Packaging a product with film

Abstract

A system and method for packaging products (10) with a flexible packaging film (12) includes a preheater (220) and a sealing mechanism (210). The preheater (220) is adapted to preheat the flexible packaging film (12) to a first temperature, and the sealing mechanism (210) is adapted to heat the flexible packaging film (12) from the first temperature to a second temperature to effect a seal. The preheater (220) may take the form of a metal plate (332) with heating cartridges (334) and a thermocouple (336) within it.

Description

PATENT APPLICATIONInventors: Brian ZaisPatrick KeenanRandal. Monforton Todd Williams Brett HeffelbowerDocket No.: IR-938655334-00014TITLEPACKAGING A PRODUCT WITH FILMCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 550,781, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PACKAGING WITH RECYCLABLE FILMS / ’ filed on February 7, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for packaging, and more particularly, systems and methods for packaging with flexible packaging films made from recyclable materials.BACKGROUND

[0003] Product packaging takes on a variety of forms depending on the type of product being packaged. In some applications, products having a shelf life (e.g., food, pharmaceuticals) are wrapped or covered with a flexible packaging film that is heat- sealed to effect an air and moisture-tight seal. Many packagers utilize non-recyclable flexible packaging films, which are unsuitable for processing through conventional recyclable streams. This is problematic insofar as it contributes to waste generation and leads to the depletion of raw materials and natural resources. Using eco-friendly,recyclable / sustainable materials for flexible films (e.g., recyclable paper or a recyclable polyolefin) would resolve these issues, but it is not practicable for several reasons. For example, using recyclable paper as a flexible packaging film requires that a majority of the film (and perhaps even at least 80%) be paper by weight to minimize the contamination effect of any sealant applied thereon (e.g., when sealing the product package). This requires the use of heavy paper stock as a base material to offset the contamination effect of any sealant applied thereon. But because paper is a heat insulator, achieving a proper heat seal with a conventional heat sealing mechanism (e.g., heat-sealing rollers) requires a considerable amount of time for heat to transfer through the paper to the sealant disposed on an inner surface thereof, which consequently hinders the throughput of the packaging line.

[0004] In a related manner, using recyclable plastic as a flexible packaging film requires that the film be almost or entirely comprised of polyethylene (PE) materials ( e.g., high-density polyethylene (HDPE)). Generally, this is because PE materials are generally the only flexible film material accepted in most recycling streams. However, using a recyclable plastic film is complex insofar as the melting temperature of the film is only slightly higher than that of the sealant applied thereon, e.g., by about 20 degrees F. This is problematic because a conventional heat sealing mechanism operates at a temperature that would otherwise melt the plastic film, causing it to stick to the sealing surface. Consequently, the temperature of the heat sealing mechanism must be decreased to avoid melting the film, which undesirably produces a bottleneck in the packaging line.SUMMARY

[0005] The present technology provides a system and method to add energy to the packaging material to warm the sealing material to prepare it for the sealing operation.In embodiments, the packaging system includes a sealing mechanism and a preheater arranged upstream relative to the sealing mechanism. The preheater preheats the flexible packaging film, and particularly the sealing material, before the flexible packaging film is heat-sealed via the sealing mechanism. The present technology7provides a packaging system and method that facilitates the use of recyclable materials for flexible packaging films without hindering the productivity7of a packaging line.

[0006] In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a system for packaging a product with a flexible packaging film. The system includes a preheater adapted to preheat the flexible packaging film to a first temperature, and a sealing mechanism adapted to heat the flexible packaging film from the first temperature to a second temperature to effect a seal.

[0007] In accordance with another aspect, a method of packaging a product with a system including a preheater and a sealing mechanism includes receiving input data. The input data comprises at least one of: a throughput, a product type, a flexible packaging film type, and a sealant type. The method also includes adjusting a temperature of the preheater to an operating temperature based on the input data, preheating a flexible packaging film via the preheater to a first temperature, and heating the flexible packaging film from the first temperature to a second temperature via the sealing mechanism to effect a seal.

[0008] In accordance with yet another aspect, a preheater for a packaging system adapted to package a product with flexible packaging film includes a metal plate and a heating element. The metal plate defines a first opening and a second opening. A heating element is inserted in the first opening and is adapted to heat the metal plate.The metal plate is heated to transfer heat therefrom to the flexible packaging film.

[0009] In one aspect, provided is a system for packaging a product with a flexible packaging film comprises: a preheater adapted to preheat the flexible packaging film to a first temperature; and a sealing mechanism adapted to heat the flexible packaging film from the first temperature to a second temperature to effect a seal.

[0010] In one embodiment, the preheater and the sealing mechanism are disposed about a longitudinal axis.

[0011] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the preheater is adapted to preheat the flexible packaging film via conduction, convection, or radiation.

[0012] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the preheater comprises a metal plate, said metal plate defining an opening dimensioned to receive a heating element therein.

[0013] In one embodiment, the system further comprises: a linear actuator operatively connected to the metal plate, said linear actuator being operable to raise or lower the metal plate relative to a conveyor.

[0014] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the preheater comprises a movable platen comprising a conducting member depending therefrom, wherein the conducting member is adapted to rest on the flexible packaging film for a predetermined period of time to heat the flexible packaging film to the first temperature.

[0015] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the preheater is in the form of a roller or drum.

[0016] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the flexible packaging film comprises paper, a polyethylene film, or a combination thereof.

[0017] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the first temperature is lower than the second temperature.

[0018] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the first temperature is from about 20 °F to about 50 °F below the second temperature.

[0019] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the first temperature is substantially equal to or greater than the second temperature.

[0020] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the system further comprises a controller adapted to receive input data, said input data comprising at least one of: a throughput, a product type, a flexible packaging film type, and a sealant type, wherein the controller is configured to adjust an operating temperature of the preheater based on the input data.

[0021] In another aspect, provided is a method of packaging a product comprising: providing a packaging film comprising a film layer and a sealant material disposed on a surface of the film layer; applying energy to the packaging film to preheat the sealant material to a first temperature below a seal temperature of the sealant material; disposing the packaging film about a product; and subjecting the package film to a sealing operation to raise the temperature of the sealant material to a second temperature effective to create a seal and form the package.

[0022] In one embodiment, applying energy to the packaging film comprises applying heat to the packaging film.

[0023] In one embodiment, the applying energy to the packaging film comprises contacting a surface of the packaging film with a heater.

[0024] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the packaging film comprises paper.

[0025] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the packaging film comprises polyethylene.

[0026] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the heater comprises a metal plate comprising a heating element disposed therein.

[0027] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the heater comprises a drum comprising a heating element disposed therein.

[0028] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the sealing layer is substantially free of conductive inorganic particles.

[0029] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, disposing the packaging film about the product comprises flow wrapping.

[0030] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the sealant material comprises a polyolefin.

[0031] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, disposing the packaging film about the product comprises horizontal flow wrapping.

[0032] In one embodiment, the method comprises disposing the packaging film onto a container comprising a product.

[0033] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the first temperature is from about 20 °F to about 50 °F below the seal temperature of the sealant material.

[0034] In one embodiment in accordance with any previous aspect or embodiment, the method comprises receiving input data, said input data comprising at least one of: a throughput, a product type, a flexible packaging film type, and a sealant type; and adjusting a temperature of a preheater to an operating temperature based on the input data, wherein the applying energy to the packaging film is done via the preheater.

[0035] In yet another aspect, provided is a preheater for a packaging system adapted to package a product via a flexible packaging film, said preheater comprising: a metal plate defining a first opening and a second opening; a heating element inserted in said first opening and adapted to heat the metal plate, wherein the metal plate is heated to transfer heat therefrom to the flexible packaging film.

[0036] In one embodiment, the preheater comprises a thermocouple inserted in said second opening and adapted to monitor an operating temperature of said metal plate.

[0037] In still yet another embodiment, provided is a method of packaging a product comprising: providing a packaging film comprising a film layer and a sealant material disposed on a surface of the film layer; applying energy to the packaging film to preheat the sealant material to a first temperature below a seal temperature of the sealant material; disposing the packaging film about a product; and subj ecting the package film to a sealing operation to raise the temperature of the sealant material to a second temperature effective to create a seal and form the package, wherein the method employs the system of any of the previous aspects or embodiments.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The above and other features, examples and advantages of aspects or examples of the present disclosure are better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

[0039] FIG. 1 A illustrates a top view of a packaging system.

[0040] FIG. IB illustrates a side view of the packaging system of FIG. 1A.

[0041] FIG. 1C is a close-up view of the area bounded by dashed lines in FIG. IB.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a top view of an example packaging system according to the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an example preheater according to the present disclosure.

[0044] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the preheater of FIG. 3 A taken along line 3B-3B of FIG. 3 A, wherein the preheater is shown in relation to a flexible packaging film drawn underneath the preheater.

[0045] FIG. 4A illustrates a front view of another example preheater according to the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 4B illustrates another front view of the example preheater of FIG. 4A.

[0047] FIG. 5A illustrates a side view of another example preheater according to the present disclosure.

[0048] FIG. 5B illustrates a side view of an example carriage for the preheater of FIG. 5A.

[0049] FIG. 5C illustrates a side view of the example preheater of FIG. 5 A attached to the example carriage of FIG. 5B.

[0050] FIG. 6A illustrates a perspective view of another example preheater according to the present disclosure.

[0051] FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the preheater of FIG. 6A taken along line 6B-6B of FIG. 6A.

[0052] FIG. 7 A illustrates a perspective view of another example preheater according to the present disclosure.

[0053] FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the preheater of FIG. 7A taken along line 7B-7B of FIG. 7 A.

[0054] FIG. 8A illustrates a side view of another example packaging system according to the present disclosure.

[0055] FIG. 8B is a close-up view of the area bounded by dashed lines in FIG. 8A.

[0056] FIG. 9 is a top view of another example packaging system according to the present disclosure.

[0057] FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart of an example method of packaging with a recyclable flexible film according to the present disclosure.

[0058] FIG. 11 illustrates a flow chart of another example method of packaging according to the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present teachings, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present teachings. Moreover, features of the embodiments may be combined, switched, or altered without departing from the scope of the present teachings, e.g., features of each disclosed embodiment may be combined, switched, or replaced with features of the other disclosed embodiments. As such, the following description is presented by way of illustration and does not limit the various alternatives and modifications that may be made to the illustrated embodiments and still be within the spirit and scope of the present teachings.

[0060] As used herein, the words “example” and “exemplary” mean an instance, or illustration. The words “example” or “exemplary” do not indicate a key or preferred aspect or embodiment. The word “or” is intended to be inclusive rather an exclusive, unless context suggests otherwise. As an example, the phrase “A employs B or C,” includes any inclusive permutation (e.g., A employs B; A employs C or A employs both B and C). As another matter, the articles “a” and “an” are generally intended to mean “one or more” unless context suggests otherwise.

[0061] “Logic” refers to any information and / or data that may be applied to direct the operation of a processor. Logic may be formed from instruction signals stored in a memory' (e.g., a non-transitoiy memory ). Software is one example of logic. In another aspect, logic may include hardware, alone or in combination with software. For instance, logic may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits, such as hardware circuits comprising logical gates (e.g., AND, OR, XOR, NAND, NOR, and other logical operations). Furthermore, logic may be programmed and / or include aspects of various devices and is not limited to a single device.

[0062] The terms “substantially,” “predominantly,” “about,” and variations thereof are intended to note that the described features are equal or approximately equal to a value or characteristic, as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors. For example, the term “substantially rectangular” is intended to denote structure that is rectangular or approximately rectangular. As another example, the terms “substantially,” “predominately,” “about,” and variations thereof can denote values or characteristics that are exact or within 15% of exact, for example within 10% of exact, or within 3% of exact.

[0063] The present technology provides a system and method to add energy to the packaging material to warm the sealing material to prepare it for the sealing operation. In embodiments, the packaging system includes a sealing mechanism and a preheater arranged upstream relative to the sealing mechanism. The preheater preheats the flexible packaging film, and particularly’ the sealing material, before the flexible packaging film is heat-sealed via the sealing mechanism.

[0064] Turning now to FIGS. 1A and IB, top and side views of a conventional packaging system (i. e.. a lid sealer) 100 are shown. The packaging system 100 includes an infeed conveyor 102, a film roll carrier 104 (also referred to as a reel holder), and asealing mechanism 110. In some examples, the packaging system 100 may include one or more tensioner rollers 106 and a registration roller 108. Products 10 (e.g., food items, pharmaceutical goods, tools, etc.) are conveyed into the packaging system 100 via the infeed conveyor 102 and are covered (or wrapped) via a flexible packaging film 12 that is unwound from the film roll carrier 104. The tensioner rollers 106 are adapted to maintain constant tension while the flexible packaging film 12 is unwound, and the registration roller 108 is adapted to align the flexible packaging film 12 with the products 10 (e.g., via registration marks detected by a scanner) before they are sealed.

[0065] In the example shown, the flexible packaging film 12 is overlaid onto the products 10 (e.g., containers containing foodstuffs, for example, cereal bowls) and sealed thereto via the sealing mechanism 1 10. In other examples, the packaging system 100 may embody a flow wrapper with a forming shoe guide that forms the flexible packaging film 12 into a tube or receptacle for containing the product 10, e g., a wrapper for a granola bar. In this manner, it should be appreciated that the packaging system may take on a variety of forms (e g., a flow wrapper) without departing from the scope of the present technology.

[0066] The sealing mechanism 110 heat seals the flexible packaging film 12 to the product 10 to effect an air and moisture-tight seal. For this purpose, referring to FIGS. IB and 1C, the sealing mechanism 110 may include one or more heat sealing rollers 112 (including heating elements therein) adapted to apply pressure and heat to the upper surface 12a of the flexible packaging film 12 for conducting heat therethrough and to a sealant 14 disposed on a lower surface 12b thereof.

[0067] In particular, the sealing mechanism 110 is adapted to raise the temperature of the sealant 14 to a sealant initiation temperature, for example, somewhere between about 210°F and 230°F, whereupon the sealant 14 is soft enough to adhere to othermaterials, e.g., to the container of the product, or to itself. In many cases, a conventional packaging system 100 must operate at very high speeds, for example, at working speeds of 50 to 500 packages per minute. Accordingly, the available time to effect a heat seal (via the sealing mechanism 100) is limited, for example, to about 100 milliseconds to - 2 seconds. The thermal resistance of the flexible packaging film 12 is a factor for attaining a proper heat seal within a relatively short period of time.

[0068] Many packaging industries desire to be socially responsible by using eco- friendly, sustainable, recyclable materials. But utilizing such materials as flexible packaging films has largely been impracticable due to the higher thermal resistance of such materials relative to their non-recyclable counterparts. For example, using a recyclable material such as paper as a flexible packaging film requires that the flexible packaging film be at least 80% paper by weight to minimize the contamination effect (e.g., in the recycling process) of any sealant applied thereon. This requires a heavy paper stock as a base material to offset the contamination effect of any sealant applied thereon. But because paper is a heat insulator, achieving a proper heat seal with a conventional packaging system is impractical given the high throughput requirements noted above.

[0069] Similar issues arise when using recyclable plastic (i.e., recyclable polymers, for example, high density polyethylene (HDPE)). This is because the melting point of the flexible plastic film is only marginally higher than that of the heat sealant (e.g., a low density polyethylene (LDPE)) applied thereon. In view of the foregoing, the operating temperature of the sealing mechanism 110 must be decreased to avoid melting the flexible packaging film. Consequently, this requires a longer sealing dwell time (at a lower operating temperature) to effect a heat seal, which is impractical given the high throughput requirements noted above.

[0070] Turning now to FIG. 2, a packaging system 200 that is versatile in using a variety of recyclable materials as flexible packaging films without hindering the throughput requirements of the packaging process is described herein. The packaging system 200 includes some or all of an infeed conveyor 202, a film roll carrier 204, a sealing mechanism 210, and an example preheater 220 disposed about a longitudinal axis x coinciding with a packaging line. A recyclable flexible film 12 is fed to the preheater 220, whereupon it is preheated to a preheated temperature (i.e., a first temperature) below the seal initiation temperature of the sealant applied thereon. For the purposes of this disclosure, the seal initiation temperature (i.e., a second temperature) is the temperature wherein the sealant is activated so that it may adhere to other materials. In embodiments, the system applies energy to the material sufficient to preheat the sealant material to a temperature of from about 20 °F to about 50 °F, from about 25 °F to about 45 °F, or from about 30 °F to about 40 °F below the seal initiation temperature. The preheated temperature may depend on the material being used as the sealant material and the sealant initiation temperature of that material. In some embodiments, the preheater 220 is configured to raise the temperature of the film 12 from ambient temperature (e.g., about 70°F) to the preheated temperature wherein the preheated temperature is between about 170 and 205°F. In such embodiments, the seal initiation temperature is between about 210°F and 230°F. In other embodiments, the preheated temperature may be substantially equal to or exceed the seal initiation temperature, for example, in such applications where the sealing mechanism is configured to maintain the temperature of the preheated film (e.g., via supplemental heat) while applying pressure thereto (e.g., via rollers) to effect an air tight seal.

[0071] Because the preheater 220 is configured to preheat the flexible packaging film12 to the preheated temperature, the sealing mechanism 210 is only required toincrementally heat the flexible packaging film 12, and particularly the sealant material, from the preheated temperature to the seal initiation temperature. This requires considerably less time, for example, than requiring the sealing mechanism 210 to heat the flexible packaging film 12 from an ambient temperature to the seal initiation temperature, which otherwise would require a longer dwell time, adversely impacting the throughput of the packaging line. This aspect has been found to be particularly beneficial to enable the use of recyclable flexible films having a high thermal resistance (e.g., such as paper), which otherwise would require a longer dwell time for the sealing mechanism 210 to conduct heat through the flexible packaging film 12 to raise the temperature thereof to the seal initiation temperature.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 3A, an example preheater 320 for a packaging system is shown. wherein the preheater 320 comprises a planar, metal plate 332 with a plurality of heating elements 334 arranged therein. In the embodiment shown, there are five heating elements 334. It is contemplated that the heating elements 334 may be different in shape, number, and location. For example, in some embodiments, there may be fewer than five heating elements (e.g., only one or more than five). In other embodiments, the heating elements may comprise a closed coil or a spiral wound heating element disposed in the metal plate 332.

[0073] In the illustrated embodiment, the metal plate 332 defines one or more openings 333 (e.g.. along a face thereof) for receiving the heating elements 334 therein. In some embodiments, the heating elements 334 may comprise cartridge heaters (e.g.. 3 / 8” 300W) that are inserted into the openings 333 and configured to heat the metal plate 332 to an operating temperature. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the metal plate 332 is heated to an operating temperature, for example, between about 300 to 400 °F.

[0074] The metal plate 332 may also define one or more openings 335 for one or more thermocouples 336 configured to measure the temperature of the metal plate 332. In some embodiments, the metal plate 332 with the thermocouples 336 and heating elements 334 may form part of preheater 920 in a packaging system 900 with a controller 950 (e.g., in FIG. 9) that is adapted to control the operating temperature of the metal plate 332 based on input data, as discussed in detail below.

[0075] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the metal plate 332 is configured to preheat the flexible packaging film 12 to the preheated temperature as it is conveyed or drawn underneath the plate 332. In one embodiment, this is done via conduction based on direct contact between a lower surface 332a of the metal plate 332 and an upper surface 12a of the flexible packaging film 12. In the embodiment shown, the upper surface 12a of the flexible packaging film 12 directly contacts the lower surface 332a of the metal plate 332 such that heat from the metal plate 332 is conducted through the film 12 to the sealant 14 disposed on the lower surface 12b thereof. It is contemplated that the metal plate 332 may preheat the flexible packaging film 12 in a different manner, for example, via conduction and direct contact with the sealant 14, for example, if the flexible packaging film 12 was drawn against the metal plate 332 with the sealant 14 side of the film 12 directly contacting the lower surface 332a of the metal plate 332.

[0076] In one embodiment, the metal plate 332 is made of a suitable wear-resistant, conductive material. Examples of suitable materials for the metal plate include, but are not limited to, aluminum, stainless steel, copper nickel alloys, a beryllium copper alloy, and the like. Wear resistant materials may be of particular interest for embodiments in which the packaging film 12 is drawn against the lower surface 332a of metal plate 332 as it is conveyed via the infeed conveyor 302.

[0077] Turning now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, another example preheater 420 for a packaging system is shown. In this embodiment, the preheater 420 comprises a metal plate 432 attached to a reciprocating shaft 426 of a linear actuator 424. The linear actuator 424 is configured to raise or lower the reciprocating shaft 426 and, thus, the metal plate 432 attached thereto. The linear actuator 424 may take on a variety7of forms, including, but not limited to, a pneumatic actuator (e.g., driven via compressed air), a mechanical actuator (e.g., comprising a leadscrew, a cam, and the like), an electromechanical actuator, and the like. A distal end 426a of the shaft may be attached to the plate 432 via a bracket 428 fastened thereto (e.g., screws, nuts, bolts, etc.). It is also contemplated that the reciprocating shaft 426 may7be attached to the metal plate 432 in a different manner without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, for example, via one or more welds or rivets, etc., or via direct attachment to the plate (e.g., without a bracket). In some embodiments, the metal plate 432 may be translated or otherwise moved upward or downward about one or more guide shafts 430 extending through the plate 432. The use of guide shafts 430 helps stabilize the metal plate 432 as it is moved upward or downward, thereby ensuring that the orientation of the plate 432 relative to the flexible packaging film does not deviate (e.g., such that the lower surface thereof remains parallel to an upper surface of the flexible packaging film).

[0078] As shown in FIG. 4B, the linear actuator 424 is adapted to raise the metal plate 432, for example, when the packaging process is stopped (e.g., due to maintenance) to avoid overheating any flexible packaging film beneath the metal plate 432. It is also contemplated that the metal plate 432 may be raised when it becomes necessary to change plates (e.g., due to wear), or when it is unnecessary to preheat a flexible packaging film, for instance, if the flexible packaging film comprises a low thermal resistance and can be heated to the sealant initiation temperature (via the sealingmechanism) within a short period of time. In this manner, the various examples of packaging systems and preheaters of the present disclosure are versatile insofar as they are adaptable for use with a wide variety of flexible packaging films comprising different thermal resistant properties.

[0079] Turning to FIG. 5A, another example of a preheater 520 for a packaging system 500 is shown. In this embodiment, the preheater 520 comprises a movable platen 522 with one or more heat conducting members 524 disposed on a lower surface 522a thereof. In some embodiments, the heat conducting members 524 may embody metallic blocks, plates, cylindrical drums, or bars with heating elements disposed therein.

[0080] In the embodiment shown, the platen 522 is configured to rest on a first set of flexible packaging film 12 as it is conveyed downstream on the infeed conveyor 502. Specifically, the heat conducting members 524 of the platen 522 rest on the first set for a predetermined period of time sufficient to raise the temperature of the flexible packaging film 12 (and thus the sealant disposed thereon) to the preheated temperature. After the predetermined period of time has elapsed, the platen 522 may be sw ung back from a final position (coinciding with the end of the predetermined time period), to an original position, whereupon it is disposed on top of another set of flexible packaging film 22. In such embodiments, the platen 522 may swing back to the original position via a substantially semi-circular shaped motion. For this purpose, it is contemplated that automation (e.g., a robotic arm) may swing the platen 522 back to the original position. It is also contemplated that a fixture or carriage 540 (FIG. 5B) comprising a D-shaped track 560 may be used to move the platen 522 from a final position 564 to an original position 562 after the platen 522 has moved from the original position 562 to the final position 564 along the track 560. In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 5C,the platen 522 may comprise a laterally extending arm 530, wherein a distal end 532 of the arm 530 is disposed in the track 560 and configured to move or slide therein.

[0081] Turning to FIGS. 6 A and 6B, another example preheater 620 for a packaging system is shown. In this embodiment, the preheater 620 comprises a roller comprising an outer metal surface with one or more heating elements 634 disposed therein. The heating elements 634 are adapted to heat the outer metal surface of the roller, such that heat is conducted therefrom to the sealant 14 disposed on a lower surface of the flexible packaging film 12 as the flexible packaging film 12 is drawn over the roller. In some embodiments, one or more preheaters 620 may be arranged at an upstream location in the packaging system, for example, before or after tensioner rollers (e.g., 106 in FIG. 1A), wherein the preheaters 620 collectively heat the sealant 14 to the preheated temperature.

[0082] Turning to FIGS. 7A and 7B, another example preheater 720 for a packaging system is shown. In this embodiment, the preheater 720 comprises a conductive metal plate with one or more heating elements therein 734. The preheater 720 is adapted to contact and heat the sealant 14 disposed on a low er surface of the flexible packaging film 12. In some embodiments, the preheater 720 may be arranged at an upstream location in the packaging system, for example, before or after tensioner rollers (e.g., 106 in FIG. 1A).

[0083] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, another example of a preheater 820 for a packaging system 800 is shown. In this embodiment, the packaging system 800 comprises a preheater 820 including a heated static drum 822 and a guide 824 configured to guide the flexible packaging film 12 around the static drum 822 to maximize contact with the heat emissive surface area of the drum 822 as the flexible packaging film 12 is drawn through the preheater 820. In such embodiments, it iscontemplated that the drum 822 may comprise one or more heating elements therein configured to heat an outer surface of the drum 822, whereupon the flexible packaging film 12 is preheated via conductive contact with the outer surface.

[0001] Turning now7to FIG. 9, another example of a packaging system 900 is shown, wherein a preheater 920 and a sealing mechanism 910 are operatively connected to a controller 950. In this embodiment, the controller 950 is configured to adjust the operating temperature of the preheater 920 and / or of the sealing mechanism 910, for example, based on input data, including, but not limited to at least one of: a desired speed or throughput of the packaging line (e.g., packages per minute, meters per minute), aproduct 10 type being packaged (e.g., cereal bowls, granola bars, etc.), atype of flexible packaging film 12 (e.g., a recyclable paper or recyclable plastic) utilized, a thickness or weight of the flexible packaging film, a sealant type being utilized (e.g., a hot melt adhesive, an ethylene vinyl acetate, etc.), an amount of sealant applied to the flexible packaging film (e.g., measured in ounces or pounds). In some embodiments, the preheater 920 may take the form of any preheater disclosed herein, e g., 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, or 820. In some embodiments, the controller 950 may be operatively connected to a thermocouple (e.g., 336 in FIG. 3A) in the preheater 920 and / or in the sealing mechanism 910 to provide closed loop feedback regarding operating temperatures thereof in real time. In the embodiment shown, the controller 950 includes a processor 952 and a storage device 954. The processor 952 may embody any suitable processing device or set of processing devices such as. but not limited to: a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit, one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The storage device 954 may be volatile memory (e.g.,RAM, which can include non-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, andany other suitable forms); non-volatile memory (e.g., disk memory, FLASH memory, EPROMs, EEPROMs, non-volatile solid-state memory, etc.), unalterable memory (e.g., EPROMs), read-only memory, and / or high-capacity storage devices (e.g., hard drives, solid state drives, etc.). In some examples, the storage device 954 includes multiple kinds of memory', particularly volatile memory' and non-volatile memory'. The storage device 954 may also embody a computer readable media on which one or more sets of instructions are embedded. The instructions may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described herein. In a particular embodiment, the instructions may reside completely, or at least partially, within any one or more of the storage device 954, the computer readable medium, and / or within the processor 952 during execution of the instructions. In some embodiments, the instructions may direct the controller 950 to set the preheater 920 to an operating temperature setpoint based on the input data, for example, any such instance of input data disclosed herein. In other embodiments, the controller 950 may deactivate and / or remove the preheater 920 (e.g., via the linear actuator 424 of FIG. 4B), for example, based on operating data indicating that the line has stopped, e.g., due to maintenance. In some embodiments, the controller 950 may receive operating data indicating the temperature of the preheater (e.g., in real time

[0084] As noted earlier, the type of recyclable flexible packaging film that is employed will comprise distinct properties, for example, a unique thermal resistance and / or melting temperature. For instance, a flexible packaging film comprising a recyclable plastic material such as a polyolefin (e.g., HDPE) will comprise a lower melting temperature than a flexible packaging film comprising recyclable paper. In view of the foregoing, the controller 950 may institute a specific program based on the type of flexible packaging film that is utilized (i.e., input data), for example, to reduce the temperature of the preheater 920 and / or of the sealing mechanism 910 to prevent theflexible packaging film (e.g., a HDPE) from melting. In some embodiments, the controller 950 may increase the respective operating temperatures of the preheater 920 and the sealing mechanism 910, for example, when running a flexible packaging film comprising a thick paper material, e.g., in view of the high thermal resistance thereof. In this manner, it should be appreciated that the various examples of packaging systems and preheaters disclosed herein are versatile, insofar as they may be used to package products with a wide variety of flexible film-based materials.

[0085] For instance, when packaging products with a flexible packaging film comprising a low thermal resistance, the controller 950 may deactivate the preheater 920, or decrease the operating temperature of the preheater 920 to avoid overheating and / or melting the flexible packaging film. In some embodiments, the controller 950 may comprise computer readable media on which one or more sets of instructions may be embedded (e.g., in the storage device 954) to activate the preheater 920 and / or increase the operating temperature thereof, for example, when running a flexible packaging film comprising a high thermal resistance.

[0086] Turning now to FIG. 10, an example flowchart of a method 1000 of packaging a product is shown. Initially, at step 1002, the controller 950 receives input data, for example, any such instance of input data disclosed herein. At step 1004, the controller 950 adjusts the temperature setpoint of the preheater (e.g., 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, or 820) and / or of the heat sealing mechanism 910. e.g., of one or more heat sealing rollers 112 (FIG. 1 A) thereof. In such embodiments, the temperature set points may be predetermined based on a desired preheated temperature of the film and / or sealant initiation temperature.

[0087] At step 1006, the preheater (e.g., 220, 320, 420, 520. 620, 720, or 820) preheats the flexible packaging film to the preheated temperature. In some embodiments, thepreheater applies thermal energy through the flexible packaging film until the flexible packaging film and the sealant thereon attain the predetermined temperature. In other embodiments, the preheater applies thermal energy directly to the sealant on the flexible packaging film. In some embodiments, the thermal energy comprises heat that is transferred to the flexible packaging film or the sealant via conduction. In other embodiments, the thermal energy comprises heat that is transferred to the flexible packaging film or the sealant via convective or radiation heat transfer. At step 1008, the sealing mechanism heats the flexible packaging film from the preheated temperature to the sealant initiation temperature.

[0088] Turning now to FIG. 11, an example flowchart of another method 1100 of packaging a product is shown. At step 1102, the method includes providing a packaging film including a film layer and a sealing layer. At step 1104, the method includes applying energy to the packaging film to preheat the sealing layer to a first temperature below a seal temperature. At step 1 106, the method includes disposing the packaging film about a product, and at step 1108, subjecting the packaging film to a sealing operation to raise the temperature of the sealing layer to a second temperature effective to create a seal and form the package.

[0089] The various examples of preheaters 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920 and packaging systems 200, 500, 800, 900 disclosed herein are particularly advantageous for enabling the use of a wide variety recyclable flexible packaging films. For example, the recyclable flexible packaging film may comprise a recyclable paper, for example, a commercial fiber paper that is highly calendared. The paper can have a weight as desired for a particular purpose or intended application. In embodiments, the paper can have a weight of from about 20 gsm to about 500 gsm. from about 50 gsm to about 250 gsm, or from about 100 gsm to about 200 gsm. In embodiments, the paper is a foodgrade paper. Food grade papers can be uncoated, single coated, double coated. The paper can be natural colored or include one or more pigments. In some embodiments, the flexible packaging film comprises a recyclable polymer based film, for example, comprising polyolefins, e.g., polyethylene. For example, the polyethylene may be a high density polyethylene (HDPE). In some embodiments, the flexible packaging film may comprise ethylene vinyl alcohol (EV OH).

[0090] In some embodiments, the sealant applied on the flexible packaging film may comprise any suitable sealant material including, but not limited to, a polyolefin, a polyester, polylactic acid, and the like. In one embodiment, the sealant is selected from a polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. In one embodiment, the sealant is selected from a low density polyethylene (LDPE). In some embodiments, the sealant may be added to the flexible packaging film via lamination, extrusion, coating, for example, a 8-10 lb coating, or a 2-6 ounce coating. In some embodiments, the sealant may comprise an ethylene vinyl acetate, or a hot melt adhesive.

[0091] The various examples of preheaters 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920 and packaging systems 200, 500, 800, 900 disclosed herein obviates the need for a low temperature sealant and / or for sealants comprising conductive metal particles that are heated via radiation, e.g., high-energy radiation.

[0092] In some embodiments, the preheaters may embody any suitable heating technology configured to apply thermal energy to a flexible packaging film, for example, infrared (IR) heating heaters, or convection / impingement heaters. In this manner, it should be understood that the various methodologies disclosed herein should not be limited to conductive heating.

[0093] In some embodiments, the preheaters may be adaptable to existing packaging systems, for example, the packaging system 100 of FIG. 1. In such embodiments, thepreheaters (e.g., 320 in FIG. 3A) may be clamped to an existing infeed conveyor, for example, on top of the infeed conveyor 102 shown in FIG. 1A, e.g., in between the registration roller 108 and the heat sealing mechanism 110. That is, existing systems can be retrofitted with a preheater to form or provide the sealing system.

[0094] While the various aspects of a packaging system and method in accordance with the present technology have been show n with respect to a horizontal packaging or flow wrapping system, it will be appreciated that the system and method is not limited thereto. The system and method can be configured and adapted to be employed in other packaging systems such as, but not limited to vertical flow wrapping / packaging systems.

[0095] What has been described above includes examples of the present disclosure. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present disclosure, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present disclosure are possible. Each of the components described above may be combined or added together in any permutation to define embodiments disclosed herein. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term ‘'includes’7is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

[0096] The structure, scale, and size presented in the drawings of this document are used for illustrating the contents disclosed herein and facilitating understanding and reading by persons familiar with this technology, rather than limiting the conditions forthe implementation of this utility model. They are of no technical significance, and any structural modification, scale change, or size adjustment shall be covered by the technical contents disclosed herein as long as they do not affect the functions and purposes of this utility model. Meanwhile, such expressions as “above"’, “below”, “left”, “right"’, and “center” used in this document are for facilitating the illustration only, rather than limiting the implementation scope of this utility model. Changes or adjustments in the relative relationship is within the implementation scope of disclosed embodiments as long as there are no substantial changes to the technical contents.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system for packaging a product with a flexible packaging film comprises: a preheater adapted to preheat the flexible packaging film to a first temperature; and a sealing mechanism adapted to heat the flexible packaging film from the first temperature to a second temperature to effect a seal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the preheater and the sealing mechanism are disposed about a longitudinal axis.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the preheater is adapted to preheat the flexible packaging film via conduction, convection, or radiation.

4. The system of any of claims 1-3, wherein the preheater comprises a metal plate, said metal plate defining an opening dimensioned to receive a heating element therein.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the system further comprises: a linear actuator operatively connected to the metal plate, said linear actuator being operable to raise or lower the metal plate relative to a conveyor.

6. The system of any of claims 1-5, wherein the preheater comprises a movable platen comprising a conducting member depending therefrom, wherein the conducting member is adapted to rest on the flexible packaging film for a predetermined period of time to heat the flexible packaging film to the first temperature.

7. The system of any of claims 1-4, wherein the preheater is in the form of a roller or drum.

8. The system of any of claims 1 -7, wherein the flexible packaging film comprises paper, a polyethylene film, or a combination thereof.

9. The system of any of claims 1 -8, wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature.

10. The system of any of claims 1-9, wherein the first temperature is from about 20 °F to about 50 °F below the second temperature.

11. The system of any of claims 1-8, wherein the first temperature is substantially equal to or greater than the second temperature.

12. The system of any of claims 1-10 further comprising: a controller adapted to receive input data, said input data comprising at least one of: a throughput, a product type, a flexible packaging film type, and a sealant type,wherein the controller is configured to adjust an operating temperature of the preheater based on the input data.

13. A method of packaging a product comprising: providing a packaging film comprising a film layer and a sealant material disposed on a surface of the film layer; applying energy to the packaging film to preheat the sealant material to a first temperature below a seal temperature of the sealant material; disposing the packaging film about a product; and subjecting the package film to a sealing operation to raise the temperature of the sealant material to a second temperature effective to create a seal and form the package.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the applying energy to the packaging film comprises applying heat to the packaging film.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the applying energy to the packaging film comprises contacting a surface of the packaging film with a heater.

16. The method of any of claims 13-15, wherein the packaging film comprises paper.

17. The method of any of claims 13-16, wherein the packaging film comprises polyethylene.

18. The method of any of claims 13-17, wherein the heater comprises a metal plate comprising a heating element disposed therein.

19. The method of any of claims 13-17, wherein the heater comprises a drum comprising a heating element disposed therein.

20. The method of any of claims 13-19, wherein the sealing layer is substantially free of conductive inorganic particles.

21. The method of any of claims 13-20, wherein disposing the packaging film about the product comprises flow wrapping.

22. The method of any of claims 13-21, wherein the sealant material comprises a polyolefin.

23. The method of any of claims 13-22, wherein disposing the packaging film about the product comprises horizontal flow wrapping.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising disposing the packaging film onto a container comprising a product.

25. The method of any of claims 13-24, wherein the first temperature is from about 20 °F to about 50 °F below the seal temperature of the sealant material.

26. The method of any of claims 13-25, further comprising:receiving input data, said input data comprising at least one of: a throughput, a product ty pe, a flexible packaging film ty pe, and a sealant ty pe; and adjusting a temperature of a preheater to an operating temperature based on the input data, wherein the applying energy7to the packaging film is done via the preheater.

27. A preheater for a packaging system adapted to package a product via a flexible packaging film, said preheater comprising: a metal plate defining a first opening and a second opening; a heating element inserted in said first opening and adapted to heat the metal plate, wherein the metal plate is heated to transfer heat therefrom to the flexible packaging film.

28. The preheater of claim 27, further comprising: a thermocouple inserted in said second opening and adapted to monitor an operating temperature of said metal plate.

29. A method of packaging a product comprising: providing a packaging film comprising a film layer and a sealant material disposed on a surface of the film layer; applying energy to the packaging film to preheat the sealant material to a first temperature below a seal temperature of the sealant material; disposing the packaging film about a product; and subjecting the package film to a sealing operation to raise the temperature of the sealant material to a second temperature effective to create a seal and form the package. wherein the method employs the system of any of claims 1-12.

Images