is at least partially disposed inside the tube 106.
[0037] To form a package 110 from a tube 106 filled with a food product FP, a transverse seal can be made at the bottom end of the tube by using a transverse seal 112. This transverse seal 112 generally has two main functions: 1) providing a transverse seal, i.e. welding two opposing sides of the tube together such that the product in the lower part of the tube located below the seal is separated from the product in the tube located above the seal, and 2) cutting the lower part of the tube so that the package 110 is formed. Alternatively, instead of performing the transverse seal and the bottom cut-off in the same transverse seal 112 as shown, the bottom cut-off may be performed in a subsequent step by a separate device or by the consumer if the package is intended to be sold in a multipack.
[0038] To prevent the food product FP from contacting the raw edge of the packaging material PM, a protective strip 200 may be attached to the web 102, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B. One way to enable the protective strip 200 and the web 102 to adhere to one another is to heat them using an induction heating device 202. Heating the protective strip 200 and the web 102 causes them to at least partially melt. Once melted, a pressure roller 204 in combination with a counter pressure roller 206 can be used to press the web 102 and the protective strip 200 together so that they adhere to one another.
[0039] 2B , when the protective strip 200 is attached to the web 102, a first longitudinal edge 208 of the web 102 is covered by a first longitudinal portion 212 of the protective strip 200. The web 102 and the protective strip 200 may be attached to one another in that an outer surface 210 of the protective strip 200 at the first longitudinal portion 212 is attached to an inner surface 214 of the web 102 at the first longitudinal edge 208.
[0040] When the tube 102 is formed at the longitudinal seal 104, the web 102, which may include an inner protective layer 300, an outer protective layer 302, and a cellulosic intermediate layer 304, is folded such that a first longitudinal edge 208 of the web 102 is disposed inside, i.e., radially inward, of a second longitudinal edge 306 of the web 102, as shown in Figure 3A. To effect the longitudinal seal, an outer surface 308 of the first longitudinal edge 208 may be attached to an inner surface 310 of the second longitudinal portion 306 of the web 102. This attachment may be accomplished by heating the two portions and applying pressure using a pair of rollers similar to those shown in Figure 2A.
[0041] At the longitudinal seal 104, the second longitudinal portion 312 of the strip 200 can be attached to the web 102 to prevent the food product FP from contacting the cellulose-based intermediate layer 304. More specifically, an inner surface 314 of the second longitudinal portion 312 of the strip 200 can be attached to an outer surface 318 of an intermediate portion 316 of the web 102, the intermediate portion 316 being disposed between the first and second longitudinal edges 208, 306 of the web 102.
[0042] In addition to the outer protective layer 300, which may be a polymer-based layer arranged to protect the cellulose-based intermediate layer 304, for example, from moisture, and the inner protective layer 302, which may also be a polymer-based layer, arranged to protect the intermediate layer 304 from food FP, the packaging material PM may include a barrier layer 320. The barrier layer may be an aluminum foil, or may be, for example, a polymer-based layer and / or a barrier-coated film. The barrier layer 320, or a combination of such layers, serves to prevent oxygen from reaching the food FP held in the packaging material 110.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 3B, at the transverse seal 214 the tube 106 can be pressed such that the protective strip 200 also forms part of the transverse seal 114 .
[0044] A possible problem when using induction heating, as shown in Figure 2A, to adhere the strips 200 to the web 102 is that the packaging material PM may be adversely affected. For example, as shown by way of example in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, the generation of excessive heat during strip attachment may result in delamination, i.e. different layers of the packaging material PM detaching from each other or one of the layers, e.g. the cellulosic intermediate layer 304, turning into multiple layers. Examples of delamination are indicated by open arrows in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7.
[0045] Another undesirable effect that may occur in the packaging material PM during the strip attachment process is the formation of blisters, indicated by the striped arrows in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. This phenomenon has been found to be particularly relevant when the cellulose-based intermediate layer 304 is a carton layer or similar type layer in which moisture may be present. When heat is applied, the presence of moisture may cause blisters to form.
[0046] The problem with delamination and blistering is that the packaging material PM may become weakened and its food protection properties may be degraded when the strip 200 is applied. This may be less of a problem if the layers of packaging material PM are further degraded by the transverse sealing process carried out, for example, in the transverse sealing section 112, but it has been found that as more efficient and well-controlled processes are provided, for example in the transverse sealing section 112, the effects of the packaging material PM caused by the application of the strip are also to be considered and should be taken into account.
[0047] 8 shows a simplified model of how blisters and pinholes form. In general, if pressure P is kept below a pressure threshold P' and temperature T is kept below a temperature threshold T', blisters and pinholes will not form, or at least will be minimally formed. The thresholds P', T' can be determined by the gauge pressure 800 and the load capacity of the polymer used in the strip 200.
[0048] In order to reduce adverse effects on the packaging material PM that may occur as an effect of the strip attachment process, it has been found that an air heating section 900 can be used as shown diagrammatically in Figure 9. Unlike current systems for attaching strips, the heating arrangement 900 provides separate heating of the strip 200 and the web 102. As shown, a first nozzle 902 may be used to provide a first stream 904 of heated air onto the web 102, and a second nozzle 906 may be used to provide a second stream 908 of heated air onto the strip 200.
[0049] By separately setting the temperature T1 of the first stream 90 and the temperature T2 of the second stream 904, it is possible to heat the strip 200 and the web 102 sufficiently to melt them, and to bond them reliably, while minimizing the risk of blistering or peeling due to overheating. In addition to separately setting the first and second temperatures T1, T2, it is also possible to separately set the first and second volumetric flow rates VFR1, VFR2. Thus, instead of different temperatures, different heating may be achieved by different volumetric flow rates.
[0050] Although not shown, this may be taken into account when setting the first and second temperatures T1, T2 and / or the first and second volumetric flow rates VFR1, VFR2 by measuring the humidity, temperature and / or pressure of the surrounding air 910.
[0051] As shown, the first flow 904 may be oriented in a first flow direction FD1 and the second flow 904 may be oriented in a second flow direction FD2, with the orientations differing by 90 degrees or more to reduce the risk of the web 102 being heated by the second flow 908 or the strip 200 being heated by the first flow 904, thereby ensuring sufficient independent heating of both.
[0052] 10A and 10B show an example of an air heating section 900 that can be attached to an existing apparatus 100. By applying this air heating section 900 directly upstream of the PM reel holder, which is easily accessible on one side of the apparatus 100, the strip 200 and web 102 can be heated and bonded together before the web 102 is fed into the apparatus 100 and is no longer easily accessible.
[0053] A mounting bracket 1000 may be provided to allow the air heating section 900 to be easily mounted to the packaging machine 100. An advantage of having the air heating section 900 located outside the packaging machine 100 and having the mounting bracket 1000, or other similar arrangement to provide easy mounting, is that it facilitates upgrades of existing filling machines. An additional advantage of having the air heating section 900 located outside the packaging machine 100 is that the heating of the protection strip 200 and web 102 can be easily monitored by an operator.
[0054] FIG. 11 exemplarily illustrates the air heating section 900 illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B and components of the packaging machine 100 arranged to supply and guide the protective strip 200 so that it can be exposed to heat via a second flow 908 from a second nozzle 906.
[0055] FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method 1200 for manufacturing a package 1100 for holding a food item.
[0056] In a first step 1202, the web 102 is provided, and in a second step 1204, the protective strip 200 is provided.
[0057] In a third step 1206 , the first longitudinal edge 208 of the inner surface 214 of the web 102 is heated by applying a first flow of heated air 904 through a first nozzle 902 .
[0058] In a fourth step 1208 , the first longitudinal edge 212 of the inner surface 210 of the protective strip 200 is heated by applying a second flow of heated air 908 via a second nozzle 906 .
[0059] In a fifth step 1210 , the outer surface 210 of the first longitudinal edge 212 of the protective strip 200 is attached onto the inner surface 214 of the first longitudinal edge 212 of the web 102 .
[0060] In a sixth step 1212 , a tube 106 is formed from the web of packaging material (PM) 102 by turning the first longitudinal edge 208 of the web 102 inwardly of the second longitudinal edge 306 of the web 102 .
[0061] In a seventh step 1214 , the outer surface 308 of the first longitudinal edge 208 is attached to the inner surface 310 of the second longitudinal edge 306 .
[0062] In an eighth step 1216, the inner surface 314 of the second longitudinal portion 312 of the protective strip 200 is attached onto the outer surface 318 of the intermediate portion 316 of the web 102, the intermediate portion 316 being disposed between the first and second edges 208, 306, thereby providing protection against the food product (FP) coming into contact with the cellulose-based intermediate layer 304 of the packaging material (PM).
[0063] In a ninth step 1218, the food product (FP) is filled into the tube 106.
[0064] In a tenth step 1220 , the tube 106 is transversely sealed at the transverse seal 114 at the lower end of the tube 106 .
[0065] In an eleventh step 1222, the tube 106 is cut at the transverse seal 114 so that the package 110 is formed.
[0066] Although described in a particular order, different steps may be performed in other orders and some of the steps may be performed in parallel, for example, the web and protective strips may be heated in parallel.
[0067] 13 shows diagrammatically an apparatus 1300 for producing a package 110 holding a food product FP. The apparatus may comprise a web holder 1302 arranged to hold a web 102 of packaging material PM comprising at least an outer protective layer 300, a cellulosic intermediate layer 304 and an inner protective layer 302. Furthermore, the apparatus may include a protective strip holder 1304 arranged to hold a protective strip (200). The apparatus 1300 may further comprise an air heating section 900, which may include a first nozzle 902 and a second nozzle 906, the first nozzle 902 being arranged to heat the first longitudinal edge 208 of the inner surface 214 of the web 102 by applying a first flow 904 of heated air, and the second nozzle 906 being arranged to heat the first longitudinal portion 212 of the outer surface 210 of the protective strip 200 by applying a second flow 908 of heated air via the second nozzle 906, as illustrated by way of example in Figures 10A, 10B and 11. It may further comprise a first strip attachment section 1306 arranged to attach the outer surface 210 of the first longitudinal portion 212 of the protective strip 200 onto the inner surface 214 of the first longitudinal edge 208 of the web 102. The tube former 1308 may be arranged to form the tube 106 of the web 102 of packaging material PM by turning the first longitudinal edge 208 inwardly of the second longitudinal edge 306 of the web 102. The apparatus may also comprise a longitudinal sealer 104 arranged to longitudinally seal the web 102 by attaching the outer surface 308 of the first longitudinal edge 208 to the inner surface 310 of the second longitudinal edge 306. Furthermore, a second strip attachment 1310 may be provided arranged to attach the inner surface 314 of the second longitudinal portion 312 of the protective strip 200 onto the outer surface 318 of the middle portion 316 of the web 102, the middle portion 316 being arranged between the first and second longitudinal edges 208, 306, thereby providing that the food product FP is inhibited or prevented from contacting the cellulose-based middle layer 304 of the packaging material PM.Further, the food product pipe 108 may be arranged to fill the food product FP into the tube 106, and the apparatus 1300 may include a transverse seal portion 112 arranged to seal the tube 106 laterally at a transverse seal portion 114 at a lower end of the tube 106 and cut the tube 106 at the transverse seal portion 114 so that a package 110 is formed.
[0068] FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a method 1400 for preparing the web 102 of packaging material PM and the protective strip 200 before bonding them together. In a first step 1402, material data of the protective strip is received. In a second step 1404, a first temperature T1 and / or a first volumetric flow rate VFR1 is determined based on the material data of the protective strip. In a third step 1406, the air heating section 900 is controlled to expose the protective strip 200 to a first flow 904 of heated air via a first nozzle 902, the first flow 904 having a first temperature T1 and / or a first volumetric flow rate VFR1. In a fourth step 1408, data of the packaging material is received. In a fifth step 1410, a second temperature T2 and / or a second volumetric flow rate VFR2 are determined based on the data of the packaging material. In a sixth step 1412, the air heating section 900 is controlled to expose the web 102 to a second flow 908 of heated air via a second nozzle 906, the second flow 908 having a second temperature T2 and / or a second volumetric flow rate VFR2.
[0069] Although described in a particular order, different steps may be performed in other orders and some of the steps may be performed in parallel, for example, the web and protective strips may be heated in parallel.
[0070] From the foregoing description, while various embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not limited thereto and may be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject matter defined in the following claims.
Claims
1. A method (1200) for manufacturing a package (110) for holding food products (FP), wherein the method (1200) is The present invention provides a web (102) of a packaging material (PM) comprising at least an outer protective layer (300), a cellulose-based intermediate layer (304), and an inner protective layer (302) (1202), A protective strip (200) is provided (1204), By applying a first flow (904) of heated air through a first nozzle (902), the first longitudinal edge (208) of the inner surface (214) of the web (102) is heated (1206). By applying a second flow (908) of heated air through a second nozzle (906), the first longitudinal portion (212) of the inner surface (210) of the protective strip (200) is heated (1208). The outer surface (210) of the first longitudinal portion (212) of the protective strip (200) is attached (1210) to the inner surface (214) of the first longitudinal edge (208) of the web (102). By orienting the first longitudinal edge (208) of the web (102) inward toward the second longitudinal edge (306) of the web (102), the tube (106) of the packaging material (PM) of the web (102) is formed (1212). The outer surface (308) of the first longitudinal edge (208) is attached to the inner surface (310) of the second longitudinal edge (306) (1214), The inner surface (314) of the second longitudinal portion (312) of the protective strip (200) is attached (1216) to the outer surface (318) of the intermediate portion (316) of the web (102), the intermediate portion (316) being positioned between the first longitudinal edge (208) and the second longitudinal edge (306), thereby providing to prevent the food product (FP) from coming into contact with the cellulose-based intermediate layer (304) of the packaging material (PM), The food (FP) is filled into the tube (106) (1218), At the lateral sealing portion (114) at the lower end of the tube (106), the tube (106) is sealed laterally (1220), The tube (106) is cut at the lateral seal portion (114) (1222) so that the package (110) is formed. Method (1200).
2. The first flow (904) of the heated air has a first temperature (T1), and the second flow (908) of the heated air has a second temperature (T2), the first temperature (T1) is adjusted according to the characteristics of the packaging material (PM), and the second temperature (T2) is adjusted according to the characteristics of the protective strip (200). The method according to claim 1.
3. The first temperature (T1) is in the range of 50 to 90°C, and / or the second temperature (T2) is in the range of 70 to 250°C. The method according to claim 2.
4. The first flow (904) of the heated air provided through the first nozzle (902) is directed in a first flow direction (FD1), and the second flow (908) of the heated air provided through the second nozzle (906) is directed in a second flow direction (FD2), and the first flow direction (FD1) and the second flow direction (FD2) are at least 90 degrees apart. The method according to claim 1.
5. The first flow (904) of the heated air has a first volumetric flow rate (VFR1), the second flow (908) of the heated air has a second volumetric flow rate (VFR2), the first volumetric flow rate (VFR1) is adjusted according to the characteristics of the packaging material (PM), and the second volumetric flow rate (VFR2) is adjusted according to the characteristics of the protective strip (200). The method according to claim 1.
6. The web (102) of the packaging material (PM) further includes a barrier layer (320) disposed between an outer protective layer (300) and an inner protective layer (302). The barrier layer (320) provides to prevent oxygen from passing through the packaging material (PM) into the food (FP), and the first temperature (T1) and / or first volumetric flow rate (VFR1) of the first flow (904) are adjusted to prevent adverse effects on the packaging material and the barrier layer (320). The method according to claim 1.
7. The first temperature (T1) and the second temperature (T2) and / or the first volumetric flow rate (VFR1) and the second volumetric flow rate (VFR2) are set based on the measured humidity level, the measured pressure, and / or the measured ambient air (910) temperature. The method according to claim 2.
8. An apparatus (1300) for manufacturing a package (110) for holding food products (FP), wherein the apparatus is A web holder (1302) that holds a web (102) of a packaging material (PM) including at least an outer protective layer (300), a cellulose-based intermediate layer (304), and an inner protective layer (302), A protective strip holder (1304) that holds the protective strip (200), An air heating unit (900) comprising a first nozzle (902) and a second nozzle (906), wherein the first nozzle (902) heats the first longitudinal edge (208) of the inner surface (214) of the web (102) by applying a first flow (904) of heated air, and the second nozzle (906) heats the first longitudinal edge (212) of the outer surface (210) of the protective strip (200) by applying a second flow (908) of heated air through the second nozzle (906), A first strip attachment portion (1306) attaches the outer surface (210) of the first longitudinal edge (212) of the protective strip (200) to the inner surface (214) of the first longitudinal edge (208) of the web (102), A tube forming section (1308) is positioned to form a tube (106) of the packaging material (PM) web (102) by orienting the first longitudinal edge (208) inward of the second longitudinal edge (306) of the web (102), By attaching the outer surface (308) of the first longitudinal edge (208) to the inner surface (310) of the second longitudinal edge (306), a longitudinal sealing portion (104) is formed that seals the web (102) in the longitudinal direction, The inner surface (314) of the second longitudinal edge (312) of the protective strip (200) is attached to the outer surface (318) of the intermediate portion (316) of the web (102), and the intermediate portion (316) is positioned between the first longitudinal edge (208) and the second longitudinal edge (306), and a second strip attachment portion (1310) is provided to prevent the food (FP) from coming into contact with the cellulose-based intermediate layer (304) of the packaging material (PM), A food pipe (108) for filling the tube (106) with the food (FP), The tube (106) is sealed laterally at the lateral seal portion (114) at the lower end of the tube (106), and the tube (106) is cut at the lateral seal portion (114) so that a package (110) is formed, A device (1300) equipped with the following.
9. The first flow (904) of heated air has a first temperature (T1), the second flow (908) of heated air has a second temperature (T2), the first temperature (T1) is adjusted according to the characteristics of the packaging material (PM), and the second temperature (T2) is adjusted according to the characteristics of the protective strip (200). The apparatus (1300) according to claim 8.
10. The first flow (904) of heated air supplied through the first nozzle (902) is directed in a first flow direction (FD1), and the second flow (908) of heated air supplied through the second nozzle (906) is directed in a second flow direction (FD2), and the first flow direction (FD1) and the second flow direction (FD2) are at least 90 degrees apart. The apparatus (1300) according to claim 8.
11. The first flow (904) of the heated air has a first volumetric flow rate (VFR1), the second flow (908) of the heated air has a second volumetric flow rate (VFR2), the first volumetric flow rate (VFR1) is adjusted according to the characteristics of the packaging material (PM), and the second volumetric flow rate (VFR2) is adjusted according to the characteristics of the protective strip (200). The apparatus (1300) according to claim 8.
12. The web (102) of the packaging material (PM) further comprises a barrier layer (320) disposed between an outer protective layer (300) and an inner protective layer (302). The barrier layer (320) provides to prevent oxygen from passing through the packaging material (PM) into the food (FP), and the first temperature (T1) and / or first volumetric flow rate (VFR1) of the first flow (904) are adjusted to prevent adverse effects on the packaging material and the barrier layer (320). The apparatus (1300) according to claim 8.
13. The first temperature (T1) and the second temperature (T1) and / or the first volumetric flow rate (VFR1) and the second volumetric flow rate (VFR2) are set based on the measured humidity level, measured pressure and / or measured temperature in the ambient air (910). The apparatus (1300) according to claim 8.
14. A parts kit arranged to be attached to an existing filling machine, The aforementioned filling machine is A web holder (1302) that holds a web (102) of a packaging material (PM) including at least an outer protective layer (300), a cellulose-based intermediate layer (304), and an inner protective layer (302), A protective strip holder (1304) that holds the protective strip (200), A first strip attachment portion (1306) attaches the outer surface (210) of the first longitudinal portion (212) of the protective strip (200) to the inner surface (214) of the first longitudinal edge portion (208) of the web (102), By orienting the first longitudinal edge (208) inward of the second longitudinal edge (306) of the web (102), a tube forming portion (1308) is formed to form the tube (106) of the web (102) of the packaging material (PM), By attaching the outer surface (308) of the first longitudinal edge (208) to the inner surface (310) of the second longitudinal edge (306), a longitudinal sealing portion (104) is formed that seals the web (102) in the longitudinal direction, A second strip attachment portion (1310) is provided, wherein the inner surface (314) of the second longitudinal portion (312) of the protective strip (200) is attached to the outer surface (318) of the intermediate portion (316) of the web (102), so that the intermediate portion (316) is positioned between the first longitudinal edge (208) and the second longitudinal edge (306), thereby preventing the food (FP) from coming into contact with the cellulose-based intermediate layer (304) of the packaging material (PM), A food pipe (108) for filling the tube (106) with the food (FP), A lateral sealing portion (112) is provided at the lateral sealing portion (114) at the lower end of the tube (106) to seal the tube (106) laterally, and the tube (106) is cut at the lateral sealing portion (114) to form a package (110), Equipped with, The aforementioned parts kit is An air heating unit (900) comprising a first nozzle (902) and a second nozzle (906), wherein the first nozzle (902) heats the first longitudinal edge (208) of the inner surface (214) of the web (102) by applying a first flow (904) of the heated air, and the second nozzle (906) heats the first longitudinal portion (212) of the outer surface (210) of the protective strip (200) by applying a second flow (908) of the heated air through the second nozzle (906), A parts kit that includes the following components.
15. A method (1400) for preparing a web (102) and a protective strip (200) of a packaging material (PM) before bonding them together, the method being: The material data for the protective strip was received (1402), Based on the protective strip material data, a first temperature (T1) and / or a first volumetric flow rate (VFR1) are determined (1404). The air heating section (900) is controlled (1406) to expose the protective strip (200) to a first flow (904) of heated air via a first nozzle (902), wherein the first flow (904) has a first temperature (T1) and / or a first volumetric flow rate (VFR1). The data for the aforementioned packaging material was received (1408), Based on the data of the packaging material, a second temperature (T2) and / or a second volumetric flow rate (VFR2) are determined (1410). The air heating section (900) is controlled (1412) to expose the web (102) to a second flow (908) of heated air through a second nozzle (906), the second flow (908) having the second temperature (T2) and / or the second volumetric flow rate (VFR2). Method (1400).