ES2434777T3 - Method for producing multiple packages, and corresponding packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for making a multiple packaging (20) comprising a first horizontal packaging wrapper (30) and a second horizontal packing wrapper (40), wherein said first horizontal packing wrapper (30) contains a first product (P ), and is formed by a first wrapping of sheet material that closes to form a tube along a first longitudinal sealing line (162) and is provided with a first transverse sealing line (166) at both of its opposed ends, wherein said second horizontal packaging wrapper (40) contains a second product (P '), and is formed by a second wrapping of foil material that closes to form a tube along a second longitudinal sealing line (164) and it is provided with a second transverse sealing line (166 ') in both of its opposite ends, in which said method contemplates forming a first tubular blank (30') of said first wrapping, which contains d said first product (P), and a second tubular blank (40 ') of said second wrapping, separate and distinct from said first blank and containing said second product (P'), and placing said first blank pieces and second next to each other, and because it contemplates manufacturing, in one or both of the opposite terminal portions of said first and second blank pieces, a common transverse sealing line (200), which crosses both of the corresponding terminal portions of said pieces first and second blanks in said position where the blanks are placed next to each other and is designed to define said first and second transverse sealing lines (166, 166 '), respectively of said first and second wrappers, and to determine the at the same time a tear separable connection between said first and second transverse seal lines; said method being characterized in that placing said first and second blanks (30 ', 40') one next to another comprises locating said first and second blanks (30 ', 40') separated from each other a distance such that said common sealing line (200) overlap with said terminal portions of said first and second blank pieces by determining said connection between said first and second transverse sealing lines.

Description

Method for producing multiple packages, and corresponding packaging

5 Field of the invention

This description refers to packaging techniques and specifically refers to techniques that allow the production of multiple packages.

Description of the prior art

In the packaging sector, specifically in the packaging of food products, the solution known as “horizontal packaging” (sometimes referred to as “filling and sealing” or FFS) has been widely adopted for many years.

15 According to this solution, which is documented in a fairly extensive literature, which includes patent literature, a sheet of wrapping material that is removed from a reel is shaped according to a general channel-shaped conformation (usually open to below) that allows the insertion of products in the packaging. The free branches of the channel-shaped conformation are then coupled together so that a longitudinal sealing line ("fin") is provided. The tubular blank thus formed, with the products located therein, is then subjected to a cross-sectional sealing and cutting, which results in the individual wrappings. The sealing heads cause a flattening in intermediate positions between the products, and in the transverse flattened areas sealing lines are formed in a region corresponding to that in which a cutting operation is performed such that the separation of the individual envelopes is produced. .

25 In this sector, for some time the need to make such packages in the form of multiple packages, for example in the form of paired packages, has been felt. These multiple packages contain a number of product units that can be consumed at different times. The user can thus separate, for example, the two wrappers and open only one of the two to consume the product or products contained therein, while the remaining products remain packaged for later consumption (even distant in time) and they retain their characteristics intact precisely because they remain in a packaging that is intact.

At the present time, this need is met mainly on the basis of packages of the type commonly referred to as "multilages." These packages consist of a number of “packaging” wrappers.

35 horizontal ”individually grouped together and packaged in a larger horizontal container.

The production process of such multilages involves the cascade repetition of a number of packaging processes. In addition to this, once the main horizontal container has been opened, the individual wrappers contained within can be dispersed in an undesirable manner.

An additional drawback of the prior art is the considerable expense of packaging material.

On the other hand, they have already been proposed in the art (see, for example, document US-B-6,789,945, and to some extent also documents US-A-2005/0109796, US-A-2006/0151351, and US-A-5,024,536) solutions inspired by the

The concept of manufacturing a package comprising a number of bags arranged next to each other starting from a larger package that is then segmented with sealing lines that divide the original packaging into a number of compartments, each of which a in turn constitutes an independent packaging.

However, this solution also poses several implementation problems.

First, the above-mentioned sealing lines are anything less easy to provide when the packaging already contains the products within it. Secondly, the above-mentioned sealing lines may end up opposing considerable resistance in relation to any breakage stress intended to separate the individual packages from each other in accordance with the modalities described above. This

In fact, it may imply, for example, the need to subject the aforementioned sealing lines to pre-incision treatments or punches, the purpose of which is to facilitate tearing for the purpose of separating individual packages. In the specific case in which the packaging divided into compartments to form individual wrappings is a horizontal package, there is then the additional problem linked to the fact that air masses can remain in the original horizontal package that can hinder subsequent crushing of the packaging when sealing lines are formed to provide the aforementioned division into compartments.

The present applicant has already presented in the Italian patent application No. TO2008A000256 (see also WO 2009/122244 A1), a method for providing multiple packages that allows to prevent the intrinsic inconveniences of the solutions according to the known state of the art discussed above.

65 Said method envisages, in particular, to use a modified horizontal packaging plant, in which the packaging material from which the packaging is manufactured is shaped so that they form at least two channel-shaped parts, connected to each other at along a connection line that extends parallel to its extension direction and is established between the mutually facing walls of said parts. Subsequently, respective products are inserted into said channel-shaped parts, and then the latter are first closed to form a tube by means of respective longitudinal sealing lines, and finally closed at the end by means of lines

5 respective transversal sealing.

Object and summary of the invention

The present applicant has now designed a new method, which forms the object of the present invention, which, in addition to solving the problems of the known state of the art to which reference has been made above, also allows various advantages over the method previously submitted by the present applicant.

In accordance with the present invention, said method has the characteristics specifically set out in the appended claims. The invention also relates to an apparatus for providing the aforementioned method and the corresponding packaging obtained therefrom.

The claims form an integral part of the technical teaching provided herein in connection with the invention.

Various embodiments of the corresponding packaging result in multiple packaging (for example, packaging

20 double), in which the individual wrappings are in fact structurally identical to each other and / or can be separated from each other with a separation action that is both convenient and safe, avoiding any risk of accidental unwanted opening of one of the wrappers that are separated.

Brief description of the attached drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

-

Figure 1 illustrates an example of a multiple package that forms the object of the present description; 30

-

 Figures 2 and 3 illustrate an example of wrapping material used in the method described herein to obtain the packaging of Figure 1;

-

 Figures 4 to 6 illustrate cross-sectional views according to planes IV-IV, V-V and VI-VI indicated in Figure 35 11, respectively;

-

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate in greater detail respective examples of intermediates of the method described herein;

-

Figure 9 illustrates an additional stage of the method described herein;

40-Figure 10 illustrates in greater detail the characteristics of the packaging that can be obtained with the method described herein; Y

-

Figure 11 is a schematic illustration of a plant for the implementation of the method described here. Four. Five

Detailed description of examples of embodiments

Various specific details are illustrated in the attached description in order to provide an in-depth compression of the embodiments. The embodiments can be obtained without one or more of the details

50 specific, or with other methods, component materials, etc. In other cases, known structures, materials or operations are not illustrated or described in detail, so that the various aspects of the embodiments are not obscured.

The reference to "an embodiment" in the context of the present description is intended to indicate that a configuration,

The specific structure, or characteristic described in relation to the embodiment is comprised in at least one embodiment. Thus, phrases such as "in an embodiment" that may be present at various points of the present description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, specific conformations, structures or features can be combined in any suitable way in one

or more embodiments.

60 The references used here are provided merely for convenience and therefore do not define the sphere of protection or the scope of the embodiments.

Figure 1 represents an example of a multiple package (designated by reference 20) that can be obtained by the method that forms the object of the present description.

The multiple packaging 20 comprises a first horizontal packaging wrapper 30, which contains a first product P, formed by a first wrapping of foil material that closes to form a tube along a first longitudinal sealing line 162 (see Figure 11) and is provided with a first transverse sealing line (in the technical jargon called "sealing bellows") 166 at both of its opposite ends.

5 The multiple packaging 20 further comprises a second horizontal packaging wrap 40 containing a second product P ', formed by a second wrapping of sheet material that closes to form a tube along a second longitudinal sealing line 164 ( see Figure 11) and is provided with a second transverse sealing line (in the technical jargon called "sealing bellows") 166 'at both of its opposite ends.

The first and second wrappers are placed next to each other in a transverse direction to the first and second sealing lines mentioned above and are connected to each other, by one or both of their opposite ends, in an area corresponding to the sealing lines First and second cross-sections (or sealing bellows) mentioned above. As will be seen in the following, said connection between the transverse sealing lines is of a type

15 detachable by tearing. It should be noted that the sealing lines mentioned here (longitudinal and transverse sealing lines, the latter also being referred to as "sealing bellows") can be of any type suitable for the application in question. For example, said sealing lines can be obtained by heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or bonding. In the following, the transverse sealing lines will be referred to by the term "sealing bellows" commonly used, without intending to refer to any of its specific embodiments.

In order to obtain a packaging of the above type, the method described herein generally provides for a first blank tubular piece of the first package, which contains the first product, and a second blank tubular piece of the second package, separated and distinct from the first blank and containing the second product, and place the first and second blank mentioned above next to each other, and also perform in one or both of the

25 opposite end portions of the first and second blanks mentioned above, a transverse sealing line that crosses both corresponding portions of the first and second blanks mentioned above in such a state in which they are located next to each other, and is designed to define the first and second bellows mentioned above, respectively, of the first and second wrappers mentioned above, and at the same time to determine a tear-off connection between said first and second bellows.

The aforementioned transverse sealing line (which crosses both of the corresponding portions of the first and second blank mentioned above) constitutes a common or shared sealing line between the two wrappers constituting the multiple packaging, in the sense that said line is designed to define

Both of the aforementioned first and second bellows (or first and second sealing lines) of said wrappers. Furthermore, by the fact that it determines the aforementioned tear-off connection by itself, said line can be easily "torn" or "divided" into the first and second bellows mentioned above (or first and second sealing lines) for separate the two wrappers from the multiple packaging.

It should be noted that, basically, said common sealing line constitutes an adhesion line; that is, where available, parts of the wrapping material that can be connected to each other effectively adhere to each other (in this connection, the reader is referred to the attached description, where possible modalities of agreement are explained with which respective parts of the wrapping material can be made connectable with each other); in the method described here said line is such that it crosses both of the corresponding terminal portions of the

45 first and second blanks mentioned above to determine the first and second sealing lines mentioned above and at the same time the aforementioned tear-off connection between said sealing lines. As will be seen in the following, preferably said line extends continuously, completely crossing the corresponding ends of the first and second blank mentioned above.

In various embodiments, as in the one illustrated, in said method, placing said first and second blanks next to each other comprises placing said first and second blanks separated from each other a distance such that when creating the sealing or adhesion line aforementioned there is an overlap of said corresponding portions of said first and second blank, so that said sealing or adhesion line

55 determines a tear-off connection between overlapping portions of said corresponding portions. In various embodiments, the parts of said corresponding portions (of said first and second blanks) to be overlapped are at least partially connectable to each other.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate an example of a sheet of wrapping material 10 from which the multiple packaging illustrated in Figure 1 can be obtained by said method. With reference to said figures, in the wrapping material 10 the two opposite surfaces 10a and 10b have at least part of their extension sealing characteristics that differ from each other. For example (the person skilled in the art will immediately appreciate, on the other hand, that the same basic concepts illustrated in the bases of this example can be implemented by resorting to a wide range of equivalent solutions), the sheet 10 can be constituted by a sheet of aluminum (or plastic material, 65 such as polypropylene) "coupled", that is, coated on the surface 10a, with a heat-sealing plastic material (or ultrasonic sealable), such as polyethylene. On the surface 10b, the aluminum (or plastic) material does not cover more

that areas 10c (which can be complemented with areas such as 10c 'located in a position with specular symmetry with respect to areas 10c with respect to the direction of folding, as will be described in more depth in the following), in which it is applied a heat-sealing plastic material (or ultrasonic sealable), such as polypropylene.

5 In the preferred example illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, surface 10b has both areas 10c and 10c ’. As can be seen in Figure 2, the areas 10c and 10c 'are located along the same ideal line that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal development of the wrapping sheet 10 (indicated by arrow A in Figure 2 and also corresponds to the direction of advance of the sheet 10 itself in the method described in the following). In any case, the general principle by which areas 10c (and areas 10c ', if present) are defined and arranged will be evident in the course of the description in relation to the stage of the method in which said areas perform its function. In any case, it is immediately apparent to the person skilled in the art of horizontal packaging methods that the areas 10c and 10c 'illustrated in Figure 2 are designed, in a front half, (with respect to the direction A) thereof ( defined by an ideal cutting line perpendicular to direction A), for the production of a first multiple packaging and, in the other half, later, for the production of a second packaging

15 multiple (subsequent to the first packing with respect to the direction of advance A).

Again, it is recalled that the example set forth above with reference to specific materials expresses a principle that can be implemented using different materials and / or in a different way. Just to provide an example, it can be considered that the sheet 10 is constituted by a non-heat-sealing plastic material that is treated on the surface 10a with a heat-sealing lacquer or otherwise laminated with a sealant layer, while on the other hand on the surface 10b, only areas 10c (and if present, areas 10c ') are converted to heat sealants by application of a heat sealing lacquer.

Basically, whatever the solution adopted in terms of choice of materials and / or connection technique

25 adopted (heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, bonding, etc.), while surface 10a can be connected to a homologous surface, surface 10b resists the connection action with a homologous surface, except in areas 10c (and in the areas 10c 'areas, if present).

In various embodiments, as in the one illustrated in the figures, the method that forms the object of the present description can contemplate the steps of:

-

provide a sheet of wrapping material;

-

 forming said wrapping material, on the first and second products mentioned above, to form

At least two channel-shaped parts next to each other, which have a U-shaped region and two lateral branches that extend from the respective U-shaped region to respective distal flaps, and which respectively contain the products first and second mentioned above;

-

 cutting the sheet material in an intermediate position between the channel-shaped parts themselves, so that said channel-shaped parts located next to each other form distinct parts;

-

closing said channel-shaped parts in the respective distal flaps mentioned above to form a tube; Y

45 - connect the respective distal flaps together to form said first and second longitudinal sealing lines.

In various embodiments, as in the one illustrated, in said method the step of forming the aforementioned channel-shaped parts comprises the operation of pulling through the side flaps of the sheet of wrapping material against the first and second products mentioned above. and, at the same time, forming a depression in a central portion of the wrapping sheet, located between said first and second products, so as to cause the wrapping of the wrapping material sheet of said channel-shaped parts formed a next to another.

The method described above can be implemented, in general, with an apparatus comprising:

55 -a line to feed a sheet of wrapping material;

-

 a line for transporting the first and second products mentioned above;

-

means for forming, from the aforementioned wrapping material sheet, a first tubular blank of the first aforementioned wrapping, containing the first aforementioned product, and a second tubular blank of the second aforementioned wrapping, separated and distinct from the first blank and containing the second product mentioned above, and placing the first and second blank next to each other;

-

 means for providing, in one or both of the opposite terminal portions of the first and second mentioned blank, a transverse sealing line that crosses both of the corresponding terminal portions of the first and second blank previously mentioned in the position mentioned above in which they are placed next to each other, and is designed to define first bellows and second bellows, respectively, of the first and second wrappers mentioned above, and to determine at the same time

5 a detachable tear connection between the first and second bellows mentioned above.

Figures 4 to 11 illustrate a preferred embodiment of such apparatus.

With reference to Figure 11, said apparatus comprises a line for feeding a wrapping material, for example manufactured from the material illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 discussed above. Said material may be in the form of a sheet that is removed from a reel B located in an elevated position with respect to the rest of said feed line.

Said apparatus further comprises a line for transporting the products to be packaged, which

15 comprises in the specific case two conveyor belts T, T '(or if not a conveyor belt divided into two product transport paths) that run parallel to each other in the direction of advancement A. As can be seen below, said direction A corresponds to the direction of advance of both the sheet of wrapping material 10 and the products P and P '. Said conveyor belts are controlled in a coordinated manner to transport the products P, P ’in a state where they are placed next to each other.

The apparatus further comprises a forming station 120 that is crossed by the conveyor and the aforementioned feed lines. Specifically, the line for feeding the wrap sheet enters the forming station with a downward branch of the wrap sheet, which in said station is turned back substantially parallel to the direction A referred to above. It should be appreciated that the inclination of the branch

25 mentioned above, with respect to the line for transporting the products, facilitates the intervention of the means (which will be described in the following) of said station that have the function of pulling said sheet of wrapping material against said products.

In general, said station comprises first means designed to pull by the side flaps of the sheet of wrapping material against the products P, P 'on the conveyor belts, and second means designed to make a depression in a central portion of the material of wrap between the two rows of products.

The first and second means mentioned above are coordinated in such a way that they cause the wrapping material of the two channel-shaped parts formed together next to each other to be raised. At

In a specific case, said forming station comprises two lateral sheets 90 and a central sheet 92 that extend, starting from the same position, parallel and located next to each other in the direction A, in an area corresponding to the two tapes of T and T 'conveyor. The central sheet 92 extends slightly further ahead than said conveyor belts and, immediately downstream of said sheet, said forming station contemplates two or more pairs of opposite rollers 102, which, with the help of the two side sheets 90 , It has the function of pulling through the side flaps of the wrapping material against the products P and P '. The action of the rollers 102 will be described in detail in the following; in any case, it should be noted that the function referred to above (of pulling the wrapping material by the flaps) is carried out in itself only by means of the rollers 102, while the side sheets 90 simply act as guides for said flaps .

On the other hand, central sheet 92 has the function of forming a depression in the central portion of the wrapping sheet that is located between the two rows of products.

As can be seen in Figure 11, each of the side sheets 90 and the side sheet 92 has, at an area corresponding to its end oriented in the direction opposite to the flow of products and the wrapping material, a sloping edge designed to constitute a guide for the branch of the wrapping material entering the forming station 120. Said sheets also have on said ends respective wheels 94 designed to favor the sliding of the wrapping material and to prevent the adhesion of said sheets to said material, which could cause tearing of the material itself.

55 As can be seen in the figure, the coordinated action between the means referred to above has the function of forming the wrap sheet according to a shape having the aforementioned channel-shaped parts arranged next to each other, with the products P and P ', respectively, within them.

Specifically, with reference to Figure 4:

-

 each of the two channel-shaped parts arranged next to each other has a U-shaped region and two lateral branches (which are symmetrical or, as in the example illustrated here, asymmetric, for reasons that will emerge more clearly in what follow) that extend from the U-shaped region;

65 -the two channel-shaped parts arranged next to each other have two internal lateral branches that connect to each other in an area corresponding to their distal flaps, designated by reference number 14a.

Again with reference to Figure 11, the central sheet has, in a position downstream of the two side plates, and in a region corresponding once more to the two conveyor belts, a blade 96 designed to separate the flaps distal 14a such that said channel-shaped parts are separate and distinct from one of

5 other.

As can be seen in Figures 5 and 11, once the sheet material 10 exceeds the two conveyor belts T and T ', the two channel-shaped parts are closed to form a tube, each around the row. respective products, as a result of the action of the two opposite rollers 102 (which, as can be seen in

In greater detail in the following, they press the four distal flaps of said parts in the form of a channel against each other). Thus, as soon as the products leave the conveyor belts, they are immediately picked up by the tube-like portion that has formed around them in the meantime (see Figure 5).

As shown schematically in Figures 4, 5 and 6, in said tube-like configuration of the material of

15 wrap the free flaps of the two channel-shaped parts (designated by 14a, in the case of the free flaps of the two internal branches, which are shorter and arranged against each other, and by 14b, in the case of free flaps of the two outer branches, which are longer and opposite each other) are arranged against each other so that they form a stratified structure designated as a whole by 16.

From Figure 4 it can be understood that, in the example of the illustrated embodiment, the outer flaps 14b are longer than the inner flaps 14a in a length approximately equal to the width of the products P. Thus, when the various flaps are grouped together to form the structure 16, located in a position substantially midway between the products P, the greater length of the outer flaps 14b causes the terminal margins of all the flaps to be grouped in this structure 16 to be practically arranged next to each other without

25 none of them are projected from structure 16.

As can be seen in Figure 6, the structure 16 (comprising four layers, that is, in this order the outer flap 14b and the inner flap 14a of one of the channel-shaped parts and then the inner flap 14a and the outer flap 14b of the other channel-shaped part) is then advanced through opposite rollers 102.

In said embodiment, the opposite rollers 102 also constitute a longitudinal sealing assembly that will form, in the manner described below, the so-called longitudinal fin of a horizontal packaging wrapper. However, it is clear that, according to alternative embodiments of the apparatus, a longitudinal seal assembly other than the rollers 102, and disposed downstream thereof, can be contemplated.

35 While in the conventional operation of horizontal packaging machines the longitudinal fin is formed as a result of juxtaposing and sealing two fins of sheet material fed through a said longitudinal sealing assembly, in the example illustrated here the flaps of the material of sheet that are placed on top of each other in layers and pass through the sealing assembly 102 are four.

However, the effect of the sealing action obtained by the sealing assembly 102 is conditioned by the sealing capacity / connection characteristics of the sheet 10 illustrated at the beginning.

In the specific case, the four flaps 14a, 14b that advance with the sealing device 102 have, in sequence, the following alternation of sealing capacity characteristics (which can ideally be seen coming from

45 left to right and with reference to the observation point in figure 5):

-

 a first flap 14b with an external surface (that is, external with respect to the stratified structure 16) corresponding to the surface 10b of the sheet 10, and therefore not sealable, and an internal surface corresponding to the surface 10a of the sheet 10 and therefore is sealable;

-

a second flap 14a, whose surface facing the first flap 14b seen above corresponds to the surface 10a of the sheet 10, and therefore is sealable, while the opposite surface corresponds to the surface 10b of the sheet 10 and is not sealable ;

55 - a third flap 14a, with an external surface oriented towards the second flap seen above corresponding to the surface 10b of the sheet 10 and therefore not sealable, and with an internal surface corresponding to the surface 10a of the sheet 10 and therefore it is sealable; and finally

-

a fourth flap 14b, with an internal surface (this is internal with respect to the stratified structure 16)

60 oriented towards the third flap seen above and corresponding to the surface 10a of the sheet 10 and therefore is sealable, and an opposite surface (external with respect to the laminated structure 16) corresponding to the surface 10b of the sheet 10 and Therefore it is not sealable.

The net action of the sealing tool 102 will thus be to connect to each other, with the formation of sealing lines, the flaps 65 whose opposite surfaces are sealable.

In other words, with reference to the alternation of sealable and non-sealable surfaces referred to above, the net action of the sealing tool 102 is to produce the sealing of:

-

 the first flap 14b with the second flap 14a, with the formation of a first longitudinal fin 162, which closes in 5 a tube the first of the channel-shaped parts of the blank of the wrapping material of Figure 4; Y

-

the third flap 14a with the fourth flap 14b, with the formation of a second longitudinal fin 164, which closes in a tube the second of the channel-shaped parts of the blank of the wrapping material of Figure 4.

However, the tool 102 does not produce the sealing of the second flap with the third flap (that is, of the two inner flaps 14b) since these flaps expose each other surfaces that cannot be sealed to each other.

The two fins 162 and 164 formed by the sealing device 102 are therefore independent of each other and can be separated from each other, as clearly illustrated in Figure 9, for example by means of a so-called "grating of

15 plow ”(not illustrated in the figures).

Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of the mutual configuration of the wrapping material and the products obtained with the apparatus of Figure 11, in the area disposed between the rollers 102 and the transverse sealing and cutting station 122 (which is will describe more fully below). As can be seen in said figure, said configuration has two different tubular blanks 30 ', 40' (closed in tube form along respective longitudinal sealing lines and each containing a respective product) that occupy positions arranged next to each other in a direction transverse to their respective longitudinal sealing lines. In Figure 7 the two tubular blanks are shown as arranged at a given distance from each other. To place the blanks in said mutual configuration, for example, a water spacer element can be contemplated

25 below the rollers 102, designed to move the blanks away from each other to the aforementioned distance. However, once again, as will be discussed in the following, said distance can also be zero and the two blanks thus remain substantially in contact with each other.

As can be seen in Figure 7, in the aforementioned mutual configuration, one of the two blanks is provided with a connection area 10c, at each of its opposite ends, in a laterally displaced position so that it is distributed on a respective corresponding end of the other blank. If, as illustrated in said figure, the areas 10c 'are also present, these are located in the other blank, in symmetrical positions specularly to the areas 10c (with respect to an ideal plane parallel to the axial direction of the two tubular blanks and located between them) and oriented towards them.

35 As schematically illustrated in Figures 8, 9 and 11, the two tubular blanks thus formed are then advanced towards the transverse sealing station 122, which comprises jaw units 112 (with an oscillating or rotating movement), designed to form the terminal bellows of the packing in each tubular blank.

In each jaw unit a transverse sealing line 200 is disposed that crosses both of the corresponding terminal portions of the tubular blanks and superimposes the areas 10c on the areas 10c ', if present, or if not on corresponding portions of the blank piece opposite to that in which said areas 10c are arranged. Said sealing line is consequently designed to create closing bellows 166, 166 ’

45 of said blank pieces, and at the same time a tear-off connection between said bellows. Next, the mechanism by which said connection is provided is explained in detail.

When the two jaws squeeze the end portions of said blanks to form the respective closing bellows, the latter are crushed and expanded laterally until they overlap each other in an area corresponding to their respective mutually facing respective parts, on which, as stated above, areas 10c are located and, if present, areas 10c '. Said areas 10c are consequently in contact with either the corresponding areas 10c ’of the opposite blank, or with corresponding portions of the latter, and the action of the two jaws determines the sealing and connection between said parts in contact.

At the same time, in a known manner, said jaws create the respective terminal bellows 166, 166 'of the two blanks, which, of what has been described above, will be connected to each other in areas 10c (and 10c ', if present).

According to a fully known criterion, such that it does not require any detailed explanation here, in said specific example the jaw units of the station 122 are further designed to separate the pairs of horizontal packaging wrappers (which they have just completed) of the rest of the wrapping material. Alternatively, a station 112 designed to provide the transverse seal line 200, and, in addition, a station downstream of the station 122 in which segmentation (or cutting) of the multiple packaging chain is performed can be contemplated. , which, in this case, are supplied at the exit of the station 122.

65 It should be noted again that the sealing / unsealing capability mechanism described above can be achieved with the choice of constituent materials and / or a structure in the sheet material 10 different from that described above, while maintaining the general concept of provide in the packaging the elements that advance through the sealing assembly 102 (whatever the principles that regulate the operation of said assembly) a sequence of flaps of sheet material that can be sealed in pairs to form the

5 fins 162 and 164, which, however, remain independent, that is, not sealed together.

Those skilled in the sector will appreciate on the other hand that the sealing / non-sealing capacity mechanism described above is suitable to be implemented also with the application of adhesives, that is, for example, with the use of a sheet material 10 whose surfaces Opposite 10a and 10b are both in themselves non-sealable, but which become sealable if needed (areas 10c, 10c ', flaps 14a, 14b) with the local application of an adhesive, for example by means of dispensing nozzles arranged for this purpose. .

The person skilled in the art will also appreciate that the sealing capacity between two opposite surfaces does not at all require that the two surfaces be identical to each other. This occurs in the case of the example illustrated here, in which

15 has at least implicitly assumed that the surface 10a of the sheet 10 will have uniform surface characteristics throughout its development, so that the mutually facing surfaces of the flaps 14a, 14b sealed together in pairs to form the fins 162 and 164 are the same one as another and, for example, both are coated with a heat-sealing material. The sealing capacity between the two surfaces can in fact derive, for example, from the presence of a heat-sealing material or from the application of an adhesive material also just on one of the two surfaces in question. This applies, of course, also in relation to connection areas 10c and 10c ’: in this regard it has been pointed out in fact a number of times that the presence of areas 10c’ is completely optional.

The final packaging thus obtained, designated as a whole by reference 20 in Figure 1, is constituted by

25 two horizontal packaging wrappers arranged side by side in a direction transverse to the longitudinal sealing lines of the two wrappers, and connected to each other in the respective terminal bellows. The strength characteristics of the connection made between the bellows (connection that is designed to be detachable by tearing when the consumer wishes to separate the two parts of the packaging) can be determined precisely and precisely (for example, during the production of the sheet material 10 , that is, during the creation of the areas 10c, and of the homologous areas 10c ', if present), preventing said connection from being too weak on the other hand, with the risk of undesirable separation of the wrappings and, on the other On the other hand, that it offers an excessively high resistance to tearing, exposing the consumer to the risks of undesirably tearing one of the two wrappers that at the moment has not been opened.

35 It should be noted in any case that the connection between the two packages in their bellows allows concentration in these of the tensions that are generated when the user separates said wrappers, and thus prevents, during their separation, any risk of tearing said wrappers , since said bellows are formed at least by two layers sealed together (along the transversal sealing line 200) and consequently are extremely strong. In addition, as when dividing said wrappers it is necessary to intervene only at their ends, the products contained therein are not subject to any tension, and therefore there is no risk of them breaking as a result of the forces exerted to separate the two wrappers. .

The operations described above with reference to the attached figures constitute a preferred example of the embodiment of the method described herein. Specifically, the steps illustrated in Figure 11 and in Figures 4 to 6

45 represent the preferred modalities for obtaining the specific configuration, illustrated in Figure 7, that is (with reference to the main characteristics of said configuration) for obtaining two different tubular blanks, which are closed in tubular form along lines of respective longitudinal sealing and each one contains a respective product, and which are arranged side by side in a direction transverse to the aforementioned longitudinal sealing lines.

However, it should be noted that such configuration can also be obtained in accordance with other modalities. For example, the two or even more tubular blanks can be formed separately according to the conventional modalities of a normal horizontal packaging line, and then arranged next to each other in the configuration described above, in order to The corresponding aforementioned transverse sealing line can then be formed in its corresponding terminal portions, designed to determine the respective closing bellows of said blanks and, at the same time, a tear-off connection between said bellows. For this purpose, said blanks arranged next to each other must either be in mutual contact, or else their mutual distance, if not zero, must in any case be such that, as previously described, when their terminal portions they are squeezed to form the respective closing bellows, these are crushed and expanded laterally until they overlap the corresponding portions of the blank or pieces arranged on its side, and thus allow, as described above, a mutual connection between the overlapping parts. As already mentioned on the other hand, said parts for the connection of the terminal portions can be connected to each other either because the sheet material that is removed from the reel is already sealable in said parts, for example, because in production of the reel these have been

65 coated with a heat sealing layer, or because in the process of producing multiple packaging they have become connectable and / or sealable by means of the application of an adhesive and / or a heat sealing material.

However, it should be noted that a distance, although a minimum between the two tubular blanks 30 'and 40', in their mutual configuration in which they are placed next to each other, allows to obtain a connection between the bellows that is more precise and free of residual stresses (which are generated instead when the two wrappers of

5 horizontal packaging are in contact and mutually press each other) and obtain, in general, a global appearance of the package that is more pleasant.

It will also be appreciated that the segmentation operation must not necessarily be provided in a position corresponding to each of the transverse sealing lines 200. The solution described herein is adapted in a very convenient way to provide multiple packages comprising a number of blocks. of, for example, two individual wrappers, coupled in pairs (dual packaging) in a position where they are arranged next to each other and connected to each other detachably by tearing at the terminal bellows, in which various blocks are arranged in mutually opposite and connected positions on the terminal bellows defined by the same transverse line 200 (which, when not completely cut, may suffer a

15 "pre-incision" or "punch" so that it can be torn precisely so as to separate the individual packages without tearing the tubular wrapper in which the products are wrapped).

The solution described here allows to produce a dual packaging (or in general a multiple packaging) that is totally compact, in the sense that the individual horizontal packaging packages paired with each other assume the conformation of a packaging reminiscent of what would be obtained by inserting the wrappers in question in a multiple packing of an adherent type.

The solution described here can be implemented with suitable modifications to horizontal packaging machines usually available in packing plants.

Of course, without prejudging the principle of the invention, the construction details of the embodiments may vary, even significantly, with respect to what has been described herein merely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. This applies in particular, but without any limitation, to:

-

 the possibility of applying the described mechanism to the production of multiple packages comprising three or more individual packages (and not two, as in the example illustrated here); Y

-

the possibility of contemplating the different characteristics of connection capacity / no connection described

35 above, only the parts of the wrap sheet in which said characteristics are effectively involved (for example, contemplating the presence of a sealable / non-sealable material or the application of an adhesive / non-adhesive material only on the flaps 14a and 14b) .

Claims (10)

1. A method of making a multiple packaging (20) comprising a first horizontal packaging wrap (30) and a second horizontal packing wrap (40), 5 wherein said first horizontal packaging wrapper (30) contains a first product (P), and is formed by a first wrapping of foil material that closes to form a tube along a first longitudinal sealing line ( 162) and is provided with a first transverse sealing line (166) at both of its opposite ends, wherein said second horizontal packaging wrapper (40) contains a second product (P '), and is formed by a second wrapping of foil material that closes to form a tube along a second longitudinal sealing line ( 164) and is provided with a second transverse sealing line (166 ') at both of its opposite ends, 15 wherein said method contemplates forming a first tubular blank (30 ') of said first package, containing said first product (P), and a second tubular blank (40') of said second package, separated and distinct from said first blank and containing said second product (P '), and placing said first and second blanks next to each other, and because it contemplates manufacturing, in one or both of the opposite terminal portions of said pieces first and second blanks, a common transverse sealing line (200), which crosses both of the corresponding terminal portions of said first and second blanks in said position where the blanks are placed next to each other and is designed to define said first and second transverse sealing lines (166, 166 '), respectively of said first and second wrappers, and to determine at the same time a tear-off connection between said s sealing lines 25 first and second transversal; said method being characterized in that placing said first and second blanks (30 ', 40') next to each other comprises placing said first and second blanks (30 ', 40') separated from each other a distance such that said line of common sealing (200) overlaps with said terminal portions of said first and second blanks determining said connection between said first and second transverse sealing lines. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming said first and second blank includes, respectively: 35 - forming a first wrap designed to receive said first product and close said wrap along said first longitudinal sealing line (162) to form a tube; Y

-

 forming a second wrap designed to receive said second product and close said wrap along said second longitudinal sealing line (164) to form a tube.

3. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the formation of said first and second blank comprises the operations of:

-

providing a sheet of wrapping material (10); Four. Five

-

 provide said first and second products (P, P ’);

-

forming said wrapping material (10), on said first and second products, to form at least two channel-shaped parts next to each other, which have a U-shaped region and two lateral branches extending from the region in respective U-shape towards respective distal flaps (14a, 14b), and containing respectively the first and second products mentioned above;

-

 cutting said sheet (10) in an intermediate position (14) between the channel-shaped parts themselves, so that said

channel-shaped parts located next to each other form distinct parts; 55

-

closing said channel-shaped parts along said respective distal flaps (14b, 14b) to form a tube; Y

-

 connect the respective distal flaps (14a, 14b) together to form said first and second longitudinal sealing lines (162, 164).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein forming said at least two channel-shaped parts comprises the operation of pulling said wrapping sheets on said side flaps against said first and second products and at the same time forming a depression in a central portion of the wrapping sheet located 65 between said first and second products so as to cause, in said wrapping sheet, the elevation of said channel-shaped pieces located next to each other. 5. The method according to any of claims 2 to 4, which comprises the operation of separating said first and second longitudinal sealing lines from each other (162, 164). The method according to any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein said operation of closing said channel-shaped parts arranged next to each other to form a tube comprises the steps of:

-

 disposing one on top of another, in a stratified structure (16), the distal flaps (14a, 14b) of said channel-shaped parts formed next to each other, in which each of the distal flaps (14a, 14b) in said structure

Stratified (16) can be connected to a contiguous distal flap (14a, 14b) that belongs to the same channel-shaped part;

-

 passing said stratified structure (16) through a connection assembly (102) to connect the

contiguous distal flaps (14a, 14b) belonging to the same channel-shaped part to form said first and second longitudinal sealing lines 15 (162, 164). 7. A multiple packaging comprising:

-

 a first horizontal packaging wrapper (30) containing a first product (P) and formed by a first

20 wrapping of sheet material that closes to form a tube along a first longitudinal sealing line (162) and is provided with a first transverse sealing line (166) at both of its opposite ends,

-

 a second horizontal packaging package containing a second product (P ’) and formed by a second

25 wrapping of sheet material that closes to form a tube along a second longitudinal sealing line (164) and is provided with a second transverse sealing line (166 ’) at both of its opposite ends; said first and second wrappers being located next to each other in a direction transverse to said lines 30 first and second longitudinal sealing (162, 164), wherein said first and second wrappers are connected to each other in a detachable manner by tearing, at one or both of their opposite ends, along said transverse sealing lines first and second (166, 166 '); said packaging being characterized in that said first and second wrappers are connected to each other only in an area corresponding to said first and second transverse sealing lines (166, 166 ’). 8. The packaging according to claim 7, comprising a common transverse sealing line (200) that crosses both of the corresponding terminal portions of said first and second wrappings in said position in which they are placed next to each other, and is designed to define said transverse sealing lines 40 first and second (166, 166 ’), respectively of said first and second wrappers and to determine at the same time the connection between said first and second transverse sealing lines. 9. An apparatus for implementing the method according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises: 45 a line for feeding a sheet of wrapping material (10), a line to transport said first and second products (P, P ’), 50 means (90, 92, 102) for forming, from said sheet of wrapping material, a first tubular blank (30 ') of said first wrapping, containing said first product (P), and a second piece tubular blank (40 ') of said second wrapper, separate and distinct from said first blank and containing said second product (P'), and placing said first and second blank pieces next to each other, 55 means (112) for providing, in one or both of the opposite terminal portions of said first and second blank pieces, a common transverse sealing line (200) that crosses both of the corresponding terminal portions of said first blank pieces and second in said position in which they are located next to each other, and is designed to define a first transverse seal line (166) and a second transverse seal line (166 '), respectively, of said first and second wrappers, and to determine at the same time a separable connection 60 by tearing between said first and second transverse sealing lines; wherein said feed line is designed to place said first and second blank parts (30 ', 40') separated from each other a distance such that said common transverse sealing line (200) overlaps said end portions of said parts in first and second gross, determining said connection between said lines of 65 first and second transverse sealing. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for forming said first and second blank comprises a forming station (120), crossed by said feeding line, and comprising first means (102; 90 , 102) designed to pull said wrapping foil on its side flaps against said first and second products on said transport line, and second means (92) for 5 forming a depression in a central portion of the wrapper sheet between said first and second products, said first and second means being coordinated such that lifting on said wrapping paper sheet of channel-shaped portions arranged a next to each other, each having a U-shaped region and two lateral branches extending from the U-shaped region to respective distal flaps (14a, 14b). The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first means (102) are further designed to close in tube form along said distal flaps (14a, 14b) said channel-shaped parts, within which are said first and second products (P, P ').