# US 11,027,478 B2 · Thermoform packaging machine and method of forming-in a film web into cardboard elements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,478 B2 - Document ID: US11027478B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/130,009 - Filed: 2018-09-13 - Published: 2019-03-21 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-15 - Assignees: Multivac Sepp Haggenmueller SE & Co. KG - Applicants: MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmüller SE & Co. KG - Inventors: Martin Haggenmüller; Konrad Mößnang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027478B2 ## CPC - B29C 51/002: {characterised by the choice of material} - B29C 51/162: {of deep containers or boxes} - B31B 50/066: {from above a magazine} - B31B 50/44: by plungers moving through folding dies - B31B 50/592: {using punches or dies} - B65B 9/04: one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material - B65B 11/52: one sheet being rendered plastic, e.g. by heating, and forced by fluid pressure, e.g. vacuum, into engagement with the other sheet and contents, e.g. skin- {, blister-, or bubble-} packaging - B65B 41/12: Feeding webs from rolls - B65B 47/02: with means for heating the material prior to forming - B65B 47/08: by application of fluid pressure - B65B 47/10: by vacuum - B29K 2311/12: Paper, e.g. cardboard - B29L 2031/7162: {Boxes, cartons, cases} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B31B: MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A thermoform packaging machine comprising a forming station. The forming station comprises at least one forming tool lower part, the forming tool lower part may be movable transversely to an operating direction of the thermoform packaging machine. The forming tool lower part may comprise at least one reception unit with one or a plurality of troughs for receiving cardboard elements. At a forming position the forming tool lower parts are in contact with the forming tool upper parts such that the first film web may be formed-in into the forming tool lower parts. Further, the first film web may be formed-in into the cardboard elements during the forming process and, in the case of a skin film, an adhering or an adhesive connection may be established between the skin film and the inner surfaces of the cardboard elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermoform packaging machine comprising: a forming station having a forming tool lower part, the forming tool lower part being disposed for movement in a direction transverse to an operating direction of the thermoform packaging machine; wherein the forming tool lower part comprises two reception units that each have one or a plurality of troughs, and each trough is configured for receiving therein a respective cardboard element; wherein one reception unit is positionable at an infeed position laterally beside a machine frame of the thermoform packaging machine, while the other reception unit is at a forming position; wherein, when the one reception unit with the cardboard element or cardboard elements is at the forming position, a first film web is formable into the forming tool lower part to form one or more containers in the first film; and wherein the thermoform packaging machine is operable to transport the one or more containers out of the forming station in the operating direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the forming tool lower part is movable between the infeed position and a stand-by position using a change-over drive. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1, further comprising an additional forming tool lower part, wherein the forming tool lower part and the additional forming tool lower part are disposed for movement in opposing directions to one another and in a direction transverse to an operating direction of the thermoforming packaging machine using a change-over drive. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the two reception units are arranged in a stationary manner on a common die plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the forming station comprises a lifting device for the forming tool lower part and the lifting device extends beyond at least one side of the machine frame of the thermoforming packaging machine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 5, wherein the lifting device extends beyond the machine frame on both sides of the machine frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the forming station is configured for forming-in the first film web into the cardboard element or cardboard elements located in the forming tool lower part, such that a connection will be established between the film web and the cardboard element or cardboard elements. ### Claim 8 A method of forming-in a film web into cardboard elements located in a forming tool lower part of a thermoform packaging machine, the method comprising: feeding the cardboard elements into troughs of a first reception unit of the forming tool lower part at an infeed position outside a machine frame of the thermoform packaging machine, while a second reception unit of the forming tool lower part is at a forming position in a forming station; moving the first reception unit in a direction transverse to an operating direction of the thermoform packaging machine to a forming position in the forming station; moving the forming tool lower part in an upward direction into contact with a forming tool upper part using a lifting device; forming-in the film web into the troughs of the first reception unit after the moving the forming tool lower part in an upward direction step to form containers in the film web; and moving the containers out of the forming station in the operating direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising arranging an additional forming tool lower part in succession with the forming tool lower part in the operating direction, wherein the additional forming tool lower part is movable between an infeed position in the forming position; and moving each of the forming tool lower parts between the infeed position and the forming position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the moving the each of the forming tool lower parts between the infeed position and the forming position step comprises moving the forming tool lower parts simultaneously and in opposite directions to one another. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising removing one or more cardboard elements from a feed belt using a manipulator; and feeding one or more cardboard elements into the troughs of the reception units individually or in groups. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising forming a cardboard tray from a cardboard blank that is fed into a trough of the first reception unit as a cardboard element during an infeed process of the forming station. ### Claim 13 A thermoform packaging machine comprising: a forming station including first and second forming tool lower parts that are moveable in opposing directions relative to one another and in a direction transverse to an operating direction of the thermoforming packaging machine using a change-over drive; wherein each forming tool lower part includes at least one reception unit having one or more troughs that are each configured to receive a respective cardboard element; and wherein, when a reception unit of the at least one reception unit of one of the forming tool lower parts is positioned at a forming position, with a cardboard element received in each of the one or more troughs, the forming station is configured to form a first film web into the one forming tool lower part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein each forming tool lower part is movable transversely to the operating direction to move the at least one reception unit of the forming tool lower part between an infeed position, for receiving a cardboard element in each of the one or more troughs, and a stand-by position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 14, wherein for each of the at least one reception unit of each forming tool lower part, the infeed position is a position at which the at least one reception unit is positioned laterally beside a machine frame of the thermoform packaging machine. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 14, wherein for each of the at least one reception unit of each forming tool lower part, the stand-by position is a position at which the at least one reception unit is positioned beneath a forming tool upper part of the thermoform packaging machine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 14, wherein each forming tool lower part is movable vertically to move the at least one reception unit of the forming tool lower part from the stand-by position toward a respective forming tool upper part of the thermoform packaging machine. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein each forming tool lower part includes two reception units that each have multiple troughs, and each trough is configured to receive a respective cardboard element.