Apparatus and method for manufacturing dish-shaped product packages

Abstract

The subject of the invention is an apparatus and a method for producing plate-shaped product packages, comprising a forming station (10) for the product packages, to which is connected a secondary tool (20) with a secondary mould (21), a heating station and a primary tool (18) with a primary mould (19) for feeding a sheet-like fibre-based blank to be formed into the product packages for forming the product packages. The apparatus further comprises a control system for controlling the functioning of the apparatus, to which is connected a film track (12) for providing the formed product packages with a film acting as an inner lining. Preferably, the primary tool (18) comprises two or more primary moulds (19) side by side.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing dish-shaped product packages as defined in the preamble of claim 1 and 9 1. A method for producing a dish-shaped product package as defined in the preamble of claim 1. [Background technology]

[0002] Well known in the art are tray-shaped food packages and methods for producing them, which are made, for example, from paperboard or a corresponding material and, like conventional plastic packages, are lined with a separate food-grade film.

[0003] One such solution is shown in European Patent No. 2441697 (B1). The solution in this patent publication applies to a method for producing food packages from straight, unfolded paperboard blanks that are pre-cut and separated from one another. According to this patent, one unfolded blank at a time is pressed into the shape of a dish-like bowl in a mold, and a separate food film is provided on the inner surface of the formed bowl. Figures 1A-1C of this patent show this manufacturing stage.

[0004] Paragraph 0035 of the description of the aforementioned patent states that it may be preferable to simultaneously cover several boxes with a single plastic foil so that they can be held together by the plastic foil. In this context, it is particularly emphasized that the finished trays are held together by the plastic film. However, nothing is said in this context about pressing the blanks into the mold, and from this expression it is assumed that the blanks are already separated at the stage when they are pressed into the mold. Furthermore, the specification elsewhere establishes that separate blanks are pressed into the mold, and therefore the patent does not give the impression that at any stage two or more blanks are attached to each other when the blanks are pressed into the mold, and that two or more molds exist at the same time.

[0005] Generally speaking, solutions known in the art use fixed molds that do not move relative to each other. One drawback is the need to use two vacuum mold feeder stations to ensure that the formed product packages are close enough to each other to reduce film waste. While bulk die-cutting is a widely used method for producing blanks and reducing material consumption, grouped blanks are typically separated for individual use before forming the product packages. While fixed molds result in film waste, separating blanks from the die-cut group before forming the product packages requires tools and an entirely separate work step, which is costly and reduces production capacity. As known in the art, blanks separated from the group are typically placed into the forming machine by hand, or feeding the blanks to the forming machine requires an intermediate transfer from a blank pallet to the forming machine's blank magazine. All of this increases costs and processing time and increases the likelihood of errors.

[0006] EP 3141373 discloses an apparatus and method for producing dish-shaped product packages, however this solution differs from that of the present invention. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a cheap and fast method and device for producing plated product packages, which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks and saves food-grade plastic during the production stage. The inventive device for producing plated product packages is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterizing part of claim 1. Correspondingly, the inventive method for producing plated product packages is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterizing part of claim 1. 9 The invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterizing part of the claims. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To this end, the apparatus for producing tray-shaped product packages of the present invention includes a product package forming station connected to a secondary tool having a secondary forming mold, a heating station, and a primary tool having a primary forming mold for feeding sheet-like fiber-based individual blanks to be formed into the product packages. The apparatus also includes a control system for controlling the functioning of the apparatus, and a film track connected to the apparatus for providing a film serving as an inner lining to the formed product packages. Preferably, the primary tool includes two or more primary forming molds arranged side by side. Furthermore, the primary tool includes a gripping means for feeding a group of blanks formed by two or more individual blanks for the product packages attached to each other side by side to the secondary tool.

[0009] In one preferred solution of the invention, the device comprises means for moving the forming moulds towards and away from each other during the manufacturing stage of the product package.

[0010] The present invention also relates to an apparatus comprising a product package forming station connected to a secondary tool having a secondary forming mold, a heating station, and a primary tool having a primary forming mold for feeding sheet-like fiber-based individual blanks to be formed into product packages to form the product packages, the apparatus comprising a control system for controlling the functioning of the apparatus, and a film track connected to the apparatus for providing a film acting as an inner lining to the formed product packages, and a method for producing plate-shaped product packages in the apparatus, the product packages being produced by forming each of the individual blanks in the plate-shaped product package forming mold, and a second surface of the product packages being provided with a food-grade film acting as an inner lining. Preferably, the method comprises: two or more side-by-side primary moulds and a sheet-like blank group comprising two or more side-by-side individual blanks to be formed into product packages are transferred to two or more secondary moulds; the blanks remain between the upper and lower molds when the upper mold is in a vertical line above the lower molds, and the molds are pressed together so that one individual blank of the blanks is located in each upper mold and in each lower mold; forming the product package by applying a force to the group of blanks between the upper forming mold and the secondary forming mold, which force separates the individual blanks in the group of blanks from one another and presses the separated individual blanks into their positions in the secondary forming mold; After forming, the film that serves as the inner lining is attached to the second surface of the product packages essentially simultaneously for each and every formed product package. The method includes one or more steps of:

[0011] In one preferred method of the present invention, the primary molds are moved away from the secondary molds after molding, and the secondary molds that were on the same vertical line as the primary molds during the molding stage are moved toward each other in a linear row until the horizontal distance between the outermost secondary molds is shorter than the horizontal distance between the outermost primary molds, and then the film that functions as the inner lining is attached to the second surface of the product package essentially simultaneously for all of the molded product packages every time. Correspondingly, after the film is attached, the secondary molds are moved away from each other in a linear row until the horizontal distance between the outermost secondary molds is the same as the horizontal distance between the outermost primary molds.

[0012] In another preferred method of the present invention, after forming, the film that is secured to the second surface of the product package as an inner lining is removed from the film on its own film track for each side-by-side product package, and this film is of a specific width relative to the width of the product package.

[0013] One advantage of the solution of the present invention is, among other things, increased speed and forming accuracy in producing product packaging. Furthermore, the solution of the present invention increases efficiency in the use of food-grade film and frame materials and transportation logistics by enabling the delivery of larger quantities of material per distribution batch. The tightly packed blank groups of product packaging blanks in the die-cutting stage increase their transportation efficiency. Furthermore, the amount of material required per blank is reduced, which increases the efficiency of the entire supply chain. Another advantage in the manufacturing stage is the reduction of rotational errors in positioning the individual blanks due to the larger torque arm, since the individual blanks for forming plates are side-by-side with each other in each pressing cycle. Yet another advantage is that the solution of the present invention allows the blanks for forming plates to be taken directly from the blank pallet and used to supply the cut-to-shape blank groups to the manufacturing unit. In this case, there is no need to separate the individual blanks or handle them separately. Simultaneous processing of multiple individual blanks as a single blank group simplifies the forming stage. Yet another major advantage is the reduction of film waste due to the solution of the present invention.

[0014] In the following, the present invention will be described in more detail by means of some preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a side, top, and oblique view of one product package produced using the apparatus and method of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic side view of the product package of FIG. 1 and a food film attached to the inner surface thereof. [Figure 3] 1 is a top view of one group of blanks for producing one type of product package according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a top view of a second group of blanks for producing the product package of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic side view of a portion of an apparatus according to the present invention for producing dish-shaped product packages; [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic front view of a portion of one apparatus of FIG. 5 for producing dish-shaped product packages. [Figure 7] 6 is a schematic front view of a portion of the second apparatus of FIG. 5 for producing plate-shaped product packages, with a group of blanks being transferred into a mold for simultaneously forming two or more plate-shaped product packages from the group of sheet-shaped blanks. [Figure 8] 8 is a schematic front view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 7 for manufacturing dish-shaped product packages, with a plurality of dish-shaped product packages just formed by pressing blanks into side-by-side molds. [Figure 9] 8 is a schematic front view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 7 for producing plate-shaped product packages, with the secondary forming dies of the apparatus moved toward or even in contact with each other, preparing to line the inner surface of the just-formed product package with a food-grade film. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a side and top oblique view of a product package 1 manufactured using the apparatus and method of the present invention. The product package frame includes a base 2 and eight walls (i.e., two side walls 3, two end walls 4, and four corner walls 5, the corner walls being located between the side walls 3 and the end walls 4). Additionally, the product package 1 has edges 6 and 7 extending outward from the upper edges of the walls 2-4, which are positioned to form an essentially flat surface for a lid for the product package. The first edge 6 is located on a side of the product package 1, and the second edge 7 is located on an end of the product package. Preferably, the end of the first edge 6 and the end of the second edge 7 are attached to each other on the vertical centerline of the corner wall 5, and in this case, the seam 5 between the first edge 6 and the second edge 7 is also essentially located on the vertical centerline of the corner wall 5.

[0017] Preferably, small openings are provided in the base 2, walls 3-5, and folds 8 of the edges 6, 7 of the frame portion, through which air can be drawn during the manufacturing process of the product package 1. The openings may be continuous, such as perforations, and may vary in size and shape. Thus, for example, they may be essentially circular openings or narrow dash-shaped rectangular openings. To facilitate folding, creases or some other corresponding structure may be present in the folds 8.

[0018] Preferably, the product package 1 is manufactured from one individual sheet-like fiber-based blank of uniform thickness, which blank is provided with the necessary score lines and folds 8, which preferably include perforations, i.e., the aforementioned openings made through the blank material at equal intervals in an essentially straight line.

[0019] Figure 2 is a side view of the product package 1 of Figure 1 and an inner lining that forms a food-grade film (or more simply, film 1a) that is secured to the inside surface of the product package, which is not yet attached in the state of Figure 2. The inner lining, film 1a, can be, for example, a food-grade plastic and can be easily removed from the frame portion after use, in which case the fiber-based frame portion can be sent for recycling and film 1a can be sent as a separate piece to plastic recycling.

[0020] The film 1a intended as the inner lining is attached to the frame part and arranged to make the package airtight together with a lid (not shown). The film 1a is attached, for example, by creating a negative pressure under the frame part, which sucks the film 1a to the inner surface of the frame part and causes the film 1a to adhere to the inner surface of the frame part, thereby adhering to the inner surface of the frame part due to its properties. This attachment is achieved by using the negative pressure to suck air out through the frame part from between the frame part and the film 1a arranged therein. To strengthen the suction effect and make it easier to fold into the package shape, the product package has a fold 8, and the suction of the film 1a to the inner surface of the product package 1 is achieved through the opening in the fold.

[0021] In the manner described above, the inner lining film 1a is attached in a leak-tight manner to the inner surface of the frame part and at the same time makes the whole dish structure more robust.

[0022] In the method of the present invention, two or more, preferably, for example, two, four or eight units of frame portions of the dish-shaped product package 1 are produced in the same molding cycle by folding essentially linear blank groups 9 mechanically with a molding tool and by negative and / or positive pressure into the dish-shaped product package 1. The above-mentioned film 1a is also provided essentially simultaneously on the inner surface and upper surface of the edge portions 6, 7 of the product package 1 produced in the same molding cycle, and the film 1a is preferably fastened to the product package 1 immediately after the product package 1 is formed. The production of the product package 1 and the fastening of the film will be described in more detail below.

[0023] 3 and 4 are top views of a blank group 9 used in the method of the present invention when manufacturing product package 1 using the apparatus of the present invention. Preferably, blank group 9 includes two or more individual blanks 9a of product packages, the individual blanks being side-by-side. Suitably, for example, two, three, four, five, six, or more individual blanks 9a are attached to one another side-by-side in a row. Preferably, all individual blanks 9a of product packages 1 within the same blank group 9 are similar to one another, attached to one another side-by-side, and separated by seams 8a. Seams 8a may be perforation-type seams, with holes or other weakened points separating the individual blanks 9a from one another during the forming stage of product package 1. One preferred configuration of seam 8a is one in which the seam has a long, linear, thin gap and a narrow bridge across the seam, which attaches adjacent individual blanks 9a to one another. The seam 8a may simply be a cut line along which adjacent individual blanks 9a are cut from one another immediately before the individual blanks 9a are folded in the mold.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a blank group 9 similar to the blank group 9 shown in FIG. 3, but here the blank group 9 includes two rows of individual blanks 9a attached to one another. In this case, the individual blanks 9a are attached to one another at both their side edges and their end edges. Suitably, for example, two, three, four, five, six, or more individual blanks 9a are attached to one another side-by-side in two or more rows. During the forming stage, the individual blanks 9a are separated from one another's side edges at seams 8a and from one another's end edges at seams 8b. The seams 8a, 8b may be similar to those described in connection with the blank group 9 of FIG. 3.

[0025] Figure 5 is a schematic side view of part of an apparatus for producing dish-shaped product packages according to the present invention. For clarity, Figure 5 shows only part of the structure of the apparatus and only some parts of the structure of the components shown.

[0026] The apparatus comprises a forming station 10 for dish-shaped product packages, to which are connected a primary tool 18 having a support structure 18a, lateral supports 18b and a primary mould 19 and functioning as a feeding tool, a secondary tool 20 having a secondary mould 21 and functioning as a receiving tool, a heating station 23 having a hot plate and a cutting device, and a receiving station 24 having a lifting means. The secondary mould 21 is provided with a suction function for generating a negative pressure, so that the secondary mould 21 can also be called a suction mould. The apparatus also comprises a control system connected to the apparatus for controlling the functions of the apparatus.

[0027] Additionally, the apparatus is connected to a film track 12 provided with folding rolls 13-16 for moving a thin film, including food-grade plastic, on a film roll 11 through the forming station 10. The film track 12 with film rolls 11, 17 and film may be common to all product packages 1 being formed side-by-side, in which case there may be only one film track 12, or each product package 1 being formed may have its own film track 12 with film rolls 11, 17 and film, in which case there may be as many side-by-side film tracks 12 as there are product packages 1 being formed side-by-side.

[0028] Each film comprises at least two continuous portions: a first (i.e., intact, uncut) portion 12a that exits the film roll 11 and ends at the location of a cutting device connected to the heating station 23, and a second (i.e., cut-remaining) portion 12b that begins at the location of the aforementioned cutting device and ends at the remaining film roll 17.

[0029] At forming station 10, the portion cut out from intact first portion 12a of film, i.e., inner lining film 1a, is fastened to a second surface, preferably the top surface, of dish-shaped product package 1 formed from blank group 9 at forming station 10, which portion may also be referred to as the inner surface. After cutting and fastening, the second portion of film including the cutout, i.e., remainder film 12b, is fed to remainder film roll 17 along film track 12, which is guided by folding rolls 14-16.

[0030] The width of the film is as narrow as possible but is the same as the width of the blank group 9 and corresponds to the width of the blank group 9 so that after cutting, thin strips remain on both edges of the residual film 12b, which strips allow the residual film 12b to run onto the residual film roll 17.

[0031] The heating station 23 and its hot plates (said hot plates are arranged side by side) are preferably located directly above the forming molds 21 and the intact first portions 12a of the film in the forming station 10, with each hot plate above one forming mold 21. The number of hot plates is the same as the number of individual blanks 9a arranged side by side in the group 9 of blanks.

[0032] The primary forming moulds 19 in the primary tool 18 are fixed side-by-side in a straight line. The number, size and relative arrangement of the primary forming moulds 19 correspond to the number, size and relative arrangement of the individual blanks 9a in the blank group 9. The primary tool 18 is equipped with an actuator for transferring the blank group 9 from the blank pallet 22 to the secondary forming mould 21. The actuator comprises, for example, means for moving the primary tool 18 back and forth horizontally and vertically, means for the primary forming mould 19 to grip the upper surface of the blank group 9 (for example by suction), and means for lowering the blank group 9 into the correct position on top of the secondary forming mould 21. This means also comprises, among other things, various sensors and measuring devices.

[0033] Preferably, directly below the heating station 23 is a secondary tool 20 having secondary forming molds 21 and suction hoses 28, via which suction can be applied within the secondary forming molds 21. The secondary forming molds 21 are fixed in a linear row, side by side with one another. The number, size and mutual arrangement of the secondary forming molds 21 correspond to the number, size and mutual arrangement of the primary forming molds 19 and the individual blanks 9a of the blank group 9, in order to form the frame of the dish-shaped product package 1. Furthermore, the device comprises actuators for moving the secondary forming molds 21 back and forth at least vertically, and in certain embodiments also horizontally.

[0034] A receiving station 24 equipped with lifting means is preferably arranged at the front of the forming station 10, close to the forming mould 21. After fastening the film 1a which serves as the inner lining, the product package 1 is transferred from the forming mould 21 to the receiving station 24, for example with the aid of a gripping means which moves back and forth. From the receiving station 24, the product package 1 provided with the inner lining is transferred to further processing, for example filling and capping, in connection with which the desired food portion or food product is placed in the product package.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5 for producing tray-shaped product packages. In the apparatus and method of FIG. 6, the product packages 1 are formed in groups of four at a time. In this solution, the forming dies 21 are always held stationary relative to each other laterally. To minimize film waste, the film used for the inner lining is pre-cut widthwise to a specific dimension relative to the width of each product package 1 being formed, as narrow as possible. For each product package 1 being formed, there is a dedicated film track 12 with film rolls 11 and 17—in this case, four side-by-side film tracks 12. The horizontal distance of the film on each film track 12 corresponds to the horizontal distance of the forming dies 21. Each film track 12 can have its own folding rolls 13-16, or it can have only one common roll per roll of all four film tracks 12, extending across all four film tracks 12.

[0036] Figure 6 shows the primary tool 18 conveying one blank group 9 onto the secondary mold 21 to form the product package 1. For clarity, Figure 6 does not show the heating station 23 above the first portion of film 12a behind the folding roll 14. Openings 25 can be seen in the residual film 12b where the film 1a used for the inner lining was cut. Between the openings 25 are short transverse film bridges to keep the residual film 12b as intact as possible for operational protection.

[0037] In describing the method of the present invention, two methods and apparatuses are presented below, in which the forming of the product package 1 is carried out one such group of blanks 9 at a time, the group of blanks including four individual blanks 9a arranged side by side in a row, one individual blank being attached on one side to another blank. In the method of the present invention, the forming of the dish-shaped product package 1 and the attachment of the film 1a used for the inner lining to the second surface (preferably the inner surface) are carried out, for example, as follows:

[0038] At the start of the forming stage, a group of blanks 9 is removed, for example by suction, from a stack of blanks located on a blank pallet 22 and transferred onto a secondary forming mould 21 in the secondary tool 20. Preferably, the group of blanks 9 comprises four individual blanks 9a attached to one another on one side. Preferably, the secondary forming moulds 21 are arranged alongside one another such that the number, size and mutual arrangement of the primary forming moulds 21 correspond to the number, size and mutual arrangement of the individual blanks 9a of the product packages 1 in the group of blanks 9.

[0039] When the group of blanks 9 is above the secondary forming dies 21 supported by the primary forming dies 19, one individual blank 9a of the group of blanks is always in the position of one secondary forming die 21, and either the upper forming die or the secondary forming die 21 all move simultaneously so that the upper forming die and the secondary forming die press against each other and the group of blanks 9 remains between the upper forming die and the secondary forming die.

[0040] The forming of the product package 1 then takes place in accordance with conventional techniques by mechanically and / or by suction and / or by pressure forcing the individual blanks 9a into their position in the secondary forming mold 21. In this way, all the individual blanks 9a that were in the blank group 9 are simultaneously formed into product packages 1, i.e. in this case four product packages 1 are formed simultaneously.

[0041] After forming, film 1a is attached as an inner lining to the upper surface of inner edges 6, 7 of product packages 1. For this function, secondary forming mold 21 with product packages 1 is raised to the bottom surface of first portion 12a of film on film track 12, and a hot plate of heating station 23 at the location of product packages 1 is pressed against the upper surface of first portion 12a of film. The essentially simultaneous attachment of film 1a to the upper surface of all product packages 1 is performed by both mechanical pressure and suction and / or pressure, according to prior art.

[0042] After securing the film 1a, the forming mold 21 is lowered into position to await the next forming cycle, and the product package 1 is removed from the forming mold to a receiving station 24.

[0043] After this, the working cycle of the forming stage can start from the beginning.

[0044] 7 to 9 show a second preferred method and apparatus according to the present invention for producing dish-shaped product packages. In this solution, the apparatus according to the present invention differs from the apparatus presented above only in that it comprises means for moving the forming moulds 21 towards and away from each other. Likewise, the apparatus comprises a control system and sensors and measuring devices suitable for controlling the movement of the forming moulds 21.

[0045] The means for moving the forming dies 21 relative to one another preferably include one or more actuators 27, such as linear servo motors, pneumatic cylinders, or hydraulic cylinders, which are preferably connected to the apparatus's control system and configured to move the forming dies 21 on the guide rails 26 toward and away from one another in the direction of the forming die row. During the forming stage of the product package 1, the forming dies 21 are farther apart; during the fastening stage of the film 1a intended as the inner lining, the forming dies 21 are closer to one another, preferably essentially in contact with one another. In one preferred solution, the outermost forming die 21 is arranged to remain firmly in its position, while the other forming dies 21 are arranged to move toward and away from the outermost forming die 21. This arrangement can also be performed so that all forming dies 21 are moved toward and away from one another. A second preferred solution, in connection with combining the secondary forming dies 21 side by side, is to move all secondary forming dies 21 in the same direction laterally relative to the position of both outermost secondary forming dies in the forming stage and retract them for combining using actuators 27.

[0046] This solution allows for very little film waste, and therefore requires the use of a film track 12 with folding rolls 13-16 and film and residual film rolls 11, 17 that is narrower than in the device for carrying out the method shown in Figure 6. If the secondary forming dies 21 are not in full contact with each other during the fastening stage of the film 1a, longitudinal webs of film may remain in the residual film 12b at the locations of the gaps between the secondary forming dies 21, and in this case, instead of one wide opening 25, there will be a row of side-by-side narrow openings 25 in the residual film 12b.

[0047] Figure 7 shows a blank group 9 including four individual blanks 9a arranged side by side being transferred to a forming mold 21 for simultaneously forming four dish-shaped product packages 1 from the sheet-like blank group 9. Figure 8 shows a state in which a plurality of dish-shaped product packages have just been formed by pressing the individual blanks 9a of the blank group 9 into the side by side forming mold 21. The method steps of Figures 7 and 8 can be the same as the method steps of Figure 6.

[0048] Correspondingly, Figure 9 shows the secondary moulds 21 of the apparatus being moved relative to one another in preparation for covering the inner surface of the just-formed product package 1 with the film 1a forming the inner lining. Once the product package 1 to be produced at one time has been formed, the primary tool 18 with the primary moulds 19 is transferred away from the track of the secondary moulds 21, and the spaced-apart rows of secondary moulds 21 are transferred towards, preferably relative to, one another by one or more actuators 27.

[0049] After this, the secondary forming molds 21 together with the product packages 1, which are in contact with each other or at least closer than the forming stage, are raised onto the bottom surface of the first film portion 12a on the film track 12, and the hot plate of the heating station 23 at the position of the product packages 1 is pressed onto the top surface of the first film portion 12a. The simultaneous fastening of the inner lining film 1a to the top surface of all the product packages 1 is carried out by mechanical pressure and also by suction and / or pressure, according to the prior art.

[0050] After fastening the film 1a, the secondary molds 21 are lowered into position to await the next molding cycle and are moved away from each other by one or more actuators 27 to a position for the molding step, and the product package 1 is removed from the secondary molds to a receiving station 24. The product package 1 may also be removed from the secondary mold 21 before the secondary mold 21 is moved into a position for the molding step.

[0051] After this, the working cycle of the forming stage can start from the beginning.

[0052] It is clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified within the scope of the claims presented below. Thus, for example, some structural solutions can also differ from those presented above. In this case, for example, the number of individual blanks arranged side by side within a group of blanks can be varied. For example, there can be two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more individual blanks arranged side by side, and instead of one, there can be two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more individual blanks arranged side by side.

[0053] Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the product packaging may be made from materials other than recyclable fiber materials. Thus, the frame portion of the product packaging can be made from some other foldable material other than cardboard. For example, the frame portion of the product packaging can be made from different paperboards, cardboards, or papers, or even woven fabrics, or a combination of different materials.

[0054] It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that positive pressure may be used to assist in fastening the inner lining during manufacturing, with the positive pressure forcing the inner lining against the inner surface of the frame portion of the product package. In such a case, the device includes means for generating positive pressure on the opposite side of the inner lining relative to the frame portion of the product package during the fastening step of the inner lining. The positive pressure, in this case caused by blowing, promotes the formation of the inner lining film on the edge of the product package.

[0055] It will also be clear to those skilled in the art that the film track may be transverse to the longitudinal direction of the product packages being formed. In this solution, the forming dies are always held stationary relative to each other in the transverse direction, or they are moved together in the manner described above before fastening the film that serves as the inner lining, and to minimize film waste, the film on the film track is pre-cut to specific dimensions in the film width direction so as to be as narrow as possible relative to the length of each product package being formed. Preferably, there is a dedicated film track with a film roll for each row of product packages being formed simultaneously.

[0056] It is also clear to those skilled in the art that instead of one wide film capable of lining all the individual blanks of a blank group simultaneously, narrower films can also be used in the solution according to the invention, for example, two side-by-side films are used, each with a width sufficient to cover half the number of individual blanks in the blank group (for example, two individual blanks if there are four individual blanks in the blank group).

[0057] It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that instead of the vertical movement direction described in the above embodiments, many functions can be implemented in other directions, for example horizontally, in which case the primary tool with the primary mold and the secondary tool with the secondary mold do not need to move collinearly with each other in a vertical plane, but instead need to move in different planes, for example horizontally.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing tray-shaped product packages, said apparatus comprising a forming station (10) for the product packages, said forming station (10) being connected to a secondary tool (20) having a secondary forming mould (21), a heating station (23) and a primary tool (18) having a primary forming mould (19) for feeding sheet-like fibre-based individual blanks (9a) to be formed into product packages (1) for forming the product packages, said apparatus comprising a control system for controlling the functioning of said apparatus, said apparatus being connected to a film track (12) for providing the formed product packages (1) with a film (1a) serving as an inner lining, said primary tool (18) comprising two side-by-side and the apparatus comprises means for moving the side-by-side secondary forming dies (21) towards and away from each other after forming of the product package (1), wherein the means for moving the secondary forming dies (21) towards and away from each other comprise one or more actuators (27) connected to the control system of the apparatus; and the primary tool (18) comprises gripping means for feeding a group of blanks (9) to the secondary tool (20), the group of blanks (9) being formed by two or more individual blanks (9a) of the product package (1), the individual blanks (9a) being attached to each other side-by-side.

2. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal distance between the primary forming dies (19) within the primary tool (18) is the same as the horizontal distance between the individual blanks (9a) side by side within a group of blanks supplied by the primary tool (18).

3. An apparatus as described in claim 2, characterized in that the number of primary forming molds (19) in the primary tool (18) is the same as the number of individual blanks (9a) in the group of blanks (9) supplied by the primary tool (18).

4. 4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that one forming die (21) of the forming die row is arranged to remain in a fixed position and other forming dies (21) of said forming die row are arranged to be moved both towards and away from said fixed forming die (21) by an actuator (27).

5. 5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that all the forming dies (21) of the forming die row are arranged to move laterally in the same direction relative to one or the other position of the outermost forming dies of the forming stage and retract, using an actuator (27), in order to combine the forming dies (21).

6. 6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the width of the film in the film track (12) is smaller than the horizontal distance between the outer edges of the two outermost primary moulds (19) of the row of primary moulds.

7. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is connected to two or more side-by-side film tracks (12), one film track (12) for each side-by-side blank (9a) in the group (9) of blanks of the product package (1), or one film track (12) for each of two or more side-by-side individual blanks (9a) in the group (9) of blanks of the product package (1).

8. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the horizontal distance between the longitudinal centre lines of the side-by-side film tracks (12) is the same as the horizontal distance between the centre points of the forming dies (21).

9. 1. A method for producing a plate-shaped product package in an apparatus comprising a forming station (10) for a product package (1), connected to said forming station is a secondary tool (20) having a secondary mould (21), a heating station (23), and a primary tool (18) having a primary mould (19) for feeding sheet-like fibre-based individual blanks (9a) to be formed into the product package (1), said apparatus comprising a control system for controlling the functioning of said apparatus, and connected to said apparatus is a film track (12) for providing a film (1a) serving as an inner lining to the formed product package (1), said method comprising the steps of: two or more side-by-side primary moulds (19) and a sheet-like blank group (9) comprising two or more side-by-side individual blanks (9a) for forming into product packages (1) are transferred to two or more secondary moulds (21); when the primary mould (19) is in a vertical line above the secondary mould (21), the blanks (9) remain between the primary mould (19) and the secondary mould (21), and the moulds are pressed together so that one individual blank (9a) is in the position of each primary mould and secondary mould; forming the product package (1) by applying a force to the blank group (9) between the primary and secondary forming molds, which force separates the individual blanks (9a) in the blank group (9) from one another and presses the separated individual blanks (9a) into their positions in the secondary forming mold (21); After molding, the film (1a) acting as an inner lining is attached to the second surface of the product packages (1) simultaneously for all the molded product packages (1); After molding, the primary molds (19) are moved away from the secondary molds (21), and the secondary molds (21) that were on the same vertical line as the primary molds (19) during the molding step are moved in a linear row toward each other until the horizontal distance between the outermost secondary molds (21) is shorter than the horizontal distance between the outermost primary molds (19), and then the film (1a) that functions as an inner lining is attached to the second surface of the product packages (1) simultaneously for all of the molded product packages (1) each time. A method comprising:

10. 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that after fastening the film (1 a), the secondary moulds (21) are moved away from each other in a linear row to a position where the horizontal distance of the outermost secondary moulds (21) from each other is the same as the horizontal distance of the outermost primary moulds (19) from each other.

11. 11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein when the forming moulds (21) are moved and preferably arranged so that one outermost forming mould (21) remains firmly in place, the other forming moulds (21) move towards and away from said one outermost forming mould (21).

12. 11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that when the forming dies (21) are moving, all the forming dies (21) move in the same direction towards the side of the outermost forming die (21) and retreat.

13. 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that after forming, the film (1a) fastened as an inner lining to the second surface of the product packages (1) is removed from the film on its own film track (12) of each side-by-side product package (1).

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