Inductor for transversal sealing, a packaging machine comprising the inductor for transversal sealing and a method thereof

A method for producing food packages filled with food product, said method comprising:

• receiving a roll of packaging material by using a roll receiver,
• forming a tube from the packaging material by using a tube former,
• filling the food product into the tube using a product filling device,
• sealing the tube transversally in a lower portion of the tube by using a transversal sealing arrangement comprising a first and a second sealing jaw element, wherein the first sealing jaw element is attached to a first arm and the second sealing jaw element is attached to a second arm, wherein the first arm is attached to a first motor arrangement and the second arm is attached to a second motor arrangement, wherein the first sealing jaw element comprises an inductor for heating the packaging material,
• wherein the inductor comprises:
• a main body comprising a first and a second sealing surface arranged to face the packaging material during a sealing state,
• a recess provided in the main body for receiving a knife during a cutting state, wherein the first and second sealing surface are on opposite sides of the recess, and
• an electric conductor arrangement, provided in the main body, for inducing eddy currents in the packaging material during the sealing state,
• wherein each of the first and second sealing surface comprises a top section, an inner sealing section between the recess and the top section, and an outer sealing section between the top section and an outer edge of the inductor,
• wherein the inner sealing section is continuously inclined with non-zero degrees inclination from the top section to the recess, and the outer sealing section is continuously inclined with non-zero degrees inclination from the top section to the outer edge, the inner sealing section being inclined over a first inclination length, the outer sealing section being inclined over a second inclination length, the first inclination length being different from the second inclination length,
• wherein the second sealing jaw element comprises an anvil,
• wherein the step of sealing comprises the sub-steps of
• placing the transversal sealing arrangement in an upper, open state in which the first and second arms are in an upper position and the first and second sealing jaw elements are separated by using the first and second motor arrangement,
• placing the transversal sealing arrangement in an upper, sealing state in which the first and second arms are in the upper position and the first and second sealing jaw elements are pressed onto the tube from opposite sides by using the first and second motor arrangement, thereby providing for that particles in the food product held inside the tube are pushed away from a sealing band of the tube as the first and second sealing surfaces are pressed towards the sealing band,
• placing the transversal sealing arrangement in a lower, sealing state in which the first and second arms are in a lower position and the first and second sealing jaw elements are pressed onto the tube from the opposite sides by using the first and second motor arrangement, and
• placing the transversal sealing arrangement in a lower, open state in which the first and second arms are in the lower position and the first and second sealing jaw elements are separated by using the first and second motor arrangement.

A food package obtainable by:

• receiving a roll of packaging material by using a roll receiver,
• forming a tube from the packaging material by using a tube former,
• filling the food product into the tube using a product filling device,
• sealing the tube transversally in a lower portion of the tube by using a transversal sealing arrangement comprising a first and a second sealing jaw element, wherein the first sealing jaw element is attached to a first arm and the second sealing jaw element is attached to a second arm, wherein the first arm is attached to a first motor arrangement and the second arm is attached to a second motor arrangement, wherein the first sealing jaw element comprises an inductor for heating the packaging material,
• wherein the inductor comprises:
• a main body comprising a first and a second sealing surface arranged to face the packaging material during a sealing state,
• a recess provided in the main body for receiving a knife during a cutting state, wherein the first and second sealing surface are on opposite sides of the recess, and
• an electric conductor arrangement, provided in the main body, for inducing eddy currents in the packaging material during the sealing state,
• wherein each of the first and second sealing surface comprises a top section, an inner sealing section between the recess and the top section, and an outer sealing section between the top section and an outer edge of the inductor,
• wherein the inner sealing section is continuously inclined with non-zero degrees inclination from the top section to the recess, and the outer sealing section is continuously inclined with non-zero degrees inclination from the top section to the outer edge, the inner sealing section being inclined over a first inclination length, the outer sealing section being inclined over a second inclination length, the first inclination length being different from the second inclination length,
• wherein the second sealing jaw element comprises an anvil,
• wherein the sealing of the tube comprises:
• placing the transversal sealing arrangement in an upper, open state in which the first and second arms are in an upper position and the first and second sealing jaw elements are separated by using the first and second motor arrangement,
• placing the transversal sealing arrangement in an upper, sealing state in which the first and second arms are in the upper position and the first and second sealing jaw elements are pressed onto the tube from opposite sides by using the first and second motor arrangement, thereby providing for that particles in the food product held inside the tube are pushed away from a sealing band of the tube as the first and second sealing surfaces are pressed towards the sealing band,
• placing the transversal sealing arrangement in a lower, sealing state in which the first and second arms are in a lower position and the first and second sealing jaw elements are pressed onto the tube from the opposite sides by using the first and second motor arrangement, and
• placing the transversal sealing arrangement in a lower, open state in which the first and second arms are in the lower position and the first and second sealing jaw elements are separated by using the first and second motor arrangement.