Packaging Machine Layout Inversion for Maintenance Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art packaging machines for pourable food products require high maintenance costs and time due to wear from continuous motion and sterilizer residues, and have an inefficient ergonomic layout that strains operators.
Innovation Solution
A packaging machine with a reconfigured layout that includes a buffer system for web tension and speed adaptation, a sterilization unit with hydrogen peroxide dipping, and a folding unit positioned within the machine's footprint to facilitate easy access and maintenance, reducing the machine's overall dimensions and improving ergonomics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the packaging material web is continuously fed through consecutive operating units at high speed, then productivity is improved, but maintenance requirements increase due to wear from continuous motion and sterilizer residues
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging machine is divided into separate functional modules (forming unit, filling unit, sealing unit, folding unit) that can be independently accessed and maintained. The web path is segmented with support rollers positioned to minimize contact and wear at critical points, allowing targeted maintenance without shutting down the entire production line.
Solution Approach 2:
The web of packaging material undergoes sterilization treatment before entering the forming and filling units, preventing residue buildup that would require frequent cleaning and maintenance. The continuous sterilization process eliminates the need for periodic shutdowns for sanitation purposes.
2Productivity
If the operating units are arranged in a traditional linear layout to achieve high speed production, then productivity is improved, but the machine footprint increases and operator ergonomics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The folding unit is positioned vertically above the web path rather than in line with it, utilizing the vertical dimension to reduce the horizontal footprint. The support rollers are arranged in a compact configuration that allows the web to loop back on itself, fitting operations into a smaller spatial envelope while maintaining high-speed production capability.
3Device complexity
If the folding unit is positioned downstream of the filling unit in a linear arrangement, then the packaging process flow is simplified, but operator access for maintenance becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning the folding unit at the end of the linear process flow, it is inverted and placed vertically above the web path between the forming and filling units. This inverted arrangement maintains process simplicity while providing operators with easy front-facing access to all maintenance points, eliminating the need to reach into confined spaces at the downstream end of the machine.
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 machine achieves reduced maintenance time and costs, increased production efficiency, and improved operator safety by minimizing the footprint and optimizing the packaging flow, allowing for high-speed production of sealed containers with reduced wear and ergonomic operation.
Implementation Method 1
The web is unwound along an unwinding direction along which it is first sterilized - for example by dipping in chemical sterilizing solutions such as a hydrogen peroxide bath
Implementation Method 2
Concurrently with this wrapping action, a heating device raises the temperature of the tape 12 so as to partly melt it to allow coupling of the two sides of the web 1 during wrapping
Implementation Method 3
the heating device allows heating the portions of the wrapper 10' to be folded in such a way as to bring the thermoplastic layer of the portions concerned to the required temperature
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a machine (100) for packaging pourable food products in containers (10) formed from a continuous web (1) of packaging material, the machine (100) comprising: at least one unwinding unit (110) for unwinding the web (1) from a roll (1') along a feeding direction (MD) of the web (1) in the machine (100); a sterilization unit (120) for sterilizing said unwound web (1); a longitudinal sealing unit (130) for sealing the sterilized web (1) longitudinally to form a continuous tube (11) of packaging material; a filling unit adapted to feed the pourable food product into the continuous tube (11) formed; a forming unit (140) adapted to seal the filled tube (11) along portions transverse to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (11) and to separate filled and sealed wrappers (10') in succession along the sliding direction (SD) of the filled tube (11); a folding unit (150) positioned downstream of the forming unit (140) and adapted to complete the forming of the filled and sealed wrappers (10') in the sealed containers (10) according to the desired shape, wherein the folding unit (150) is disposed between the forming unit (140) and the unwinding unit (110), within the footprint of the machine between the forming unit (140) and the unwinding unit (110).