Reinforced Package

Abstract

An apparatus for continuously forming packages. Each package comprises a pocket and a flexible container therein with packaged material in the container. An endless tube of flexible material is formed from a continuous web at a tube forming station. Opposed areas of the tube are secured together in a sealing station to form a pouch with the opening of the pouch in the tube forming station. The pouch is supplied with a measured amount of packaging material and is moved through the sealing station to form a bottom for a successive pouch. The closed containers are divided into separate segments and are separated in a pair of cutting stations. A pocket like container is formed around the containers at the sealing and dividing stations. A protective antiseptic film may be marginally secured on each outer side of the pocket at its closed end.

Description

This invention relates to a package and an apparatus for forming and filling a receptacle to produce the package.

It is an object of this invention to produce a package consisting of a flexible container for the material of the package and a protective cover and support for the container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for the continuous production of a package as described above.

These and other objects of the invention will become manifest on reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings wherein

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing the arrangement of the parts of the package production apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the package standing itself.

FIG. 7 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing another form of apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 10--10 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 11--11 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 12--12 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another form of package.

FIG. 14 is a plan view, in section, taken on line 14--14 of FIG. 13.

In accordance with the invention a flexible tube is formed from a web of polyethylene film or cellophane coated with films of polyethylene or vinylidene chloride film coated with films of polyethylene. Sections of the tube are supplied with the desired package contents to form a connected series of elongated containers. A protective cover of cardboard, polyethylene film coated cardboard, water-proof cardboard, metal foil laminated cardboard, or a thick polyvinylchloride film, is applied over and heat sealed to be welded to the flexible tube. The containers and protective covering are heat sealed to form pairs of covered containers which are then separated to form individual packages.

With reference to the drawing there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of the apparatus of this invention. A tube forming station comprising a mandrel 22 and a heat sealer 23 is positioned to receive a web of heat sealable material 21 from a supply reel (not shown). The web is wrapped about the mandrel and the edges are heat sealed together by heat sealer 23 to form a flexible tube 24. The tube is drawn over the tapered section of the mandrel into a heat sealing and cover applying station comprising a pair of heated pressing members 30 and 31 and a pair of guide rolls 28,29. The heat is supplied by resistance elements 33 and 34 embedded in the members. The members are pressed together by a suitable mechanism (not shown) which is operated in timed relation with the filling, dividing, and cutting mechanisms as explained below. The guide rolls guide the cover material in the form of webs 25 and 26 from supply reels (not shown) to a position between the pressing members. Members 30 and 31 are mounted to reciprocate laterally as indicated by the double headed arrows. In the position illustrated, the webs 25 and 26 are pressed against opposed areas of the tube. The heat and pressure seal the contacting areas of the tube to form a hermetically sealed zone and weld seal the webs to weld the webs to the outer surface of the tube. The resultant joint is shown at 32.

The formation of joint 32 forms a tubular container having a sealed bottom at the joint and an open mouth at the tube forming station. A charging pipe 36 supplies the material to be packaged into the container.

Separation of members 30 and 31 allows the tube and its package material to be advanced to a position that will leave a sufficient length of tube to permit the members 30 and 31 to press against the tube to form another joint 32 which forms the top seal of the packaged container 37 and the bottom of a new container and to permit the following operation to form pairs of containers.

The containers 37 are successively moved into a dividing station comprising a pair of heated pressing members 39 and 40 which are mounted to reciprocate laterally as indicated by the double headed arrows and are heated by resistance elements 42 and 43. The members press and heat a longitudinal area of each segment 37 to form a hermetically sealed zone which divides each segment into twin containers. The heat and pressure also weld seal the web members 25 and 26 to the tube to form a joint 41 and define laterally positioned packages 44.

The series of segments 37 is separated into individual packages at a pair of cutting stations. In the first cutting station a cutter 48 cuts the joint 41 to separate the pairs of packages and a pair of cutters 49 and 50 in a second cutting station are mounted for lateral movement along directions indicated by the double headed arrows, to separate the twin packages into individual packages 51 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Each package comprises a pocket, having an outline shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, made of the webs 25, 26 heat welded to provide joints 32, 41 which include the flexible material 21. The pocket has an opening defined by a bottom 45 and is of sufficiently stiff material to provide a protective and supporting covering so that the package can be supported on a surface such as shown in FIG. 7 with the bottom 47 of the flexible container 46 spaced from the supporting surface.

In FIGS. 8-12 is illustrated in schematic form a second species of the apparatus. A tube forming station comprising a mandrel 62 and a heat sealer 63 is positioned to receive a web of heat sealable material 61 from a supply reel (not shown). The web is wrapped about the mandrel and the edges are heat sealed to be welded together by heat sealer 63 to form a flexible tube 64. The tube is drawn over the tapered section of the mandrel into a heat sealing and pressing station for application of a cover and an antiseptic film. The sealing and pressing station comprises a pair of heated pressing members 70, 71 and two pairs of guide rollers 68, 69 and 97, 98.

The members 70 and 71 are heated by resistance elements 73, 74 and are pressed together by reciprocation in the direction indicated by the double headed arrows by a suitable mechanism (not shown) which is operated in timed relation with the other parts of the mechanism as will be described below.

The guide rollers 68, 69 guide the cover material in the form of webs 65, 66 from supply reels (not shown) to a position between the pressing members. Guide rollers 97, 98 guide the antiseptic film, which is of the same material as the tube, from supply reels (not shown) to a position between the pressing members and the cover material.

In the position of the pressing members illustrated in FIG. 8 the webs 65, 66 are pressed against opposed areas of the tube and the webs 95, 96 are pressed against the webs 65, 66. The heat and pressure seal the contacting areas of the tube to form a hermetically sealed zone and weld seal the webs 65, 66 to the tube and weld seal the webs 95, 96 to webs 65, 66 to form a joint 72.

The formation of the joint 72 forms a tubular container having a hermetically sealed bottom and an open mouth at the tube forming station. A charging pipe 76 supplies the material to be packaged into the container.

Separation of the members 70, 71 allows the tube and its package material to be advanced to a position that will leave a sufficient length of tube to permit the members 70 and 71 to press against the tube to form another joint 72 which forms the top seal of the packaged container 77 and the bottom of a new container and to permit the formation of pairs of containers as set forth below.

The containers 77 are successively moved into a dividing station comprising a pair of heated pressing members 79, 80 which are mounted to reciprocate laterally as indicated by the double headed arrows and are heated by resistance elements 82, 83. The members heat a longitudinal area of each segment 77 to form a hermetically sealed zone which divides each segment into twin containers. The heat and pressure also weld seal the web members 65, 66 to the tube and the web members 95, 96 to web members 65, 66 to form joint 81.

The series of segments 77 is separated into individual packages at a pair of cutting stations. In the first cutting station a cutter 88 separates the twin containers by cutting along the joint 81. A pair of cutters 89 and 90 in a second cutting station are mounted for lateral movement along directions indicated by the double headed arrows, to separate the packages from the series to form the packages illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14.

Each package comprises a pocket, having the outline shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, made of the web material 65, 66 heat welded to the flexible container 86 along the joints 72, 81. An antiseptic film of web materials 95, 96 is secured to the pocket at the joints. The edges of the pocket 85 form a supporting surface to support the package with the bottom 87 of the flexible container spaced from the supporting surface.

Both forms of package comprise an outer pocket of a material that is sufficiently stiff to protect the flexible container and to support it as noted in FIGS. 7 and 14. In use, the top part of the package is cut away to permit the escape of the contents. In the form of invention illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, the antiseptic film protects the top area of the package from contamination such that the free surface formed by cutting is clean.

Claims

We claim:

1. A package comprising a pair of like opposed sheets of material and a flexible container between them, the marginal edge portions of the sheets and container being secured together, only at one end and their sides, the other ends of the sheets being unsecured whereby they form an open pocket for the container, a protective film extending partially along each outer side of the pocket and secured only to the three secured marginal edges of the pocket, the remainder of the film being unsecured to the pocket.

2. A package as defined in claim 1 wherein the container comprises a polyethylene film.

3. A package as defined in claim 1 wherein the pocket comprises cardboard.

4. A package as defined in claim 1 wherein said protective films are antiseptic.

5. A package as defined in claim 1 wherein the protective films are made of polyethylene.