IP Library Granted Patent US 7,389,623
Granted Patent B2
US 7,389,623 · App. 10/497,649 · Granted Jun 24, 2008

Seal apparatus

Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,389,623
App. No.
10/497,649
Granted
Jun 24, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

The sealing apparatus comprises (a) a heat seal jaw, (b) a heat seal bar having two heaters arranged in parallel, being provided in a front edge of said heat seal jaw and having a working surface, (c) a counter jaw disposed oppositely to the heat seal jaw, (d) a counter rail provided to said counter jaw and having the working surface, (e) a drive means for advancing/retracting the heat seal jaw and counter jaw relatively, (f) a heating means for actuating the heaters while clamping a packaging material by the working surface of the heat seal bar and the working of the counter rail and, (g) a cutter section comprising of a cutter disposed at the position between the two heaters and a resilient counter cutter, and is characterized in that the counter cutter is held by a holding section provided on the working surface of the heat seal bar or the counter rail and projecting from the holding working surface. The seal apparatus can improve hygiene and the flap formation of the packaging container.

Claims (30)

1. A sealing apparatus for sealing packaging material comprising

a heat seal jaw;

a heat seal bar provided at a front edge of the heat seal jaw, with two spaced apart heaters arranged in parallel and mounted in the heat seal bar, the heat seal bar having a working surface that contacts the packaging material during sealing of the packaging material;

a counter jaw disposed oppositely to the heat seal jaw;

a counter rail provided on said counter jaw and having a working surface that contacts the packaging material during sealing of the packaging material;

drive means for advancing/retracting the heat seal jaw and counter jaw relatively;

heating means for actuating the heaters while clamping the packaging material between the working surface of the heat seal bar and the working surface of the counter rail to form two spaced apart transverse sealed portions in the packaging material;

a cutter section comprising a cutter disposed at a position between the two heaters and a resilient counter cutter;

the resilient counter cutter being held by a holding section of the heat seal bar, the holding section being defined by a recess in the heat seal bar in which is positioned the resilient counter cutter, the resilient counter cutter possessing a front surface which contacts the packaging material when the packaging material is clamped between the working surface of the heat seal bar and the working surface of the counter rail;

the cutter being mounted on the counter rail to cut the packaging material clamped by the working surfaces of the heat seal bar and the counter rail, the cutter being positioned in opposing relation to the resilient counter so that during cutting of the packaging material clamped by the working surfaces of the heat seal bar and the counter rail the cutter contacts a portion of the front surface of the resilient counter cutter; and

the front surface of the resilient counter cutter, including the portion of the front surface of the resilient counter cutter contacted by the cutter during the cutting of the packaging material, projecting beyond the working surface of the heat seal bar in a direction towards the counter rail, the working surface of the heat seal bar beyond which the front surface of the resilient counter cutter projects towards the counter rail including a portion of the working surface of the heat seal bar immediately adjoining the recess in the heat seal bar.

2. A sealing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the resilient counter cutter is made of rubber.

3. A sealing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the resilient counter cutter is made of synthetic resin.

4. A sealing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein a front portion of the resilient counter cutter projecting beyond the working surface of the heat seal bar possesses a chevron cross-sectional shape.

5. A sealing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein a front portion of the resilient counter cutter projecting beyond the working surface of the heat seal bar possesses a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

6. A sealing apparatus for sealing packaging material comprising

a heat seal jaw;

a heat seal bar provided at a front edge of the heat seal jaw, with two spaced apart heaters arranged in parallel and mounted in the heat seal bar, the heat seal bar having a working surface that contacts the packaging material during sealing of the packaging material;

a counter jaw disposed oppositely to the heat seal jaw;

a counter rail provided on said counter jaw and having a working surface that contacts the packaging material during sealing of the packaging material;

drive means for advancing/retracting the heat seal jaw and counter jaw relatively;

heating means for actuating the heaters while clamping the packaging material between the working surface of the heat seal bar and the working surface of the counter rail to form two spaced apart transverse sealed portions in the packaging material;

a cutter section comprising a cutter disposed at a position between the two heaters and a resilient counter cutter;

the resilient counter cutter being held by a holding section of the counter rail, the holding section being defined by a recess in the counter rail in which is positioned the resilient counter cutter, the resilient counter cutter possessing a front surface which contacts the packaging material when the packaging material is clamped between the working surface of the heat seal bar and the working surface of the counter rail;

the cutter being mounted on the heat seal bar to cut the packaging material clamped by the working surfaces of the heat seal bar and the counter rail, the cutter being positioned in opposing relation to the resilient counter so that during cutting of the packaging material clamped by the working surfaces of the heat seal bar and the counter rail the cutter contacts a portion of the front surface of the resilient counter cutter; and

the front surface of the resilient counter cutter, including the portion of the front surface of the resilient counter cutter contacted by the cutter during the cutting of the packaging material, projecting beyond the working surface of the counter rail in a direction towards the heat seal bar, the working surface of the counter rail beyond which the front surface of the resilient counter cutter projects towards the heat seal bar including a portion of the working surface of the counter rail immediately adjoining the recess in the counter rail.

7. A sealing apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein a front portion of the resilient counter cutter projecting beyond the working surface of the counter rail possesses a chevron cross-sectional shape.

8. A sealing apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein a front portion of the resilient counter cutter projecting beyond the working surface of the counter rail possesses a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

9. A sealing apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the resilient counter cutter is made of rubber.

10. A sealing apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the resilient counter cutter is made of synthetic resin.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2005
From: YANO, KEIJI; YOSHIDA, KOZO; YANO, TAKASHIGE
To: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
Reel/Frame 016308/0281 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2001-370935 · Dec 5, 2001 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050241277A1 · Nov 3, 2005