# US 2014/0150377 A1 · Thermo-forming packaging machine with true-to-cycle positioning of a sealing station > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150377 A1 - Document ID: US20140150377A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/095,852 - Filed: 2013-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: Multivac Sepp HaggenmüLler SE & Co. KG - Applicants: Multivac Sepp Haggenmüller GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Elmar Ehrmann; Christian Lau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150377A1 ## CPC - B65B 47/02: with means for heating the material prior to forming - B65B 9/04: one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material - B65B 57/04: and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of such material, containers, or packages - B65B 61/025: {for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging} - B29C 65/7802: {Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring} - B29C 65/7891: {of discontinuously moving sheets or webs} - B29C 66/112: {Single lapped joints} - B29C 66/131: {Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area} - B29C 66/53461: {joining substantially flat covers and/or substantially flat bottoms to open ends of container bodies} - B29C 66/849: {Packaging machines} - B29L 2031/712: {Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages (closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418)} - B65B 47/00: Apparatus or devices for forming pockets or receptacles in or from sheets, blanks, or webs, comprising essentially a die into which the material is pressed or a folding die through which the material is moved - B65B 61/06: by cutting - 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) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract The invention relates to a thermo-forming packaging machine and a method which are characterized in that the location of trays in a base film upstream of a sealing station is detected by a measuring system and that the sealing station is immediately subsequently positioned such as to allow a top film to be sealed with highest accuracy matching the tray and thereby to be able to compensate for irregularities and tolerances, for example, in the film feed, in a true-to-cycle manner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Thermo-forming packaging machine comprising: a forming station for forming trays into a base film; a device for introducing a reference element into said base film; a sealing station including an adjustment device for adjusting the position of said sealing station along a direction of production and a displacement measuring device; a measuring system at said sealing station or within a feed length upstream of said sealing station for determining the position of said reference element; and a control unit configured to control the position of said sealing station according to the detected location of said reference element relative to said trays using said adjustment device; wherein said thermo-forming packaging machine is adapted to be operated intermittently with the feed length for every work cycle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein said measuring system is provided for contactless determination of the location of said reference element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein said device is configured to introduce said reference element into said base film at a defined location relative to said trays, and wherein the location of said trays is detectable by detecting said reference element via said measuring system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein said measuring system comprises a camera. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein said displacement measuring device is a magnetostrictive linear transducer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein an adjustment range of said sealing station is provided of up to 1000 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Then no-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein a further measuring system is provided for contactless determination of the location of said trays being supplied to a cutting station in a following work cycle and wherein said control unit is configured to control said cutting station according to the determined location of said trays in a true-to-cycle manner in its position relative to said trays using said further adjustment device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said forming station and said sealing station is movable into a tool exchange position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 8, wherein said control unit is configured to enter and store target positions of at least one of said forming station and said sealing station in formulae in said control unit. ### Claim 10 Method for operating a thermo-forming packaging machine including a forming station for forming trays into a base film, a sealing station, and a control unit, said method comprising the steps of: introducing a reference element into said base film; determining the location of said reference element by a measuring system; and positioning said sealing station in a predetermined position relative to said reference element using an adjustment device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) Method according to claim 10, wherein said measuring system provides information by detecting said reference element based on which said control unit determines the location of said trays. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) Method according to claim 10, wherein said control unit detects the position of said sealing station using a displacement measuring device of said adjustment device aligned longitudinally along a direction of production. ### Claim 13 Thermo-forming packaging machine comprising: a forming station for forming trays into a base film; a sealing station including an adjustment device for adjusting the position of said sealing station along a direction of production and a displacement measuring device; a measuring system located within one feed length upstream of said sealing station for determining the location of said trays being supplied to said sealing station in the direction of production during a following work cycle; and a control unit configured to control the position of said sealing station according to the determined location of said trays in a true-to-cycle manner in its position relative to said trays using said adjustment device; wherein said thermo-forming packaging machine is adapted to be operated intermittently with a feed length for every work cycle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein said measuring system is provided for contactless determination of the location of said trays. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein said forming station comprises a device for introducing a reference element into said base film at a defined location relative to said trays, and wherein the location of said trays is detectable via said measuring system by detecting said reference element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein said measuring system comprises at least one of a camera and a reflex sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein said displacement measuring device is a magnetostrictive linear transducer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according claim 13, wherein an adjustment range of said sealing station is provided of up to 1000 mm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein a further measuring system is provided for contactless determination of the location of said trays being supplied to a cutting station during a following work cycle, and wherein said control unit is configured to control said cutting station according to the determined location of said trays in a true-to-cycle manner in its position relative to said trays using a further adjustment device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein trend control for said forming station is set up using said control unit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said forming station and said sealing is movable into a tool exchange position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) Thermo-forming packaging machine according to claim 13, wherein said control unit is configured to enter and store target positions of at least one of said forming station and said sealing station in formulae in said control unit. ### Claim 23 Method for operating a thermo-forming packaging machine including a forming station for forming trays into a base film, a sealing station, and a control unit, said method comprising the steps of: determining the location of the trays in one work cycle by a measuring system; supplying said trays to said sealing station during a following work cycle; and positioning said sealing station in a true-to-cycle manner relative to said trays using an adjustment device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) Method according to claim 23, wherein said measuring system detects a reference element which has been introduced into said base film by a device of said forming station in order to transmit the location of said trays to said control unit. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) Method according to claim 23, wherein said control unit determines a trend from a changing location of said trays and adjusts the position of said forming station in relation to a direction of production using a further adjustment device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) Method according to claim 23, wherein said control unit detects the position of said sealing station using a displacement measuring device of said adjustment device aligned longitudinally along a direction of production.