# US 12,179,951 B2 · Drive for sealing jaws > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,951 B2 - Document ID: US12179951B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/020,444 - Filed: 2021-08-16 - Published: 2023-09-21 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-14 - Assignees: Gea Food Solutions Weert B.V. - Applicants: GEA Food Solutions Weert B.V. - Inventors: Bruno Gerfried Baumeister - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179951B2 ## CPC - B65B 51/303: {reciprocating along only one axis} - B29C 65/02: by heating, with or without pressure - B29C 65/74: by welding and severing {, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area} - B29C 65/7894: {of continuously moving sheets or webs} - B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)} - B29C 66/4312: {for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams} - B29C 66/4322: {by joining a single sheet to itself (B29C66/4332 takes precedence)} - B29C 66/8221: {Scissor or lever mechanisms, i.e. involving a pivot point} - B29C 66/8225: {Crank mechanisms} - B29C 66/8246: {Servomechanisms, e.g. servomotors} - B29C 66/83543: {cooperating flying jaws} - B29C 66/849: {Packaging machines} - B29C 65/7891: {of discontinuously moving sheets or webs} - 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) - 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) ## Abstract Vertical flow-wrapper that includes a frame, a web feed, which feeds a web to a form-shoulder, and a form-fill tube, which forms the web into a web tube, a longitudinal sealing-means to seal longitudinal edges of the web tube together, and a cross sealing means to provide a cross-seal to the web tube. The cross sealing means includes seal jaws, a closing motor, and a jaw closing mechanism; the seal jaws and the jaw closing mechanism reciprocate between an upper and lower vertical position; the closing motor is provided at the frame and a torque transfer means is provided between the closing motor and the jaw closing mechanism; the closing motor and the reciprocation motor are operated independently from each other; and the closing motor is connected to the frame by a slide bearing or is pivotably connected to the frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Vertical flow-wrapper comprising: a frame, a web feed, which feeds a web to a form-shoulder and a form-fill tube, which form the web into a web tube, a longitudinal sealing-means to seal longitudinal edges of the web tube together, and a cross sealing means to provide a cross-seal to the web tube to produce individual packages, wherein the cross sealing means comprises seal jaws, a closing motor, and a jaw closing mechanism provided between the closing motor and the seal jaws, wherein the seal jaws and the jaw closing mechanism reciprocate between an upper and a lower vertical position driven by a reciprocation motor, wherein the closing motor is provided at the frame and a torque transfer means is provided between the closing motor and the jaw closing mechanism, wherein the closing motor and the reciprocation motor are operated independently from each other, and wherein the closing motor is connected to the frame by a slide bearing or the closing motor is pivotably connected to the frame. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein a vertical movement of the seal jaws and the jaw closing mechanism does not influence a position of the seal jaws. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein an extent of a vertical movement of the seal jaws is larger than an extent of a horizontal movement of the closing motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the closing motor does not have a vertical movement or any movement. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the closing motor slides, during the reciprocation of the seal jaws between the upper and the lower vertical position, along a plane which has at least a horizontal component, or along a horizontal plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the closing motor rotates relative to the frame during the reciprocation of the seal jaws between the upper and the lower vertical position, around a horizontal axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the torque transfer means comprises at least two rotational bodies or wheels, which are rotationally connected. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 7, wherein at least one rod is attached eccentrically to two of the at least two rotational bodies or wheels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 7, wherein two of the at least two rotational bodies or wheels are rotationally connected by an endless belt or by a toothed belt or by a metal-band fixedly connected to the two rotational bodies or wheels. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 7, wherein a distancing means are provided between two of the at least two rotational bodies or wheels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 7, wherein the torque transfer means is a Schmidt-coupling. ### Claim 12 Vertical flow-wrapper comprising: a frame, a web feed, which feeds a web to a form-shoulder and a form-fill tube, which form the web into a web tube, a longitudinal sealing-means to seal longitudinal edges of the web tube together, and a cross sealing means to provide a cross-seal to the web tube to produce individual packages, wherein the cross sealing means comprises seal jaws, a closing motor, and a jaw closing mechanism provided between the closing motor and the seal jaws, wherein the seal jaws and the jaw closing mechanism reciprocate between an upper and a lower vertical position driven by a reciprocation motor, wherein the closing motor is provided at the frame and a torque transfer means is provided between the closing motor and the jaw closing mechanism, wherein the closing motor and the reciprocation motor are operated independently from each other, wherein the closing motor is connected to the frame by a slide bearing or the closing motor is pivotably connected to the frame, wherein the closing motor rotates relative to the frame during the reciprocation of the seal jaws between the upper and the lower vertical position, around a horizontal axis, wherein the torque transfer means comprises at least two rotational bodies or wheels, which are rotationally connected. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 12, wherein two of the at least two rotational bodies or wheels are rotationally connected by an endless belt or by a toothed belt or by a metal-band fixedly connected to the two rotational bodies or wheels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 13, wherein a distancing means are provided between two of the at least two rotational bodies or wheels. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) Vertical flow-wrapper according to claim 14, wherein a vertical movement of the seal jaws and the jaw closing mechanism does not influence a position of the seal jaws.