Machine for packaging a commodity integrally with a tray
OwnerTadoru Sugainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The packaging machine of the present invention is of the type in which successive trays moving along a conveyor line are enclosed in a continuous tube of plastic film which is thereafter severed between the trays to provide end flaps which are first pulled downwardly by suction forces and then folded upwardly against the bottom of the respective ends of the trays to seal the contents therein. A nozzle system placed near the location where the severing takes place pulls the severed portions of the tube downwardly between each adjacent pair of trays. The nozzle system is controlled by a valve system which teminates the downward pull as the severed portions are being folded upwardly against the bottoms of their respective trays.
Claims32
A method of packaging articles in continuously moving trays comprising:
- (a) enclosing said trays in a tube of film while continuously moving said trays;
- (b) causing a falling member to fall upon said tube of film between adjacent trays pressing said tube of film upon a slidable friction plate;
- (c) exerting downwardly suction forces adjacent each side of said friction plate;
- (d) causing said slidable friction plate to slide downwardly by the force of the falling member, exposing a knife means;
- (e) severing said tube of film with said knife means providing a trailing end flap on the preceding tray and a leading end flap on the succeeding tray;
- (f) decreasing said downwardly suction force on one side of said friction plate while simultaneously increasing said downwardly suction force on the other side of said friction plate;
- and
- (g) folding the end flaps upwardly against the respective trays.
An apparatus for packaging articles in trays of the type wherein trays moving continuously in an elongated path are successively enclosed within a length of continuously moving thermoplastic film to provide a succession of regularly spaced trays contained within an elongated tube of said film which is thereafter to be transversely severed between successive trays to form separate lengths of said tube each containing a tray and provided with end flaps of the respective leading and trailing ends of a tray to be folded respectively backwardly and forwardly to seal trays within separate lengths of film, the improvement comprising:
- knife means for transversely severing said tube of film between an adjacent pair of said moving trays to provide a trailing end flap for the preceding tray and a leading end flap for the succeeding tray;
- suction port means mounted below said elongated path of movement of the trays and adjacent said knife means to be connected to a source of vacuum for simultaneously exerting downward suction forces on said end flaps;
- folding means for folding said end flaps upwardly against a respective one of the adjacent trays after said downward suction forces have been exerted;
- control means for the port means to exert said suction forces after the knife means has severed the tube and to reduce said suction forces on said leading end flap;
- and
- said suction port means comprises dual ports, one port positioned adjacent each side of said knife means.
An apparatus for packaging articles in trays of the type wherein trays moving continuously in an elongated path are successively enclosed within a length of continuously moving thermoplastic film to provide a succession of regularly spaced trays contained within an elongated tube of said film which is thereafter to be transversely severed between successive trays to form separate lengths of said tube each containing a tray and provided with end flaps of the respective leading and trailing ends of a tray to be folded respectively backwardly and forwardly to seal trays within separate lengths of film, the improvement comprising:
- knife means for transversely severing said tube of film between an adjacent pair of said moving trays to provide a trailing end flap for the preceding tray and a leading end flap for the succeeding tray;
- suction port means mounted below said elongated path of movement of the trays and adjacent said knife means to be connected to a source of vacuum for simultaneously exerting downward suction forces on said end flaps;
- folding means for folding said end flaps upwardly against a respective one of the adjacent trays after said downward suction forces have been exerted;
- control means for the port means to exert said suction forces after the knife means has severed the tube and to reduce said suction forces on said leading end flap;
- and said control means comprising a friction plate slidably interconnected with said knife means.
An apparatus for packaging articles in trays of the type wherein trays moving continuously in an elongated path are successively enclosed within a length of continuously moving thermoplastic film to provide a succession of regularly spaced trays contained within an elongated tube of said film which is thereafter to be transversely severed between successive trays to form separate lengths of said tube each containing a tray and provided with end flaps of the respective leading and trailing ends of a tray to be folded respectively backwardly and forwardly to seal trays within separate lengths of film, the improvement comprising:
- knife means for transversely severing said tube of film between an adjacent pair of said moving trays to provide a trailing end flap for the preceding tray and a leading end flap for the succeeding tray;
- suction port means mounted below said elongated path of movement of the trays and adjacent said knife means to be connected to a source of vacuum for simultaneously exerting downward suction forces on said end flaps;
- folding means for folding said end flaps upwardly against a respective one of the adjacent trays after said downward suction forces have been exerted;
- control means for the port means to exert said suction forces after the knife means has severed the tube and to reduce said suction forces on said leading end flap;
- and
- said folding means including an endless chain for folding said trailing end flap.
An apparatus for packaging articles in continuously moving trays by enclosing said trays in a tube of film, the improvement comprising:
- (a) knife means for transversly severing said tube of film between adjacent moving trays to provide a trailing end flap for the preceeding tray and a leading end flap for the succeeding tray;
- (b) dual suction port means mounted below said moving trays adjacent to said knife means to be connected to a source of vacuum, wherein one suction port is mounted on each side of said knife means for simultaneously exerting downward suction forces on said end flaps;
- (c) folding means for folding said end flaps upwardly against the respective trays after said downwardly suction forces have been exerted;
- and
- (d) control means for said dual suction port means for reducing said suction forces on said leading end flap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.