Flexible Package With Transverse Fin Seal And Cross Seals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging methods result in distorted end seals that are not suitable for display, leading to wastage and inefficiencies in packaging speed and material usage, particularly when packaging groups of articles like biscuits or cookies.
Innovation Solution
The package design features a longitudinal tube body with a fin seal along the height or width dimension and cross seals along the length dimension, eliminating end seals and allowing articles to be fed sideways, which increases packaging speed and reduces wastage by supporting the articles at both ends.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If end seals are formed on individual flexible packages, then the packages are sealed and protected, but the end seals distort the ends of the formed package making them unsuitable for display
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the end seals from the packaging structure entirely. Instead of having traditional end seals that distort the package ends, the invention uses a fin seal configuration where the sealing surface is extracted from the end faces and repositioned along the longitudinal edges of the package, allowing the end faces to remain flat and undistorted for display purposes.
2Productivity
If the tube moves linearly through the forming section at high speed, then packaging productivity increases, but the fin seal length becomes critical and may cause bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimensional orientation of the fin seal from a longitudinal configuration (parallel to tube movement) to a transverse configuration (perpendicular to tube movement). The fin seal now extends across the width of the package rather than along its length, allowing high-speed packaging without the fin seal length becoming a critical bottleneck in the forming section.
3Productivity
If articles are fed into the tube inlet end, then packaging is efficient, but displacement may cause leading articles to fall and be trapped between end seals causing wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the end seals that trap articles between them. By eliminating end seals and using only fin seals along the longitudinal edges, articles cannot be trapped within the package ends, preventing wastage while maintaining efficient packaging throughput.
4Reliability
If traditional end seals are used, then packages are sealed, but the projecting flaps of end seals make end surfaces unavailable as display media
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the end faces and relocates it to the longitudinal edges via fin seals. This removes the projecting flaps from the end surfaces, making the entire end face area available for display purposes while sealing remains effective through the edge-based fin seal configuration.
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
This design enhances packaging speed by doubling or more the rate of package production, minimizes wastage, and ensures undistorted ends for display, using less manpower and packaging material.
Implementation Method 1
an opposed pair of counter rotating sealing elements. The sealed fin is then passed through a foldover station
Implementation Method 2
a cutting and sealing station having cross seal jaws which operates to compress, heat seal, and transversely cut the longitudinal tube sections
Data Source
AI summary
An improved package for wrapping at least one article or a pre arranged group of articles, said package being defined by a formed longitudinal tube body of flexible wrapping sheet material having a length, height and width dimension, the said height and/or width dimension being less than the length dimension but greater than one tenth of the length dimension, a fin seal and two cross seals and no end seals, characterized in that the fin seal is formed along the height or width dimension of the package perpendicular to the length dimension and the cross seals are formed along the length dimension, the cross seals being generally perpendicular to the fin seal, the ends of the package being seal-free.