Thermoform Packaging Machine Movable Forming Tool

The invention applies preliminary action by pre-positioning multiple cardboard trays in a magazine outside the forming station before the actual forming process. The trays are prepared and staged in advance, allowing the forming process to proceed without interruption while trays are automatically fed from the magazine to the forming station, thus eliminating the time-consuming manual or manipulator-based feeding process that limited cycle output.

The invention introduces another dimension by adding a magazine component that stores trays in a spatial arrangement external to the forming station. This magazine is positioned such that trays can be fed laterally or from the side into the forming station, creating a new spatial dimension for material supply that separates the storage function from the forming function, thereby increasing productivity without compromising the gastight packing capability.

The invention merges the tray storage function and the tray feeding function into a single integrated magazine component. Instead of adding separate work stations for charging forming tools with cardboard trays, the magazine combines both functions: it stores multiple trays and automatically feeds them to the forming station as needed. This integration maintains continuous forming operation while avoiding the increased device complexity that would result from adding multiple independent work stations.

The magazine serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a storage repository for cardboard trays, an automatic feeding mechanism for supplying trays to the forming station, and a buffer that decouples the forming cycle from the tray supply rate. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain high cycle output without requiring additional specialized work stations, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.