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EP-4410520-B1 - PACKAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR A PACKAGING MACHINE AND PACKAGING MACHINE FOR FORMING PACKAGES FILLED WITH A POURABLE PRODUCT

EP4410520B1EP 4410520 B1EP4410520 B1EP 4410520B1EP-4410520-B1

Inventors

  • POPPI, MARCO
  • ORSINI, IVAN
  • FERRARI, FABIO
  • De Pietri Tonelli, Roberto

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240125

Claims (15)

  1. Package forming apparatus (10) for a packaging machine (1), the package forming apparatus (10) being configured to at least transversally seal a tube (4) for obtaining packages (2) from the tube (4); wherein the package forming apparatus (10) comprises at least: - one operative device (25) configured to transversally seal the tube (4); and - a support structure (27) movably carrying the operative device (25); wherein the support structure (27) comprises: - a first guide (29); - a second guide (30) spaced apart from the first guide (29); and - at least one support device (31) movably coupled to the first guide (29) and the second guide (30) and carrying the at least one operative device (25); wherein the support device (31) comprises at least: - a first coupling structure (32) and a second coupling structure (33) coupling the support device (31) to the first guide (29) and the second guide (30) respectively; characterized in that the second coupling structure (33) comprises at least a first wheel (34) rotatable about a first rotation axis (B) and one or more second wheels (35), each second wheel (35) being rotatable about a respective second rotation axis (C); wherein the first wheel (34) and each second wheel (35) are arranged such to contact the second guide (30) from opposite sides thereof; wherein the second coupling structure (33) also comprises one or more elastic elements (42), each one coupled to one respective second wheel (35) and being configured to elastically couple the respective second wheel (35) to the second guide (30).
  2. Package forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each second wheel (35) is linearly movable towards or away from the first wheel (34).
  3. Package forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first wheel (34) is not movable with respect to a portion of the second coupling structure (33) towards or away from the respective second wheels (35).
  4. Package forming apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each second wheel (35) is interposed between the second guide (30) and the respective elastic element (42).
  5. Package forming apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second coupling structure (33) further comprises one or more coupling elements (50), each one rotatably carrying one respective second wheel (35); wherein each coupling element (50) is movable along a rectilinear direction (D1); wherein each elastic element (42) is connected to the respective coupling element (50) and is configured to allow for movement of the respective coupling element (50) along the rectilinear direction (D1).
  6. Package forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each coupling element (50) comprises a housing space (51); wherein at least a portion of the respective elastic element (42) is arranged within the housing space (51).
  7. Package forming apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein each coupling element (50) comprises an abutment surface (48) and the respective elastic element (42) abuts against the respective abutment surface (48).
  8. Package forming apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the second coupling structure (33) comprises a housing (46) and each coupling element (50) is arranged within the housing (46); wherein the housing (46) comprises an inlet opening allowing to feed a lubricant into the housing (46) so as to lubricate each coupling element (50).
  9. Package forming apparatus according any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second coupling structure (33) comprises one or more housing spaces (51); wherein at least a portion of each elastic element (42) is arranged within a respective housing space (51); wherein the second coupling structure (33) also comprises one or more fastening elements (52), each fastening element (52) interacting with one respective elastic element (42) and locking the respective elastic element (42) within the respective housing space (51).
  10. Package forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each fastening element (52) comprises an engagement surface and the respective elastic element (42) abuts against the respective engagement surface.
  11. Package forming apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second coupling structure (33) comprises two second wheels (35) spaced apart from one another; wherein the first wheel (34) contacts the second guide (30) at a first relative position and each second wheel (35) contacts the second guide (30) at a respective second relative position; wherein the first wheel (34) and the second wheels (35) are arranged such that imaginary lines connecting the first relative position and the respective second relative positions with one another define an imaginary triangle.
  12. Package forming apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second coupling structure (33) further comprises a support plate (43); wherein the support plate (43) has a first connecting area (44) and a second connecting area (45); wherein the first wheel (34) is connected to the first connecting area (44) and each second wheel (35) is connected to the second connecting area (45); wherein the first connecting area (44) and the second connecting area (45) are mirror symmetric with respect to a respective symmetry axis (G).
  13. Package forming apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first coupling structure (32) comprises a housing shell (56) surrounding and being movable along the first guide (29).
  14. Package forming apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operative device (25) comprises at least a first operative group (60) and a second operative group (61) configured to cooperate with the first operative group (60) so as to transversally seal the tube (4); wherein one of the first operative group (60) and the second operative group (61) comprises and/or carries a sealing element (58) and the other one of first operative group (60) and the second operative group (61) comprises and/or carries a counter-sealing element (59).
  15. Packaging machine (1) for forming packages (2) of a pourable product from an advancing tube (4) formed and longitudinally sealed from a web of packaging material (4) ; the packaging machine (1) comprises: - a conveying device (11) configured to advance the web of packaging material (3) along a web advancement path (P) and for advancing the tube (4) along a tube advancement path (Q); - a tube forming and sealing device (12) configured to form the tube (4) from the web of packaging material (3) and to longitudinally seal the tube (4); - a filling device (13) for filling the tube (4) with the pourable product; and - a package forming apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a package forming apparatus for a packaging machine for forming packages filled with a pourable product, preferentially a pourable food product. Advantageously, the present invention also relates to a packaging machine for forming packages filled with a pourable product, preferentially a pourable food product. BACKGROUND ART As is known, many liquid or pourable food products, such as fruit juice, UHT (ultra-high-temperature treated) milk, wine, tomato sauce, etc., are sold in packages made of sterilized packaging material. A typical example is the parallelepiped-shaped package for liquid or pourable food products known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (registered trademark), which is made by sealing and folding laminated strip packaging material. The packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a base layer, e.g. of paper, covered on both sides with layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene. In the case of aseptic packages for long-storage products, such as UHT milk, the packaging material also comprises a layer of oxygen-barrier material (an oxygen-barrier layer), e.g. an aluminum foil, which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material, and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material forming the inner face of the package eventually contacting the food product. Packages of this sort are normally produced on fully automatic packaging machines, which advance a web of packaging material through a sterilization apparatus for sterilizing the web of packaging material at a sterilization station and to an isolation chamber (a closed and sterile environment) in which the sterilized web of packaging material is maintained and advanced. During advancement of the web of packaging material through the isolation chamber, the web of packaging material is folded and sealed longitudinally at a tube forming station to form a tube having a longitudinal seam portion, the tube being further fed along a vertical advancing direction. For completing the forming operations, the tube is filled with a pourable product, in particular a pourable food product, and is transversally sealed and subsequently cut along equally spaced transversal cross sections within a package forming apparatus of the packaging machine during advancement along the vertical advancing direction. A typical packaging machine comprises a conveying device for advancing the web of packaging material along a web advancement path and the tube formed from the web of packaging material along a tube advancement path, the sterilization apparatus for sterilizing the web of packaging material prior to its formation into the tube, a tube forming and sealing device at least partially arranged within the isolation chamber and being configured to form the tube from the advancing web of packaging material and to longitudinally seal the tube, a filling device for filling the tube with the pourable product and the package forming apparatus configured to form, transversally seal and cut individual packages from the tube of packaging material. The packaging forming apparatus comprises at least one operative device configured to at last partially form and to transversally seal and cut the tube and a support structure movably carrying the operative device. The support structure comprises a first guide, a second guide spaced apart from the first guide and a support device movably coupled to the first guide and the second guide and carrying the operative device. Moreover, the support device comprises a first coupling structure and a second coupling structure coupling the support device to the first guide and the second guide respectively. In use, the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure move back and forth along the first guide and the second guide, respectively. By providing for the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure being coupled to the first guide and the second guide, respectively, it is possible to allow for a guided linear movement of the operative devices avoiding any rotational movement. The first coupling structure comprises a hollow shell surrounding and being movable along the first guide. The second coupling structure comprises a first sliding surface and a second sliding surface engaging the second guide from opposite sides thereof. Package forming apparatuses are disclosed in US3050916A, US3008278A, EP0049978A1, US4637199A, WO2010/064093A2. Even though the known package forming apparatuses and/or packaging machines work satisfactorily well, a desire is felt in the sector to further improve the known package forming apparatuses and/or the known packaging machines. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved package forming apparatus. Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved packaging machine. According to the present invention, there is p