# US 12,110,147 B2 · Horizontal forming device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,147 B2 - Document ID: US12110147B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/921,453 - Filed: 2021-10-15 - Published: 2023-05-25 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-16 - Assignees: Syntegon Packaging Systems AG - Applicants: Syntegon Packaging Systems AG - Inventors: Michael Lopes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110147B2 ## CPC - B65B 9/06: Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it - B65B 9/10: Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs - B65B 9/22: Forming shoulders; Tube formers - B65B 2009/063: {Forming shoulders} - 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) ## Abstract A horizontal forming device, in particular for horizontal flow pack machines, comprises at least one, in particular roller-free, forming unit, in particular a forming shoulder, and comprises at least one support unit, which are configured for forming a packaging material web into a packaging material tube, wherein the forming unit and the support unit together delimit a guiding gap which the packaging material web can be guided through, the horizontal forming device further comprising at least one compensation unit, which is configured to movably support the forming unit and/or the support unit in such a way that, at least during a forming of the packaging material tube, the forming unit and the support unit are movable relative to each other, in particular in order to enable a compensation movement of the forming unit and/or the support unit relative to each other during a forming of the packaging material tube. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A horizontal forming device comprising: at least one forming unit (12), at least one support unit (78), and at least one compensation unit (126), wherein the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) are configured for forming a packaging material web (14) into a packaging material tube (16), wherein the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) together delimit a guiding gap (122, 124) which the packaging material web (14) is guided through, wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) is configured to movably support the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78) in such a way that, at least during the forming of the packaging material tube (16), the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) are movable relative to each other in order to enable a compensation movement of the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78) relative to each other during the forming of the packaging material tube (16), wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) is configured to movably support: (i) at least one forming element (34, 36) of the at least one forming unit (12), or (ii) at least one support element (128, 130) of the at least one support unit (78), or (iii) both (i) and (ii); by at least one spring-preloaded compensation element (132, 134) of the at least one compensation unit (126). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The horizontal forming device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) comprises at least one gear (136, 138) for an implementation of the compensation movement of the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The horizontal forming device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one gear (136, 138) is configured for the implementation of the compensation movement along at least two directions (140, 142) which run transversely to each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The horizontal forming device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) comprises at least one preload element (144, 146), which creates a preload force acting against the compensation movement of the at least one forming unit (12) and/or of the at least one support unit (78). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The horizontal forming device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one adjusting unit (30, 32) and at least one support surface (22), on which products (24) that are to be packaged are transported, the at least one adjusting unit (30, 32) being configured to support the at least one forming unit (12), wherein the at least one support unit (78) and the at least one compensation unit (126) are together adjustable relative to the at least one support surface (22). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The horizontal forming device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support unit (78) is arranged at the at least one forming unit (12) and is supported by the at least one compensation unit (126) so as to be movable relative to the at least one forming unit (12). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The horizontal forming device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) comprises at least one carrier element (148, 150), which is fastened to the at least one forming element (34, 36) of the at least one forming unit (12), wherein the at least one support element (128, 130) of the at least one support unit (78) is supported movably at the at least one carrier element (148, 150). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The horizontal forming device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) comprises at least one actuator (152, 154), which is configured to actively move the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78) during the forming of the packaging material tube (16) in order to facilitate the compensation movement of the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78) relative to each other during the forming of the packaging material tube (16). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The horizontal forming device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) comprises at least one sensor element (104) for a detection of a packaging material web parameter, the at least one actuator (152, 154) being actuatable depending on the detected packaging material web parameter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A packaging machine comprising at least one horizontal forming device according to claim 1. ### Claim 11 A horizontal forming device comprising: at least one forming unit (12), at least one support unit (78), and at least one compensation unit (126), wherein the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) are configured for forming a packaging material web (14) into a packaging material tube (16), wherein the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) together delimit a guiding gap (122, 124) which the packaging material web (14) is guided through, wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) is configured to movably support the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78) in such a way that, at least during the forming of the packaging material tube (16), the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) are movable relative to each other in order to enable a compensation movement of the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78) relative to each other during the forming of the packaging material tube (16), wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) comprises at least one gear (136, 138) for an implementation of the compensation movement of the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A packaging machine comprising at least one horizontal forming device according to claim 11. ### Claim 13 A horizontal forming device comprising: at least one forming unit (12), at least one support unit (78), and at least one compensation unit (126), wherein the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) are configured for forming a packaging material web (14) into a packaging material tube (16), wherein the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) together delimit a guiding gap (122, 124) which the packaging material web (14) is guided through, wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) is configured to movably support the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78) in such a way that, at least during the forming of the packaging material tube (16), the at least one forming unit (12) and the at least one support unit (78) are movable relative to each other in order to enable a compensation movement of the at least one forming unit (12) and/or the at least one support unit (78) relative to each other during the forming of the packaging material tube (16), wherein the at least one compensation unit (126) comprises at least one preload element (144, 146), which creates a preload force acting against the compensation movement of the at least one forming unit (12) and/or of the at least one support unit (78). ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A packaging machine comprising at least one horizontal forming device according to claim 13.