PACKAGING MACHINE FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS IN PLASTIC PACKAGING

• US 20190329923A1
• Filed: 04/25/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmüller SE & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmüller SE & Co. KG
• Inventors: MADER, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 11,040,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/028 closed by a lid sealed to the upper rim of the container, e.g. tray-like container
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/04 Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/10 by liquids or gases

Abstract

Packaging machine for packaging products in plastic packaging having at least one sealing station for receiving a plastic packaging to be sealed in a reception region within the sealing station. The packaging machine includes a supply line capable to supply a gas to the reception region, a discharge line capable to discharge a gas from the reception region. A valve may be disposed in the discharge line. Further, a vacuum pump may be connected to the discharge line to pump gas out of the reception region through the discharge line valve. A measuring line may be connected to the reception region at a connection point and may be connected to the discharge line in a region between the valve and the vacuum pump via a connecting line. A first shut-off valve may disposed in the connecting line and a second shut-off valve may be disposed in the measuring line.

Claims

1. A packaging machine for packaging products in plastic packaging, the packaging machine comprising:

at least one sealing station for receiving a plastic packaging to be sealed, said sealing station comprising a reception region within said sealing station in which the plastic packaging is received;

a supply line capable of supplying a first gas to said reception region;

a discharge line capable of discharging a second gas from said reception region, said discharge line including a valve is disposed therein;

a vacuum pump operably connected to said discharge line and capable of pumping said second gas out of said reception region through said valve of said discharge line;

a measuring line in fluid connection with said reception region at a connection point, the measuring line including a measuring device for detecting one or more components of the second gas at an end of the measuring line disposed away from said reception region;

wherein said measuring line is in fluid communication with said discharge line at a location between said valve and said vacuum pump by a connecting line, a first shut-off valve is disposed in said connecting line, and wherein said measuring line comprises a second shut-off valve proximate said connection point.

3. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein said measuring device includes a measuring device for measuring the one or more component comprising molecular oxygen.

4. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein said discharge line comprises at least a first discharge line and a second discharge line, wherein each of the first discharge line and the second discharge line are connected to said reception region at different connection points and where a first valve is disposed in the first discharge line and a second valve is disposed in the second discharge line.

5. The packaging machine according to claim 4, wherein the first discharge line and the second discharge line coincide at a second connection point downstream of said first and said second valves to form a common line, where said measuring line is connected to said common line by said connecting line.

6. The packaging machine according to claim 1, further comprising a second valve disposed in said supply line.

7. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein said sealing station is configured as a two-part sealing tool with an upper tool and a lower tool and wherein said upper tool and said lower tool surround said reception region when said upper tool and said lower tool are disposed in a closed state.

8. A method for measuring the presence of a gas in a sealing station of a packaging machine of claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a plastic packaging to be sealed into said reception region while said valve and said first and said second shut-off valve are closed;

(b) opening said valve in said discharge line;

(c) evacuating said reception region via said discharge line using said vacuum pump;

(d) closing said valve in said discharge line;

(e) gas-flushing said reception region via said supply line;

opening said second shut-off valve;

(g) measuring a value of the one or more components in the reception region gas in said measuring line using said measuring device; and

(h) closing said second shut-off valve and opening said first shut-off valve and evacuating said measuring line using said vacuum pump.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of processing the value of the one or more components of the reception region gas measured by said measuring device after step g), and, depending the value of the one or more components compared to a predetermined value of the one or more components, closing said second shut-off valve and then performing steps (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) thereafter.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of opening a second valve in said supply line after step (d) and prior to step (e), as well as closing said second valve in said supply line after step (e) and prior to step (f).

11. A method for measuring the presence of a gas in a sealing station of a packaging machine according to claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a plastic packaging to be sealed into said reception region while said valve and said first and said second shut-off valve are closed;

(b) opening said valve in said discharge line;

(c) gas-flushing said reception region using the said supply line;

(d) opening said first and said second shut-off valve;

(e) measuring the gas in said measuring line using said measuring device; and

(f) closing said first and said second shut-off valve.

12. The method according to claim 11, where the pressure within said discharge line remains substantially constant during step (c).

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of opening a second valve in said supply line after step (b) and prior to step (c), as well as closing said second valve in said supply line after step (c) and prior to step (d).

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of rejecting or further processing said plastic packaging depending on said value of the one or more components in the reception region gas measured by said measuring device.

15. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of sealing said plastic packaging in said reception region after one of:

the step of measuring a value of the one or more components in the reception region gas in said measuring line using said measuring device or the step of closing said first and said second shut-off valve.

2. A packaging machine for packaging products in plastic packaging, the packaging machine comprising:

at least one sealing station for receiving a plastic packaging to be sealed, said sealing station comprising a reception region within said sealing station in which the plastic packaging is received;

a supply line capable of supplying a first gas to said reception region;

a discharge line capable of discharging a second gas from said reception region, said discharge line including a valve is disposed therein;

a vacuum pump operably connected to said discharge line and capable of pumping said second gas out of said reception region through said valve of said discharge line;

a measuring line in fluid connection with said reception region at a connection point, the measuring line including a measuring device for detecting one or more components of a reception region gas at an end of the measuring line disposed away from said reception region;

wherein said measuring line is in fluid communication with said discharge line at a location downstream of said valve, and a first shut-off valve is disposed in said connecting line, where said measuring line comprises a second shut-off valve proximate said connection point.