Method for packaging portioned products which are liquid or pasty in the processing state, and packaging machine for carrying out such a method

A packaging machine for packaging portioned products which are liquid or pasty at least in a processing state in a wrapper that is cut to length from at least one packaging material web comprising:

• at least one metering installation which is configured for metering a product portion of the products which are liquid or pasty at least in the processing state;
• at least one pre-shaping installation which is integrated in the at least one metering installation or disposed downstream thereof, and which is configured for pre-shaping the metered product portion so as to form a pre-shaped product portion;
• at least one transport installation which is configured for transporting the at least one packaging material web in a direction of the at least one pre-shaping installation;
• at least one cutting installation which is assigned to the at least one transport installation and in a transporting direction thereof is disposed upstream of the at least one pre-shaping installation and which is configured for cutting to length a substantially planar blank of a wrapper from the at least one packaging material web;
• at least one upwardly open pair of folding claws which are assigned to the at least one pre-shaping installation and disposed downstream of the at least one cutting installation;
• at least one guiding installation which is configured for transferring the substantially planar blank of the wrapper that by the at least one cutting installation has been cut to length from the at least one packaging material web to a position above the at least one upwardly open pair of folding claws;
• at least one first folding station which is configured for folding lateral longitudinal peripheries of the wrapper which is upwardly open provided with the pre-shaped product portion inward onto the pre-shaped product portion;
• and
• at least one second folding station which is disposed downstream of the at least one first folding station and is configured for folding transverse peripheries of the wrapper which extend so as to be substantially perpendicular to the lateral longitudinal peripheries of said wrapper inward onto the pre-shaped product portion;
• wherein at least the at least one first folding station is configured as a first folding and connecting station and has two first folding and connecting tools which under a contact pressure are able to be converged and diverged, wherein the at least one upwardly open pair of folding claws and the first folding and connecting station are able to be moved relative to one another to a first folding and connecting position in which the first folding and connecting station is situated directly above the at least one upwardly open pair of folding claws so as to, by relocating the first folding and connecting tools towards one another in a manner substantially parallel to an open upper side of the at least one upwardly open pair of folding claws, under a first contact pressure fold the lateral longitudinal peripheries of the upwardly open wrapper provided with the pre-shaped product portion and situated in the at least one upwardly open pair of folding claws inward onto the pre-shaped product portion and simultaneously connect said lateral longitudinal peripheries to one another.