WO2011041808A1

WO2011041808A1 - Packaging arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2011041808A1
Application number: PCT/AT2010/000367
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franz Rahm
Original assignee: Franz Rahm
Priority date: 2009-10-07
Filing date: 2010-10-04
Publication date: 2011-04-14
Also published as: AT508661A4; AT508661B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging arrangement (1) for a first object (2) having an outer surface (3) that is convex at least in some areas, the packaging arrangement (1) comprising a container, in particular a bag (4) or a box, for accommodating the first object (2), wherein in order to avoid faulty packaging and to package first objects in an automated manner at a high processing speed, at least one position-securing means (5) for securing the position of the first object (2) is arranged in the container.

Description

packaging arrangement

The invention relates to a packaging arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is known and customary to package items to protect them from the environment. For a number of items, it has been found to be advantageous to package them, individually or in groups, in bags, such as plastic bags. For example, ready-to-eat meals, such as sandwiches, are packaged in bags, which can extend their shelf life and can be easily handled in transport and trade without compromising hygiene.

It is also known to package items in automated packaging equipment to save both manpower and to meet consistently high hygienic requirements. However, it has been found that automated packaging is not easy to implement or implement for any desired article, and in particular objects with partially convex outer surface often lead to faulty packaging or problems in the packaging process. The increased incidence of defective packaging requires extensive and costly quality control. Due to faulty packaging of the first article, this individually faulty or insufficiently or incompletely packaged item is rejected and must be sorted out in the course of quality control in order to prevent delivery to a customer. Due to the produced rejects and the necessary quality control, the individual costs for the items to be packaged increase. Faulty packaging may further, if it is not recognized in the quality control, lead to the colonization of microorganisms and / or microorganisms on food intended for consumption, which in turn may lead to impairment of the health of a consumer. There are also failures of the automated packaging system, which can occur due to errors in packaging objects with partially convex outer surface.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a packaging arrangement of the type mentioned above, with which the mentioned disadvantages can be avoided, with which faulty packaging can be largely avoided, and an automated packaging of first objects can be performed with high process speed. This is achieved by the features of claim 1 according to the invention. As a result, a packaging arrangement can be created with which an automated packaging of objects can be carried out which at least partially have a convex surface. This can prevent that such objects to be packaged move before or during the packaging process or change their position, and thus lead to faulty or incomplete packaging. A change in the position or the position of the article to be packaged may further lead to damage or destruction of an article and / or damage to an automatic packaging system, which is prevented by the subject invention. By securing the position of the at least one first article, furthermore, the packaging material to be expended, therefore the size of the container, in particular the bag or the box, can be adapted very precisely to the dimensions of the first article, since the position in which the first article is packed, is known exactly, and therefore no additional packaging material must be provided in order to still fully enclose the first object despite a rotation of the first article during or before the packaging process. As a result, the quality control can be made simpler, since only a small amount of rejects is produced. As a result, the unit cost of packaging a number of first items can be reduced since the amount of scrap is small and the cost of quality control is low. As a result, the delivery of incorrectly packaged goods to the customer can be avoided. By avoiding defective packaging, hygiene can be improved, especially in ready-to-eat foods, thereby reducing the risk of human infection due to lack of food packaging.

The invention further relates to a packing unit comprising at least a first article, wherein to achieve the aforementioned effects is provided that the first article is packaged with a packaging arrangement according to the invention.

The subclaims, which as well as the claims 1 and 15 simultaneously form part of the description, relate to further advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which only preferred embodiments are shown by way of example. Showing: Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a packaging arrangement according to the invention with a packaged in this first item in a sectional view in elevation; Fig. 2 eight preferred embodiments of a position assurance means in plan view; and Fig. 3 eight further preferred embodiments of a position assurance means in plan view. 1 shows a packaging arrangement 1 for a first article 2 with at least partially convex outer surface 3, wherein the packaging arrangement 1 comprises a container, in particular a bag 4 or a box, for receiving the first article 2, wherein in the container at least one position securing means 5 is arranged to secure the position of the first article 2.

As a result, a packaging arrangement 1 can be created, with which an automated packaging of first objects 2 can be carried out, which at least partially have a convex upper or outer surface 3. As a result, it is possible to prevent such first objects 2 to be packaged from moving or changing their position before or during the packaging process and thus leading to faulty or incomplete packaging. A change in the position or the position of the first object to be packaged 2 can further lead to damage or destruction of the first article 2 and / or damage to an automatic packaging system, which is prevented by the subject invention. By securing the position of the at least one first article 2 further, the packaging material to be used, therefore, the size of the container, in particular of the bag 4 and the box, are very accurately adapted to the dimensions of the first article 2, since the position in the first object 2 is packaged, is known exactly, and consequently no additional packaging material must be provided in order to fully enclose the first object 2 despite a rotation of the first article 2 during or before the packaging process. As a result, the quality control can be made simpler, since only a small amount of rejects is produced. As a result, the unit cost for packaging a number of first items 2 can be reduced since the amount of scrap is small and the cost of quality control is low. As a result, the delivery of incorrectly packaged goods to the customer can be avoided. By avoiding defective packaging, hygiene can be improved, especially in ready-to-eat foods, thereby reducing the risk of human infection due to lack of food packaging. Packing systems 1 or packaging systems according to the invention are intended and designed to accommodate at least one first article 2, or that at least one such first article 2 is packaged in or by means of such a packaging arrangement 1 according to the invention. Due to the convex outer surface 3, the first article 2 has a very low positional stability or a labile position, at least when it is being deposited on this convex outer surface 3. The first object 2 can therefore change its position even at low force effects or at low accelerations thereof, which can lead, in particular in automatic packaging systems, to packaging of such first objects 2 not being possible since they roll away from their intended position.

A first article 2 with at least partially convex outer surface 3 may be any type of article which has such a convex outer surface 3 curved toward the outside. The packaging arrangement according to the invention is particularly preferably provided for the packaging of first articles 2, which have large areas with convex outer surfaces 2, or predominantly convex outer surfaces 2. In particular, packaging arrangements 1 according to the invention are intended for the packaging of fruits of fruit or vegetable plants having a substantially spherical basic form, in particular of apples, cherries, peaches, oranges, grapefruit, melons or pumpkins. Furthermore, packaging arrangements 1 according to the invention are provided for the packaging of further embodiments of a first article, for example of foods, such as donuts or dumplings, or other objects, such as balls, balls or the like.

A packaging arrangement 1 according to the invention furthermore has at least one container, which is preferably designed as a box or bag 4, and is preferably provided for receiving the first article 2. The container is further preferably designed as a transport container. It is preferably provided that the container substantially completely encloses the at least one first article, wherein provision may be made, for example, for parts of the container to have holes or pores.

A box is preferably any kind of a container with substantially dimensionally stable walls, therefore with walls which have at least under the load of the own weight and / or the packaged first article 2 substantially only elastic deformations. Such boxes are about directly by means of deep drawing in or through a packaging machine produced. It is preferably provided that the box is closed or closable with a lid, or comprises a lid which is connected to the box.

A bag 4 is preferably a bag-like container with at least one flexibly compliant wall, wherein preferably all the walls of the bag 4 are flexible and yielding. It is preferably provided that the bag 4 is formed from a correspondingly flexible yielding material, such as a fabric or a film, wherein it is particularly preferred that the bag 4 is formed at least partially extensible weldable plastic film. This allows easy automatic processing. In particular, the bag 4 can be easily and quickly automatically produced and sealed. It is particularly preferably provided that the bag 4 is formed from at least one, in particular two, flat plastic film (s) directly in a packaging machine, in particular a tubular bag machine, or from a tubular, weldable plastic film which is closed at two ends by welding. In this context, the packaging may also be provided on a thermoforming machine.

According to the invention, it is provided that the packaging arrangement 1 comprises at least one position securing means 5 for arrangement in the bag 4 and for securing the position of the first article 2. Such a position securing means 5 can be embodied as any means or device which is suitable for securing the position or the position or position of the first object 2 in such a way that this position occurs in the case of those occurring in automatic packaging systems is stable to expected accelerations or forces acting on the first object 2. Therefore, that the first object 2 either remains in its position or returns after a deflection back to its original position. The at least one position securing means 5 may in this context also be referred to as a position securing device or as a device for securing a, in particular spatial, position of the first article 2. It is preferably provided that the position-securing means 5 is free of adhesive surfaces, therefore of areas in which adhesive is arranged to secure the position of the first article.

The position securing means 5 is intended to be arranged inside the packaging arrangement 1. For this purpose, it is particularly preferably provided that the position-securing means 5 - during or before the packaging process (es) - before the introduction of the first article 2 into the container or before formation of the container to the first Object 2 around, as in a tubular bag machine, seen in the use position, is arranged under the first object 2.

According to a preferred embodiment of a position securing means 5, it is provided that this comprises a cellulose material, in particular paper, cardboard or cotton fabric. The design comprising cellulose material, a cheap and simple position assurance means 5 are formed, which is environmentally friendly and inexpensive to mass-produce. It is preferably provided that the position securing means 5 is formed absorbent at least on a first surface 6, whereby, especially in the packaging of fruits, an increase in the shelf life can be achieved because juices emerging from the fruit are absorbed and dried by the absorbent first surface 6 , and thus no moist and moldy areas within the packaging arise. According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the subject invention, it is provided that the position-securing means 5 has a predeterminable number of layers. It can hiebei be provided that the layers are formed by folding a single-layered cellulose material.

As already stated, the packaging arrangement 1 according to the invention is preferably provided for the packaging of ready-to-eat foods, which is why it has proven advantageous to form the position securing means as a napkin 7, wherein the napkin 7 is particularly preferably designed as a paper napkin.

To secure the position of the first article 2, it is preferably provided that the position-securing means 5 has at least one first receptacle 8 for the first article 2. By such a first receptacle 8, which preferably has a circular, elliptical or polygonal, approximately triangular, base surface, which is particularly adapted to the shape of the first article 2, a positive securing the position of the first article 2 can be achieved. It is preferably provided that the first receptacle 8 is arranged in the first surface 6, as a result of which the preferably absorbent first surface 6 is arranged next to the first object 2.

The first receptacle 8 is preferably formed as a depression or as a passage opening 9 in the position securing means 5. A depression preferably denotes an area in which the position-securing means 5 has a smaller thickness than in the area surrounding the depression. Such a depression is preferably formed by regions in which the material of the position-securing means 5 is removed, compressed or was omitted. An indentation may, for example, be formed as embossing in a position-securing means 5 formed comprising paper. When forming the position-securing means 5 with a plurality of layers, it is preferably provided that the through-opening is arranged only in a part of the predeterminable number of layers, for example only in the layers facing a surface of the position-securing means 5 or in layers in the interior of the position-securing means 5, whereby a depression is formed.

FIGS. 2 and 3 each show eight differently configured position securing means 5, each having at least one first receptacle 8. The illustrated first receptacles 8 have essentially circular, elliptical or square cross sections.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of a packaging arrangement 1 according to the invention, it is provided that the position-securing means 5 is folded in such a way that the through-opening 9 is closed on one side by at least one break-free region 10 of the position-securing means 5. Fig. 1 shows a packaging assembly 1, which has a first article 2, which is arranged in the, designed as a bag 4 container, wherein between the bag 4 and the first article 2, a first position securing means 5 is arranged, which a first receptacle 8 and has a corresponding Durchbrechungsfreien area 10, which closes the passage opening 9. The bag 4 is formed from plastic film by welding.

According to a further preferred embodiment it can be provided that the position-securing means 5 has a predefinable plurality of passage openings 9, and is folded such that at least two of the passage openings 9 are arranged substantially congruent, whereby a greater depth of the first receptacle 8 can be achieved and thus also a larger stock-securing effect. It can be provided to form a position securing means 5, which has a plurality of congruently arranged passage openings 9, which are closed on a side facing away from the first object 2 by a non-disruptive region 10 of the position securing means 5.

Preferably, it is further provided to arrange a predetermined number of position securing means 5, in particular two, one above the other, wherein it is provided in particular to form the described in the preceding two paragraphs forming a position assurance means 5 by the joint arrangement of a plurality of position securing means 5. According to a further particularly preferred embodiment, it is provided that in a first position securing means 5 a first receptacle in the form of a through opening 9 is provided, which passage opening 9 on the side facing away from the first object 2 by a break-free element, in particular a napkin, covered or closed is.

The subject invention further comprises a packing unit in which at least a first article 2 is packed with a packaging arrangement 1 according to the invention, whereby the stated advantages are achieved. It is, as shown in Fig. 1 that the first article 2 is disposed in the container, and that between the container and the first article 2, the first position securing means 5 is arranged.

Further embodiments according to the invention have only a part of the features described, wherein each feature combination, in particular also of various described embodiments, can be provided.

Claims

PATENT APPLICATIONS

1. Packaging arrangement (1) for a first article (2) with at least partially convex outer surface (3), wherein the packaging arrangement (1) comprises a container, in particular a bag (4) or a box, for receiving the first article (2) , characterized in that in the container at least one position securing means (5) for securing the position of the first article (2) is arranged.

2. Packaging arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the position-securing means (5) comprising a cellulose material, in particular paper, is formed.

3. Packaging arrangement (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the position securing means (5) at least on a first surface (6) is absorbent.

4. Packaging arrangement (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the position securing means (5) is designed as a napkin (7).

5. Packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the position securing means (5) has at least one first receptacle (8) for the first article (2).

6. Packaging arrangement (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first receptacle (8) is formed as a recess in the position securing means (5).

7. Packaging arrangement (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the first receptacle (8) in the first surface (6) is arranged.

8. Packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the first receptacle (8) as a passage opening (9) in the position securing means (5) is formed.

9. Packaging arrangement (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the position securing means (5) is folded such that the passage opening (9) is closed on one side by at least one non-perforated region (10) of the position securing means (5).

10. Packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the position-securing means (5) has a predeterminable number of layers.

11. Packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the passage opening is arranged only in a part of the predeterminable number of the layers.

12. Packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the position securing means (5) has a predeterminable plurality of passage openings (9), and is folded such that at least two of the passage openings (9) arranged substantially congruent are.

13. Packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 5 to 12, characterized in that the first receptacle (8) has a substantially circular base area.

14. Packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 5 to 13, characterized in that the first receptacle (8) has a substantially polygonal base.

15. Packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the container is designed as a bag (4), and that the bag (4) is at least partially formed weldable plastic film.

16. Packing unit comprising at least one first article (2), characterized in that the first article (2) is packed with a packaging arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15.

17. Packing unit according to claim 16, characterized in that the first article (2) is arranged in the container, and that between the container and the first article (2), the first position securing means (5) is arranged.