Title of Invention	METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND VACUUM SEALING PAIRS OF BAGS
Abstract	A method of filling and vacuum sealing pairs of containers in the form of envelopes or bags provided with or without side and/or bottom bellows, made of flexible material, connected with each other by a central strip, comprising : a) feeding a filling and sealing apparatus with pairs of containers (3, 3') in the form of a continuous web (2) taken from a packaging box in which the web is Oconcertina-folded ; b) hanging the web from a horizontal rod-shaped support (6) to move forward ; c) spreading apart the upper openings of the containers d) filling the containers in a filling station, as said containers move ; e) heat-sealing the openings of the filled containers ; f) separating the sealed containers from each other; and g) collecting the containers in packaging means, is characterized in that step e) takes place in a chamber (32) which is opened to receive some couples of paired containers, whereafter the chamber is hermetically closed, a vacuum or a strong negative pressure is created therein and the container openings are heat-sealed.

Title of Invention

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND VACUUM SEALING PAIRS OF BAGS

Abstract

A method of filling and vacuum sealing pairs of containers in the form of envelopes or bags provided with or without side and/or bottom bellows, made of flexible material, connected with each other by a central strip, comprising : a) feeding a filling and sealing apparatus with pairs of containers (3, 3') in the form of a continuous web (2) taken from a packaging box in which the web is Oconcertina-folded ; b) hanging the web from a horizontal rod-shaped support (6) to move forward ; c) spreading apart the upper openings of the containers d) filling the containers in a filling station, as said containers move ; e) heat-sealing the openings of the filled containers ; f) separating the sealed containers from each other; and g) collecting the containers in packaging means, is characterized in that step e) takes place in a chamber (32) which is opened to receive some couples of paired containers, whereafter the chamber is hermetically closed, a vacuum or a strong negative pressure is created therein and the container openings are heat-sealed.

Full Text	WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 1 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND VACUUM SEALING PAIRS OF CONTAINERS IN THE FORM OF ENVELOPES OR BAGS The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for filling and vacuum sealing of pairs of containers in the form of envelopes or bags fed in the form of a continuous web to filling stations. In the field of packages, above all as far as goods of large consumption are concerned, widely used are envelopes of flexible plastic material that are directly heat-sealable or envelopes of aluminium foil made heat-sealable by the presence of a thin coating of plastic material. In both cases the surface designed to remain externally visible is usually printed with inscriptions for the identification of the contained goods. Of the different products marketed in containers of this type, a great number of them requires aseptic envelopes or bags to be vacuum sealed for better conservation in the course of time of the product held therein. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for feeding and WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 2 filling with goods in a liquid state, in powder or in pieces, pairs of containers of flexible material open at the top and having their respective openings specularly facing each other, connected to each other by a joining strip/ and to carry out the vacuum sealing of the opening of the thus filled containers. According to the invention, the intended object is achieved by modifying a simple and relatively convenient automatic apparatus of a type already available on the market, in which a device is inserted apt to receive within a chamber that can be hermetically closed, a limited number of containers previously filled with the products whereafter the vacuum is created in said chamber and the container opening heat-sealed in the chamber itself. The webs of paired containers facing each other that can be used in the filling and vacuum-sealing method according to the present invention can consist of any known type of paired containers, i.e. bags or simple envelopes/ envelopes with bellows-like bottom, envelopes with two side bellows, or envelopes with side bellows and simplified bottom bellows to allow vertical self-support of the container. Envelopes with side bellows are preferred because they allow a greater automatic opening out of the flaps WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 3 of the upper container opening on filling. Since the invention particularly aims at meeting the requirements of business concerns even of limited size that carry out the filling o£ containers with products, the containers are supplied by firms specialised in manufacturing bags in the form of a continuous web of paired containers having upper openings facing each other and wound up in the form of a bobbin or concertina-folded in packaging boxes. This feature makes the production by the user customer easier because the latter must only attend to carrying out the final hermetic seal for closing the container after having filled the same. Thus also the final controls are reduced in favour of a more practical operation. From the point of view o£ surface contamination too, the closed bag ia more reliable than the material on a reel. The invent ion is described herebelow in more detail having reference to the accompanying drawings that show the arrangement of the sequence of characteristic stations in an apparatus using said webs of paired containers, apt to carry out vacuum sealing of the containers in accordance with the contemplated method. In the drawings: WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 4 - Pig. 1 is a schematic perspective top view of the apparatus for feeding, filling and vacuum sealing containers embodying the method according to the invention,- - Fig. 2 is a perspective side view, by way of example only, of a pair of bags of the type with side bellows, joined to each other by an intermediate connecting strip, which are part of a continuous web of bags to be fed to the apparatus schematically shown in Fig. 1 in which, for illustrative purposes, the right bag has a filling opening which is only partly raised whereas in the left bag the opening is completely open; - Fig. 3 is a plan view, by way of example, of a length of the bag web of the type shown in Pig. 2, yet in which the bags are sealed at the bottom in such a manner that a bellow is formed which is apt to keep the filled and sealed bag in a vertical position on the display shelves; and - Figs. 4 and 5 show, in a plan, and perspective view and still by way of example, a length of web of a further type of bags also provided with side bellows and a bottom bellows apt to keep the filled and sealed bag in a vertical position on the display shelves. In Fig. 1 the apparatus altogether identified by A, is in its general features of known type. WO 02/070349 PCT/ITO2/O0106 5 In the case under review, the apparatus ia fed with a web 2 of paired containers 3, 31 of flexible material joined to each other by an intermediate strip 20 and concertina-folded inside a packaging box 5, as supplied from the manufacturer of the containers. The apparatus is provided with a rod-shaped support 6 descending gradually until close to the packaging box 5 where is centered the strip 2 0 that keeps in a connected relationship the web of paired containers 3, 31 folded up in the box itself (see also Figs. 2 and 3) . On proceeding towards the filling and sealing stations, the containers 3, 31 moved by a drive or transport unit 10 are arranged on either side of support 6 which, downstream, at position 8, progressively widens out until it becomes, at the transport unit 10, a track of practically the same transverse width as strip 20. The transport unit 10 is preferably made up of an upper roller 11 provided with linear jutting out elements opposite which are the corresponding cavities of an underlying nip-roller so as to pluck the material of the union strip 2 0 as shown under reference 14 in Figs 2 and 3, thereby achieving a positive and regular forward movement of the containers 3-3 '. The containers reach the filling stations 25 with the flaps of their WO 02/070349 PCT/TT02/00106 6 respective openings that already having been widened out upstream through the action of opening-out members 24 of a known type. According to the invention, between the filling station 25 and the end station 40 for recovery of the strip 2 0 and the collection of the filled and sealed containers released from each other, the insertion of an additional work station is provided, which station, identified by 30 in Fig. 1, usefully completes the task of the existent apparatus in accordance with the intended object. The additional station 30, shown only schematically, consists of a chamber 32 which can be opened and re-closed with a hermetic-seal lid 34 and in which a vacuum condition can be created. Chamber 30 is provided with a relatively limited capacity, i.e. 1 to 4 pairs of containers at the most, depending on their transverse size, so as to limit the creation of the vacuum condition within conveniently reduced periods of time, and it is internally provided with one or more pairs of thermoelectric jaws to operate the hermetic sealing of the filled pairs of containers inside which, as desired, the products remain protected under the condition of a very limited presence of air. Once the vacuum sealing of the upper WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 7 opening of the containers has been carried out, the lid 34 is removed and a pliers device draws the sealed envelopes out of the chamber and introduces therein other just filled envelopes. The pairs of already-sealed envelopes reach the end station 40 where the union strip 20 can be recovered and the individual or paired envelopes fall into the respective packaging boxes for despatch. As already stated, the containers for use in this apparatus can be of various types, among which there are those provided with side bellows as shown in Fig. 2, or those of the vertical self-supporting type, as shown in Fig. 3 or in Fig. 4. For obtaining the type of envelope shown in Fig. 3, the side ends of the web can be pressed by heatable jaws in order to perform, at the bottom of each. container, the conjunction of all heat-sealable facing surfaces, thereby forming two inclined sealing connections 23, 23' that, starting from the sealing closure 22 of the bottom of the final bag, connect with the side sealing closures 21r 21' of same so as to form a bellows in replacement of known bellows of curved conformation. To obtain a bag as shown in Fig. 4, the four sides of the bottom have a sealing closure 22 involving the WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 8 whole perimeter of the bottom itself and the lower edge of the four sealing closures 21 of the upright walls so that the bottom rest surface essentially corresponds to the whole surface of the bottom itself. WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 9 CLAIMS : 1. A method of filling and vacuum sealing pairs of containers in the form of envelopes or bags provided with or without side and/or bottom bellows, made of flexible material, connected with each other by a central union strip and presenting at said central strip, their facing and opposite openings for filling the containers with the products, so as to form a continuous web of paired containers, comprising the following steps : a) feeding a filling and sealing apparatus with pairs of said containers ¦ connected with each other in the form of a continuous web taken from a bobbin on which said web is wound from a packaging box in which the web is concertina-folded ; b) causing the web of paired containers hung from a horizontal rod-shaped support to move forward ; c) spreading apart the upper openings of the pairs of containers of the continuous web ; d) filling each pair of containers in a filling station, as said containers move under appropriate filling devices, with the products in a liquid or granular form or in pieces ; e) heat-sealing the openings of the pairs of filled containers ; f) separating the sealed containers from each other; and g) collecting the individual containers in packaging means, WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 10 characterized in that step e) consisting in sealing the pairs of containers takes place in a chamber which is opened to receive some couples of paired containers, whereafter the chamber is hermetically closed, a vacuum or a strong negative pressure is created therein and the container openings are heat-sealed. 2. An apparatus for filling and vacuum sealing pairs of containers (3, 3') in the form of envelopes or bags provided with or without side and/or bottom bellows, made of flexible material, connected with each other by a central union strip (20) and presenting to said central strip, their facing and opposite openings for filling the containers with the products, so as to form a continuous web (2) of paired containers, suitable for implementing the method as claimed in claim 1, said apparatus comprising : - a feeding source for supplying pairs of containers, such as a bobbin or a storage (5) of pairs of concertina-folded containers from which the web (2) of paired containers (3, 3') is unwound or taken ; - a support (6) for feeding the web (2) of paired containers the free end of which is centred on the centre line of the central strip (20) for union of the pairs of containers (3, 3') in order to arrange said paired containers on either side of the feeding support, which are vertically suspended with their respective openings facing upwards ; WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106 11 - a drive or transport unit (10) adapted to direct the web (2) of paired containers towards a station (24) for the spreading out of the openings of the containers (3, 3'), and to a subsequent filling station (25); - a station (40) for separating the containers above the sealing lines and eliminating the upper scraps together with the union strip (20), characterized in that downstream of the filling station (25) a station (30) is inserted which comprises a chamber (32) with a lid (34) for hermetic closure, which can be opened at ambient atmosphere, and inside which a vacuum or a strong negative pressure can be created, said chamber (32) being internally provided with electrically heatable jaws for sealing the containers in the absence of air. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transport unit (10) preferably consists of an upper roller (11) provided with linear jutting-out elements opposite corresponding cavities of an underlying nip-roller which are capable of plucking the material of the union strip (20) to achieve a positive and regular forward movement of the containers (3, 3') A method of filling and vacuum sealing pairs of containers in the form of envelopes or bags provided with or without side and/or bottom bellows, made of flexible material, connected with each other by a central strip, comprising : a) feeding a filling and sealing apparatus with pairs of containers (3, 3') in the form of a continuous web (2) taken from a packaging box in which the web is Oconcertina-folded ; b) hanging the web from a horizontal rod-shaped support (6) to move forward ; c) spreading apart the upper openings of the containers d) filling the containers in a filling station, as said containers move ; e) heat-sealing the openings of the filled containers ; f) separating the sealed containers from each other; and g) collecting the containers in packaging means, is characterized in that step e) takes place in a chamber (32) which is opened to receive some couples of paired containers, whereafter the chamber is hermetically closed, a vacuum or a strong negative pressure is created therein and the container openings are heat-sealed.

Full Text

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
1
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND VACUUM SEALING PAIRS OF CONTAINERS IN THE FORM OF ENVELOPES OR BAGS
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for filling and vacuum sealing of pairs of containers in the form of envelopes or bags fed in the form of a continuous web to filling stations.
In the field of packages, above all as far as goods of large consumption are concerned, widely used are envelopes of flexible plastic material that are directly heat-sealable or envelopes of aluminium foil made heat-sealable by the presence of a thin coating of plastic material.
In both cases the surface designed to remain externally visible is usually printed with inscriptions for the identification of the contained goods.
Of the different products marketed in containers of this type, a great number of them requires aseptic envelopes or bags to be vacuum sealed for better conservation in the course of time of the product held therein.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for feeding and

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
2
filling with goods in a liquid state, in powder or in pieces, pairs of containers of flexible material open at the top and having their respective openings specularly facing each other, connected to each other by a joining strip/ and to carry out the vacuum sealing of the opening of the thus filled containers.
According to the invention, the intended object is
achieved by modifying a simple and relatively
convenient automatic apparatus of a type already
available on the market, in which a device is inserted
apt to receive within a chamber that can be
hermetically closed, a limited number of containers
previously filled with the products whereafter the
vacuum is created in said chamber and the container
opening heat-sealed in the chamber itself.
The webs of paired containers facing each other that can be used in the filling and vacuum-sealing method according to the present invention can consist of any known type of paired containers, i.e. bags or simple envelopes/ envelopes with bellows-like bottom, envelopes with two side bellows, or envelopes with side bellows and simplified bottom bellows to allow vertical self-support of the container.
Envelopes with side bellows are preferred because they allow a greater automatic opening out of the flaps

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
3
of the upper container opening on filling.
Since the invention particularly aims at meeting the requirements of business concerns even of limited size that carry out the filling o£ containers with products, the containers are supplied by firms specialised in manufacturing bags in the form of a continuous web of paired containers having upper openings facing each other and wound up in the form of a bobbin or concertina-folded in packaging boxes. This feature makes the production by the user customer easier because the latter must only attend to carrying out the final hermetic seal for closing the container after having filled the same. Thus also the final controls are reduced in favour of a more practical operation. From the point of view o£ surface contamination too, the closed bag ia more reliable than the material on a reel.
The invent ion is described herebelow in more detail having reference to the accompanying drawings that show the arrangement of the sequence of characteristic stations in an apparatus using said webs of paired containers, apt to carry out vacuum sealing of the containers in accordance with the contemplated method.
In the drawings:

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
4
- Pig. 1 is a schematic perspective top view of
the apparatus for feeding, filling and vacuum sealing
containers embodying the method according to the
invention,-
- Fig. 2 is a perspective side view, by way of
example only, of a pair of bags of the type with side
bellows, joined to each other by an intermediate
connecting strip, which are part of a continuous web of
bags to be fed to the apparatus schematically shown in
Fig. 1 in which, for illustrative purposes, the right
bag has a filling opening which is only partly raised
whereas in the left bag the opening is completely open;
- Fig. 3 is a plan view, by way of example, of a
length of the bag web of the type shown in Pig. 2, yet
in which the bags are sealed at the bottom in such a
manner that a bellow is formed which is apt to keep the
filled and sealed bag in a vertical position on the
display shelves; and
- Figs. 4 and 5 show, in a plan, and perspective
view and still by way of example, a length of web of a
further type of bags also provided with side bellows
and a bottom bellows apt to keep the filled and sealed
bag in a vertical position on the display shelves.
In Fig. 1 the apparatus altogether identified by A, is in its general features of known type.

WO 02/070349 PCT/ITO2/O0106
5
In the case under review, the apparatus ia fed with a web 2 of paired containers 3, 31 of flexible material joined to each other by an intermediate strip 20 and concertina-folded inside a packaging box 5, as supplied from the manufacturer of the containers.
The apparatus is provided with a rod-shaped support 6 descending gradually until close to the packaging box 5 where is centered the strip 2 0 that keeps in a connected relationship the web of paired containers 3, 31 folded up in the box itself (see also Figs. 2 and 3) . On proceeding towards the filling and sealing stations, the containers 3, 31 moved by a drive or transport unit 10 are arranged on either side of support 6 which, downstream, at position 8, progressively widens out until it becomes, at the transport unit 10, a track of practically the same transverse width as strip 20.
The transport unit 10 is preferably made up of an upper roller 11 provided with linear jutting out elements opposite which are the corresponding cavities of an underlying nip-roller so as to pluck the material of the union strip 2 0 as shown under reference 14 in Figs 2 and 3, thereby achieving a positive and regular forward movement of the containers 3-3 '. The containers reach the filling stations 25 with the flaps of their

WO 02/070349 PCT/TT02/00106
6
respective openings that already having been widened out upstream through the action of opening-out members 24 of a known type.
According to the invention, between the filling station 25 and the end station 40 for recovery of the strip 2 0 and the collection of the filled and sealed containers released from each other, the insertion of an additional work station is provided, which station, identified by 30 in Fig. 1, usefully completes the task of the existent apparatus in accordance with the intended object.
The additional station 30, shown only schematically, consists of a chamber 32 which can be opened and re-closed with a hermetic-seal lid 34 and in which a vacuum condition can be created.
Chamber 30 is provided with a relatively limited
capacity, i.e. 1 to 4 pairs of containers at the most,
depending on their transverse size, so as to limit the
creation of the vacuum condition within conveniently
reduced periods of time, and it is internally provided
with one or more pairs of thermoelectric jaws to
operate the hermetic sealing of the filled pairs of
containers inside which, as desired, the products
remain protected under the condition of a very limited
presence of air. Once the vacuum sealing of the upper

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
7
opening of the containers has been carried out, the lid 34 is removed and a pliers device draws the sealed envelopes out of the chamber and introduces therein other just filled envelopes. The pairs of already-sealed envelopes reach the end station 40 where the union strip 20 can be recovered and the individual or paired envelopes fall into the respective packaging boxes for despatch.
As already stated, the containers for use in this apparatus can be of various types, among which there are those provided with side bellows as shown in Fig.
2, or those of the vertical self-supporting type, as
shown in Fig. 3 or in Fig. 4.
For obtaining the type of envelope shown in Fig.
3, the side ends of the web can be pressed by heatable
jaws in order to perform, at the bottom of each.
container, the conjunction of all heat-sealable facing
surfaces, thereby forming two inclined sealing
connections 23, 23' that, starting from the sealing
closure 22 of the bottom of the final bag, connect with
the side sealing closures 21r 21' of same so as to form
a bellows in replacement of known bellows of curved
conformation.
To obtain a bag as shown in Fig. 4, the four sides of the bottom have a sealing closure 22 involving the

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
8
whole perimeter of the bottom itself and the lower edge of the four sealing closures 21 of the upright walls so that the bottom rest surface essentially corresponds to the whole surface of the bottom itself.

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
9 CLAIMS :
1. A method of filling and vacuum sealing pairs of containers in the form
of envelopes or bags provided with or without side and/or bottom bellows, made of flexible material, connected with each other by a central union strip and presenting at said central strip, their facing and opposite openings for filling the containers with the products, so as to form a continuous web of paired containers, comprising the following steps :
a) feeding a filling and sealing apparatus with pairs of said containers
¦ connected with each other in the form of a continuous web taken from a bobbin
on which said web is wound from a packaging box in which the web is concertina-folded ;
b) causing the web of paired containers hung from a horizontal rod-shaped
support to move forward ;
c) spreading apart the upper openings of the pairs of containers of the
continuous web ;

d) filling each pair of containers in a filling station, as said containers move
under appropriate filling devices, with the products in a liquid or granular form or
in pieces ;
e) heat-sealing the openings of the pairs of filled containers ;

f) separating the sealed containers from each other; and
g) collecting the individual containers in packaging means,

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
10
characterized in that step e) consisting in sealing the pairs of containers takes place in a chamber which is opened to receive some couples of paired containers, whereafter the chamber is hermetically closed, a vacuum or a strong negative pressure is created therein and the container openings are heat-sealed.
2. An apparatus for filling and vacuum sealing pairs of containers (3, 3')
in the form of envelopes or bags provided with or without side and/or bottom bellows, made of flexible material, connected with each other by a central union strip (20) and presenting to said central strip, their facing and opposite openings for filling the containers with the products, so as to form a continuous web (2) of paired containers, suitable for implementing the method as claimed in claim 1, said apparatus comprising :
- a feeding source for supplying pairs of containers, such as a bobbin
or a storage (5) of pairs of concertina-folded containers from which the web (2)
of paired containers (3, 3') is unwound or taken ;
- a support (6) for feeding the web (2) of paired containers the free
end of which is centred on the centre line of the central strip (20) for union of the
pairs of containers (3, 3') in order to arrange said paired containers on either side
of the feeding support, which are vertically suspended with their respective
openings facing upwards ;

WO 02/070349 PCT/IT02/00106
11
- a drive or transport unit (10) adapted to direct the web (2) of paired
containers towards a station (24) for the spreading out of the openings of the
containers (3, 3'), and to a subsequent filling station (25);
- a station (40) for separating the containers above the sealing lines
and eliminating the upper scraps together with the union strip (20),
characterized in that downstream of the filling station (25) a station (30) is inserted which comprises a chamber (32) with a lid (34) for hermetic closure, which can be opened at ambient atmosphere, and inside which a vacuum or a strong negative pressure can be created, said chamber (32) being internally provided with electrically heatable jaws for sealing the containers in the absence of air.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transport unit (10)
preferably consists of an upper roller (11) provided with linear jutting-out elements opposite corresponding cavities of an underlying nip-roller which are capable of plucking the material of the union strip (20) to achieve a positive and regular forward movement of the containers (3, 3')
A method of filling and vacuum sealing pairs of containers in the form of envelopes or bags provided with or without side and/or bottom bellows, made of flexible material, connected with each other by a central strip, comprising : a) feeding a filling and sealing apparatus with pairs of containers (3, 3') in the form of a continuous web (2) taken from a packaging box in which the web is Oconcertina-folded ; b) hanging the web from a horizontal rod-shaped support (6) to move forward ; c) spreading apart the upper openings of the containers d) filling the containers in a filling station, as said containers move ; e) heat-sealing the openings of the filled containers ; f) separating the sealed containers from each other; and g) collecting the containers in packaging means,
is characterized in that step e) takes place in a chamber (32) which is opened to receive some couples of paired containers, whereafter the chamber is hermetically closed, a vacuum or a strong negative pressure is created therein and the container openings are heat-sealed.

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Patent Number

202508

Indian Patent Application Number

01277/KOLNP/2003

PG Journal Number

11/2007

Publication Date

16-Mar-2007

Grant Date

16-Mar-2007

Date of Filing

07-Oct-2003

Name of Patentee

GOGLIO LUIGI MILANO S.P.A.

Applicant Address

VIA SOLARI,10,I-20144,MILAN

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	GOGLIO FRANCO	VIA CANOVA,25, I-20145 MILAN,

PCT International Classification Number

B 65B 43/12

PCT International Application Number

PCT/IT02/00106

PCT International Filing date

2002-02-21

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	MI01A000488	2001-03-08	Italy