EP1095860B1 - Method for handling standing pouches - Google Patents

Abstract

To handle and manipulate cartons (2) of beverages which stand on their base, after they have been filled and sealed and cooled, they are transferred while prone before the drinking straw (3) is fitted. The are shifted on a line at right angles to their longitudinal axes into a station (9) where the drinking straws (3) are fitted, and their bases (2a) are on the same side. They are moved onwards to the packaging station (4), with their bases aligned outwards from the center of the pack. The carton filling and sealing, the transfer into the prone transport position, the fitting of the drinking straws (3) and the movement into the packing station (4) are all within a continuous prodn. line (1).

Description

The invention relates to a method for handling stand-up pouches that explained in the preamble of claim 1 Art.

Such a method is known from DE 197 45 852 A1 or DE 197 45 854 C1 known.

Stand-up pouches are pouches, mostly made of plastic or aluminum foil exist and are formed so that they form a floor, on which the finished, filled bags can stand. The bags are prefabricated so that the Standing bottom opposite edge remains open, so that the bag from this Side can be filled. The bags are kept upright in receiving devices, hanging or standing, supplied to a filling device, filled there and always still closed in an upright position, preferably by a welding device attacks on the two open margins, which squeezes them together and with Heat and pressure welded. Because standing bags can stand, and there are already recording devices have to be provided for filling, you have this Stand-up pouch so far always transported stationary. It was believed that the stand-up pouches take up the least amount of space and consequently the highest conveying speed, i. allow the highest bag throughput.

In the development of the method according to the invention, however, it was found that this is not true.

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method with which increases the conveying speed when handling stand-up pouches can be.

The object is solved by the features specified in claim 1.

It has surprisingly been found that the stand-up pouches are lying down can be transported much more effectively, although actually expected would be that lying bag by her pillow-like, baggy shape unstable are and therefore require a lower conveying speed. According to the invention However, it was found that this is not the case, and that, on the contrary, a lying support for stand-up bag a noticeable increase in conveying speed allowed.

Although it is known from EP 676 329, US Pat. No. 4,614,079, US Pat. No. 4,903,458 or US Pat 123 231 already known, packaging with its longitudinal extent parallel to the conveying surface to transport, but this only cuboid packaging, in which the packaging thus still resting on a "floor", or not stable cushion-shaped packaging without floor and with symmetrical Thickness.

Advantageous developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer Verfahrenslinie für das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren,

Fig. 1A-1C

eine schematische Darstellung von Standboden-Beuteln in verschiedenen Stadien des Verfahrens in perspektivischer Darstellung.

The inventive method will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of an embodiment of a method line for the inventive method,

Fig. 1A-1C

a schematic representation of floor bags in different stages of the process in perspective view.

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a highly schematic process line 1 for handling of floor bags 2, wherein the floor bag 2 with a drinking straw Be provided 3 and packaged in several in an outer packaging 4.

In detail, the process line 1 contains a filling station 5 of the already prefabricated Bags made of plastic or aluminum foil with a base 2a and with up to be fed to a filling opening 2b sides closed all sides. In the filling station 5 is in the bag 2 a drink, preferably hot, filled. To this end For example, the bags 2 will be in the position shown in Fig. 1A, i. with by brackets or suckers or the like. Maximum spread filling opening 2b hanging on Klammem or supported in a receiving device standing. Once the drink has been filled, it will arrive the bag 2 in a closing station 6, in which the filling opening 2b by connecting the opening 2b delimiting film edges by means of sealing rods or Clamps, preferably heat-sealed, so that the sealing line shown in Fig. 1B 2c trains. Subsequently, the bag 2 is a cooling section 7, preferably one Water bath, supplied for cooling the hot filled beverage. In the illustrated Embodiment of the bag 2 still passes through the cooling section 7 upright or standing. After leaving the cooling section 7 of the Bag 2 by suitable grippers or the like. In the lying position shown in Fig. 1C in which they lie on one of their pillow-like curved side surfaces and continuously promoted. The orientation of the bag 2 is due to the Arrows continuously changing conveying direction changed so that now, as at a Transfer point 8 can be seen, the longitudinal extent of the bag 2 transverse to the conveying direction aligned, with the bags 2 with their floors 2a all in the same Direction and are aligned parallel to the now conveying direction. In this position, the bags 2 pass through a mounting station 9 for mounting the Drinking straws 3 on the upwardly facing side surface of each bag 2.

In the conveying direction subsequent to the attachment station 9, the bags pass through a another transfer point 10, in which the so far only row of bags in two parallel Rows is divided, but the orientation of the bag is not changed. Subsequently, the bags are conveyed to a packing station to put them in the Pack outer packaging 4. The outer package 4 contains two compartments 4a and 4b, which are connected to each other via a Kinkfalz 4c.

The packaging station contains two sub-stations 11 a and 11 b, wherein in the sub-station 11 a, the bag 2 in the compartment 4a of the outer package 4 and in the sub-station 11 b the bags 2 are packed in the compartment 4b of the outer packaging 4. First arrived the package 4 in the first sub-station 11 a, in which the bags 2 under the influence of gravity be promoted in the compartment 4a until this with the predetermined number filled with bags. The standing bottoms 2a of the bags face the kink-fold 4c.

Is the compartment 4a filled, the package 4 is about a vertical axis by 180 ° rotated and fed to the second sub-station 11b, in the same way the bags 2 are introduced into the compartment 4b. By turning the packaging are the Bag 2 in both compartments with their floors 2a facing the buckling 4c and Show with the same sides to the outside, so then if the outer packaging 4 has passed through a folding station 12, in which the compartments folded around the buckling 4c and the outer packaging is closed, matching Surface areas of the bags, for example with printed information about theirs Contents, facing outward and through windows or recesses in the outer packaging 4 are visible.

In a modification of the described and illustrated embodiment may For example, the sealed bag already pass through the cooling section lying. For the promotion, conveyor belts or other suitable conveyors be used. The bags can be presented in a different way than illustrated and / or in other outer packaging and / or packed out of a single row become.

Claims (8)

1. A method for handling stand up bags (2) for beverages which are filled, closed, and provided with a drinking straw (3) and which, being inserted in a plurality of bags into an outer packaging (4), are discharged, characterized in that the stand up bags (2) are transported in a lying position between closing and insertion into the outer packaging.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that after having been closed the bags (2) are cooled and then transferred into a lying position.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that prior to insertion into the outer packaging (4) the drinking straw (3) is attached to the lying bags (2).
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bags (2) are inserted in a lying state from a lying conveying position into the outer packaging (4).
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bags (2) are conveyed in a lying position in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension thereof.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that before being packed the bags (2) are conveyed in a lying position and with a uniform orientation that is the same for all bags.
7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which a bag (2) made from a film or foil and closed on the periphery and provided with a self-standing bottom (2a) is filled in an upright position through an opening (2b) which is opposite to the self-standing bottom (2a) and defined by film or foil edges, and the bag (2) is closed in the upright position by welding the film or foil edges defining the opening (2b), resulting in the formation of a stand up bag (2) with cushion-curved bulging side surfaces, the bags (2) are provided with a drinking straw (3) and, being inserted in a plurality of bags into an outer packaging (4), are discharged, characterized in that after closing and prior to the attachment of the drinking straw (3) the stand up bags (2) are transferred into a lying position in which they are transported in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension thereof with self-standing bottoms (2a) oriented towards the same side, through an attaching station (9) for attaching the drinking straw (3) until insertion into the outer packaging (4) and are inserted from the lying conveying position in a lying state into the outer packaging (4).
8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the steps of filling, closing, transferring into a lying conveying position, attaching the drinking straw (3) and inserting into an outer packaging (4) are carried out in a continuous process line (1).

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