Vacuum Skin Packaging Base Equipment with Pre-formed Ridges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum skin packaging processes face challenges due to the deformation of supports during the packaging cycle, leading to undulations and compromised aesthetics and sealing reliability, while also increasing costs when thicker supports are used to mitigate these issues.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method featuring a base equipment with receiving areas that include a flat portion and elongated features protruding above the positioning plane, allowing for heat sealing of plastic film to the support while minimizing out-of-plane deformations, without requiring thicker supports or complex system changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If reduced wall thickness supports are used to reduce costs, then packaging costs decrease, but support deformation and undulations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support is pre-formed with elongated ridges and indents before the packaging process. These pre-formed structural features are designed to counteract the deformation forces that will occur during vacuum skin packaging, allowing the use of thinner materials while maintaining flatness during the actual packaging operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than uniformly thickening the entire support, the invention applies localized structural features (elongated ridges and indents) only where needed to prevent deformation. This allows cost-effective use of thinner materials overall while providing reinforcement specifically at critical areas during packaging.
2Manufacturing precision
If thicker supports are used to prevent deformation, then support flatness is maintained, but packaging costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support is pre-formed with elongated ridges and indents before the packaging process. These pre-formed structural features are designed to counteract the deformation forces that will occur during vacuum skin packaging, allowing the use of thinner materials while maintaining flatness during the actual packaging operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than uniformly thickening the entire support, the invention applies localized structural features (elongated ridges and indents) only where needed to prevent deformation. This allows cost-effective use of thinner materials overall while providing reinforcement specifically at critical areas during packaging.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional flat supports are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but deformation during packaging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The support is pre-formed with elongated ridges and indents before the packaging process. These pre-formed structural features are designed to counteract the deformation forces that will occur during vacuum skin packaging, allowing the use of thinner materials while maintaining flatness during the actual packaging operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies the geometric parameters of the support by adding elongated ridges and indents. These geometric changes alter the support's mechanical properties and deformation characteristics, enabling it to maintain reliability during packaging while remaining manufacturable.
4Device complexity
If standard packaging processes are used, then process simplicity is maintained, but support undulations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The support is pre-formed with elongated ridges and indents before the packaging process. These pre-formed structural features are designed to counteract the deformation forces that will occur during vacuum skin packaging, allowing the use of thinner materials while maintaining flatness during the actual packaging operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-formed ridges and indents on the support automatically engage with corresponding features on the base equipment during the packaging process. This self-aligning mechanism helps maintain support flatness without requiring complex control systems or additional active components.
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 reduces support deformations, enhances the aesthetics of packaged products, and maintains packaging efficiency while keeping costs low by using a system that can be integrated into conventional packaging processes.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum arrangement (13) configured for removing air at least from a volume between said at least one film portion (4a) and the one or more product loaded supports (2)
Implementation Method 2
a heater (21) configured to heat at least a portion of the upper tool active surface (17)
Implementation Method 3
suction apertures (18) distributed on an active surface (17) of the upper tool (10) and connected with said vacuum arrangement (13)
Implementation Method 4
the upper tool (10) and the base equipment (6) being configured to cooperate for heat sealing the film portion (4a) to said at least one product loaded support (2)
Data Source
AI summary
A product can be packaged by arranging the product on a support, providing a plastic film above the support with the product arranged between the support and the film sheet, and air tightly fixing the film to the support. The process can be implemented using an apparatus that includes a film supply assembly and a base equipment having an upper side defining one or more receiving areas, each being configured for receiving a respective product loaded support; an upper tool is configured for holding a film portion above the product loaded support and then heat sealing the film portion to the product loaded support. Each receiving area has a flat portion and elongated features protruding above the plane of flat portion.