Blowing Device for Gas-Permeable Packaging Seal Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for transversely sealing gas-permeable tubular-shaped packaging materials often result in incomplete seals due to trapped filling material, leading to weaker and aesthetically inferior seals, and do not allow for high-speed manufacturing of pouched products like portion-packed smokeless tobacco products.
Innovation Solution
A blowing device with gas nozzles that direct pressurized air through the packaging material to displace filling material from the seal region, combined with a sealing arrangement that includes heated sealing bars and an ultrasonic welding mechanism, ensures a clean seal area and enables efficient transverse sealing, thereby enhancing seal strength and appearance while allowing for high-speed production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional transverse sealing methods are used on gas-permeable packaging material, then sealing speed can be maintained, but seal quality deteriorates due to trapped filling material causing incomplete seals
Solution Approach 1:
The blowing device is positioned upstream of the sealing device and activates before sealing occurs to blow gas through the packaging material and displace filling material from the seal region. This preliminary action ensures the seal area is clean before the sealing process begins, preventing trapped material and incomplete seals while maintaining high sealing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a blowing device that directs pressurized gas through the gas-permeable packaging material to remove filling material from the seal region. This pneumatic method effectively clears the sealing area without mechanical contact, ensuring complete seals while maintaining high-speed operation capability.
2Strength
If filling material is not removed from the seal region, then manufacturing speed can be maintained, but seal strength and appearance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The blowing device activates before the sealing process to remove filling material from the seal region, ensuring the area is clean and ready for sealing. This preliminary action prevents the need for additional time during the sealing process itself, as the material is already displaced and won't interfere with seal formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The blowing device operates continuously or in synchronized pulses with the sealing process, maintaining gas flow through the packaging material to keep the seal region clear throughout the sealing operation. This continuous action ensures filling material remains displaced without requiring separate removal steps, saving time while ensuring strong seals.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively removes filling material from the seal region, resulting in stronger, neater transverse seals and enabling the production of pouched products at speeds of up to 300 products per minute by ensuring a clean seal area and maintaining seal quality during high-speed manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
at least one gas nozzle (19), adapted to blow gas from an outside of the tubular-shaped packaging material (29) through the tubular-shaped packaging material
Implementation Method 2
a sealing arrangement that includes heated sealing bars
Implementation Method 3
an ultrasonic welding mechanism
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a blowing device (1) for blowing gas through a gas-permeable tubular-shaped packaging material (29). The blowing device comprises at least one gas nozzle (19; 75, 77), adapted to blow gas from an outside of the tubular-shaped packaging material through the tubular-shaped packaging material, and a guiding member (3), which comprises a web passage (5) having a surface (7) adapted to face the tubular-shaped packaging material, such that the web passage surrounds or substantially surrounds the tubular-shaped packaging material. The present invention further relates to a use of the blowing device, to a sealing arrangement (27, 71) for transversely sealing a gas-permeable tubular-shaped packaging material (29) and to an arrangement (37) for manufacturing of pouched products (39), which arrangement comprises such a sealing arrangement. The present invention also relates to a method for transversely sealing a gas-permeable tubular-shaped packaging material and to a method for manufacturing a pouched product, e.g. a portion-packed pouched oral snuff product.