Guarantee seal for food products and a machine for its automatic application to the product

• US 6,595,550 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITA Industria Tecnica Alimentare SRL
• Original Assignee: Renio Comercio E Consultadoria, Lda.
• Inventors: Meazzi, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Fridie, Jr., Willmon
• Application Number:
  US09/315,610
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 283/79, 283/80, 283/81, 283/101, 283/105, 283/56, 283/117, 283/74, 402/99, 406/33, 406/36, 406/37, 383/78
• US Class Current: 283/79
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/065 to the necks of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/1616 Elements constricting the neck of the bag hinged clips B65D33/1675

Abstract

The invention refers to a seal of guarantee (10) for foodstuff wrapped in a packaging, which closes said packaging and which has the shape of a label, having a tab (11) which can be folded down on to itself to cover a sufficient portion of the packaging, with a zone (12) where it is possible to write information regarding the product, such as the production and best before dates. The invention also refers to a machine to automatically apply the seal (10) which fundamentally includes a loader (17) containing a pile of seals, which are picked up one at a time from the underside, a cursor (19) which handles the seals to be applied, a tool (21) to fold the tab (11) and a seal applicator head (18) for ultrasonic welding, gluing or similar.

Claims

1. A guarantee seal for food products closed in a bag, the seal comprising:

a plaque or label element with a stem portion having a fold between a first stem portion and a second stem portion with the stem portion folded around the bag and fastened around the bag and with an explanatory portion carrying printed information about the product on both sides, said explanatory portion and said stem portion being formed integral of plastic material, said first stem portion and said second stem portion being welded together with plastic material of said first stem portion and plastic material of said second stem portion forming a weld connection to seal food in the bag.

2. The guarantee seal according to claim 1, wherein said stem portion includes an indentation between said first stem portion and said second stem portion wherein said indentation facilitates folding the stem portion around the bag.

3. The guarantee seal according to claim 1 wherein the stem portion, once folded, is welded by ultrasonic welding.

4. The guarantee seal according to claim 1 wherein the explanatory portion has a space or panel for printing additional information at the moment of applying the seal to the bag.

5. The guarantee seal according to claim 1, wherein the plastic material is a plastic material for the food industry.

6. The guarantee seal according to claim 2 wherein the stem is first folded and then welded by means of ultrasonic welding.

7. The guarantee seal according to claim 2, wherein the explanatory portion has a space or panel for printing additional information at the moment of applying the seal to the bag.

8. The guarantee seal according to claim 3, wherein the explanatory portion has a space or panel for printing additional information at the moment of applying the seal to the bag.

9. The guarantee seal according to claim 2, wherein the plastic material is in plastic material for the food industry.

10. The guarantee seal according to claim 3, wherein the plastic material is in plastic material for the food industry.

11. The guarantee seal according to claim 4, wherein the plastic material is in plastic material for the food industry.

12. A seal for food closed in an enclosing structure, the seal comprising:

an indicia portion having a surface area for displaying printed information;

a stem portion extending from said indicia portion and formed integral with said indicia portion and having a length wrapped around a neck of the enclosing structure, first and second portions of said length being formed of a food industry plastic which is welded together to form a plastic to plastic weld, said length of said stem portion and a position of said weld fastening said stem portion around the neck and sealing the food in the enclosing structure.

13. A seal in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

said first and second portions are spaced at a distance from each other to cause said weld to close the neck of the enclosing structure and form a seal between the inside and outside of the enclosing structure.

14. A seal in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

a size and material of the stem portion is formed to have sufficient strength to close the neck of the enclosing structure and seal the food inside the enclosing structure.

15. A seal in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

said indicia portion has a width that is larger than a width of said stem portion.

16. A seal in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

a food industry ink is adhered to said food industry plastic and forms indicia on said indicia portion.

17. A seal in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

said stem portion includes an indentation with a width narrower than a width of adjacent parts of said stem portion for folding of said stem portion at said indentation.

18. A seal in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

a size and material of the stem portion is formed to have sufficient strength to close the neck of the enclosing structure and seal the food inside the enclosing structure;

said indicia portion has a width that is larger than a width of said stem portion;

a food industry ink is adhered to said food industry plastic and forms indicia on said indicia portion;

said stem portion includes an indentation with a width narrower than a width of adjacent parts of said stem portions for folding of said stem portion at said indentation.

19. A seal arrangement for food, the seal arrangement comprising:

an enclosing structure surrounding the food and having a neck at one end of the food;

an indicia portion having a surface area for displaying printed information;

a stem portion extending from said indicia portion and having a length wrapped around said neck of said enclosing structure, first and second portions of said length being formed of a food industry plastic which is welded together to form a weld, said length of said stem portion and said weld fastening said stem portion around said neck and sealing the food in said enclosing structure.