Thermoform packaging machine and method of operating the same

1. A thermoform packaging machine comprising:

at least one cross cutting station; and

a longitudinal cutting station;

the cross cutting station including a punching device having a punching tool capable of cutting out a strip cut from a bottom film and/or a top film, the punching device being oriented transversely to a conveying direction of the films, and the cross cutting station including a receptacle for receiving the strip cut above the bottom film and/or the top film, the receptacle including a plurality of guide elements for guiding a vertical stack of a plurality of the strip cuts, wherein the cross cutting station is provided with at least one slide, the slide being adapted to be moved in the receptacle so as to temporarily support of a portion of the stack of the strip cuts located in the receptacle and above the slide.

2. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the slide is adapted to be moved in a plane substantially parallel to a conveying plane of the bottom film.

3. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the punching device comprises vertically orientated holding elements having a plurality of substantially horizontal projections vertically disposed thereon, each horizontal projection for supporting one or more of the strip cuts located above the conveying plane of the bottom film and below the slide.

4. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 3 , wherein the holding elements are sawtooth-shaped.

5. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the slide has a beveled leading edge.

6. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the slide is adapted to be driven by a pneumatic or an electric drive.

7. A method of operating a thermoform packaging machine comprising at least one cross cutting station and a longitudinal cutting station, the cross cutting station including a punching device having a punching tool capable of cutting out a strip cut from a bottom film and/or a top film, the method comprising:

displacing at least one slide away from a stack of the strip cuts prior to or during a punching operation, and

pushing at least one strip cut upwards past the slide wherein at least a portion of the stack of the strip cuts are guided in a receptacle by one or more guide elements,

displacing the slide to a position between two neighboring and superimposed strip cuts in the stack so as to support a portion of the stack of the strip cuts located above the slide.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the slide is displaced away from the stack of strip cuts in the receptacle before the punching tool starts the punching operation, or before the punching tool comes into contact with the bottom film, or before the conveyance of the bottom film and the top film into the cross cutting station has been finished.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the slide is displaced to a position between two neighboring and superimposed strip cuts in the stack of strip cuts in the receptacle before the punching tool is moved downwards again after the punching operation.

10. A thermoform packaging machine comprising:

a container forming station capable of forming containers from a bottom film, the bottom film capable of moving in a conveying direction;

a sealing station capable of sealing containers with a top film;

a cross cutting station; and

a longitudinal cutting station;

the cross cutting station including:

a punching tool capable of cutting out a strip cut from at least one of the bottom film and the top film;

a receptacle above the bottom film and/or the top film for receiving the strip cut, the receptacle including a plurality of guide elements for guiding a vertical stack of a plurality of the strip cuts; and

a slide adapted to be moved in the receptacle to temporarily support a portion of the stack of the strip cuts located in the receptacle.

11. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 10 , wherein the slide is adapted to be moved in a plane substantially parallel to a conveying plane of the bottom film and support the strip cuts above the slide.

12. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 10 , wherein the punching tool is part of a punching device that is oriented transversely to the conveying direction, the punching device further comprising vertically orientated holding elements having a plurality of substantially horizontal projections vertically disposed thereon, each horizontal projection for supporting one or more of the strip cuts located above the conveying plane of the bottom film and below the slide.

13. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 12 , wherein the holding elements are sawtooth-shaped.

14. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 10 , wherein the slide has a beveled leading edge.

15. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 10 , wherein the slide is adapted to be driven by a pneumatic or an electric drive.

16. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein the receptacle has a first end and a second end and said slide is positioned between said first end and said second end.

17. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein the slide has a fork-shape including at least two arms wherein said arms of said slide extend into said receptacle without engaging said guide elements.

18. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 10 wherein the receptacle has a first end and a second end and said slide is positioned between said first end and said second end.

19. The thermoform packaging machine according to claim 10 wherein the slide has a fork-shape including at least two arms being separated by a space wherein said arms of said slide extend into said receptacle without engaging said guide elements.