Process for making pouches
The present invention relates to a continuous, horizontal process for making water-reactive pouches, involving the steps of: a) continuously feeding a first water-soluble film onto a horizontal portion of an continuously and rotatably moving endless surface, which comprises a plurality of moulds, or onto a non-horizontal portion thereof and continuously moving the film to said horizontal portion; b) forming from the film on the horizontal portion of the continuously moving surface, and in the moulds on the surface, a continuously moving, horizontally positioned web of open pouches; c) filling the continuously moving, horizontally positioned web of open pouches with a product, to obtain a horizontally positioned web of open, filled pouches; d) closing the web of open pouches, to obtain closed pouches, preferably by feeding a closing material onto the horizontally positioned web of open, filed pouches, to obtain closed pouches; and preferably sealing the closed pouches and whereby step d) and preferably step e) is also done in a continuous manner, preferably while the web of pouches is in horizontal position and continuously moving. The products introduced in the pouch are preferably cleaning compositions or fabric care compositions, in particular laundry or dish washing compositions.
1. Continuous process for making water-reactive pouches containing a product, comprising the steps of:
a) continuously feeding a first water-soluble film onto a horizontal portion of a continuously and rotatably moving endless surface, which comprises a plurality of moulds, or onto a non-horizontal portion thereof and continuously moving the film to said horizontal portion:
b) forming from the film on the horizontal portion of the continuously moving surface, and in the moulds on the surface, a continuously moving, horizontally positioned web of open pouches;
c) filling the continuously moving, horizontally positioned web of open pouches with a product, to obtain a horizontally positioned web of open, filled pouches;
d) continuously closing the web of open, filled pouches, to obtain closed pouches by feeding a closing material onto the horizontally positioned web of open, filled pouches, to obtain closed pouches;
e) sealing the closed pouches; and whereby steps a), b), c), d) and e) are done on said horizontal portion of the endless surface, which moves with a constant speed.
2. Continuous process as in claim 1 whereby step d) and step e) are done in a continuous manner, while the web of pouches is in horizontal position and continuously moving whereby in step d) and in step e) the web of pouches is present on said horizontal portion of the endless surface.
3. Continuous process according to claim 1 whereby the surface is part of a rotating platen conveyer belt.
4. Continuous process according to claim 1 whereby the film is drawn into the moulds by application on the film and/or moulds of vacuum, heat or a solvent, or combination thereof.
5. Continuous process according to claim 1 whereby the film is held in position on the surface by application of vacuum through holes present along the edges of the surface and/or present along the edges of the moulds of the surface.
6. Continuous process according to claim 1 whereby the filling of the open pouches with product is done by a moving filling station which is returnable and which is variable in speed.
7. Continuous process according to claim 1 whereby the closing step is done with a second film, or a second web of closed, filled pouches.
8. Continuous process according to claim 7 whereby the second film, comprises a water-soluble film.
9. Continuous process according to claim 7 whereby the second web of closed, filled pouches, comprises water-reactive pouches.
10. Continuous process according to claim 1 whereby the product is a solid or liquid fabric cleaning or surface cleaning product and/or fabric or surface care product.
11. Continuous process according to claim 10 whereby the product is a solid or liquid laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent.
12. Continuous process for making water-reactive pouches containing a product, comprising the steps of:
a) continuously feeding a first water-soluble film onto a horizontal portion of a continuously and rotatably moving endless surface, which comprises a plurality of moulds, or onto a non-horizontal portion thereof and continuously moving the film to said horizontal portion;
b) forming from the film on the horizontal portion of the continuously moving surface, and in the moulds on the surface, a continuously moving, horizontally positioned web of open pouches:
c) filling the continuously moving, horizontally positioned web of open pouches with a product, to obtain a horizontally positioned web of open, filled pouches;
d) continuously closing the web of open pouches to obtain closed pouches, by feeding a closing material onto the horizontally positioned web of open, filled pouches, to obtain closed pouches;
e) sealing the closed pouches; and whereby, prior to filling, a second surface with openings, which each have a surface area equaling the surface area of an open pouch, is placed above the continuously moving web of open pouches and is moved continuously in the direction of the web of pouches and with speed of the web of open pouches, such that each opening remains positioned above one open pouch during the filling step and that the space between at least part of the moulds is covered by said second surface, said second surface being an endless, rotatably moving belt.
13. Continuous process according to claim 12 whereby the product is a solid or liquid fabric cleaning or surface cleaning product and/or fabric or surface care product.
14. Continuous process according to claim 13 whereby the product is a solid or liquid laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent.
15. Continuous process as in claim 12 whereby step d) and step e) are done in a continuous manner, while the web of pouches is in horizontal position and continuously moving whereby in step d) and in step e) the web of pouches is present on said horizontal portion of the endless surface.