Packaging method and line for improved finished product
An overwrap feed station wraps a product with an overwrap material by drawing the overwrap material around the product to form a tube around the product as the product moves through the feed station. The feed station is configurable in one of first and second configurations based upon a desired location of a longitudinal seal to be formed on the tube around the product. A first former is configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the feed station so that longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on a first side of the tube during wrapping of the product. The second former is configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the feed station so that longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on a second side of the tube during wrapping of the product. The second side is transverse to the first side.
1. A packaging line comprising an overwrap feed station, the overwrap feed station being configured and adapted to wrap a product with an overwrap material, the overwrap feed station having left and right vertical supports, and bottom and top horizontal supports defining an enclosure with a hollow interior for the overwrap feed station, the overwrap feed station having an entrance and a discharge, the overwrap feed station being adapted and configured to move the product to be packaged from the entrance of the overwrap feed station to the discharge of the overwrap feed station through the hollow interior of the enclosure, the overwrap feed station entrance being adapted and configured to be arranged with first and second formers, the overwrap feed station being adapted and configured to draw the overwrap material around the product and to form a tube of the overwrap material around the product as the product is being moved from the entrance to the discharge, the first former being adapted and configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station in a manner such that during wrapping of the product in a first configuration, longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap adjacent to one of the left and right vertical supports, and are further sealed onto a left or right vertical side of the tube, the second former being adapted and configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station in a manner such that during wrapping of the product in a second configuration, longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap adjacent to one of the top and bottom horizontal supports and are further sealed onto a top or bottom horizontal side of the tube;
wherein for each of the first and second configurations, the overwrap material prior to engaging the respective first and second former travels in a same direction.
2. The packaging line of claim 1 further comprising a longitudinal sealer, the longitudinal sealer being movable between a first position adjacent to the one of the left and right vertical supports to seal the overlapping longitudinal edges of the overwrap material when the overwrap feed station is in the first configuration and a second position adjacent to the one of the top and bottom horizontal supports to seal the overlapping longitudinal edges of the overwrap material when the overwrap feed station is in the second configuration.
3. The packaging line of claim 1 further comprising a first longitudinal sealer arranged adjacent to the one of the left and right vertical supports adapted and configured to seal the overlapping longitudinal edges of the overwrap material when the overwrap feed station is in the first configuration and a second longitudinal sealer arranged adjacent to the one of the top and bottom horizontal supports adapted and configured to seal the overlapping longitudinal edges of the overwrap material when the overwrap feed station is in the second configuration.
4. The packaging line of claim 1 wherein:
the first former comprises a plurality of former plates assemblable to form the first former;
the second former comprises a plurality of former plates assemblable to form the second former; and
the first and second formers share a common former plate.
5. The packaging line of claim 4 wherein the assemblage of the former plates of the first former is adjustable to accommodate differently sized products to be packaged.
6. The packaging line of claim 4 wherein the assemblage of the former plates of the second former is adjustable to accommodate differently sized products to be packaged.
7. The packaging line of claim 1 further comprising an unwind stand for the overwrap material, the unwind stand being adapted and configured to allow the overwrap to be unwound and directed to the entrance of the overwrap feed station for each of the first and second configurations; and wherein the unwind stand is configured to unwind the overwrap material about a same center axis for each of the first and second configurations.
8. The packaging line of claim 7 wherein the unwind stand is moveable in a direction along the center axis in a manner such that the overwrap material is positionable relative to the entrance of the overwrap feed station in the first configuration in a manner such that the that longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap adjacent to the left and right vertical supports during wrapping of the product, and the overwrap material is positionable relative to the entrance of the overwrap feed station in the second configuration in a manner such that the that longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap adjacent to the top and bottom horizontal supports during wrapping of the product.
9. An overwrap feed station adapted and configured for wrapping a product with an overwrap material, the overwrap feed station having an entrance and a discharge, the overwrap feed station entrance being adapted and configured to be arranged with first and second formers, the overwrap feed station being adapted and configured to draw the overwrap material around the product and to form a tube of the overwrap material around the product as the product is being moved from the entrance to the discharge, each of the first and second formers has an opening, each of the formers being adapted and configured to receive the overwrap material through the opening of each former and guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station when installed on the entrance of the overwrap feed station, the first former being adapted and configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station in a manner such that during wrapping of the product, longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on, and are further sealed onto a longitudinal first side of the tube, the second former being adapted and configured to guide the overwrap material through the entrance of the overwrap feed station in a manner such that during wrapping of the product, longitudinal edges of the overwrap material overlap on, and are further sealed onto a longitudinal second side of the tube, wherein the longitudinal second side of the tube is transverse to the longitudinal first side of the tube.
10. The overwrap feed station of claim 9 wherein the overwrap feed station comprises first and second longitudinal sealers, the first longitudinal sealer is arranged adjacent to the first side of the tube and adapted and configured to apply a seal to the tube when the first former is installed at the entrance of the overwrap feed station, and the second longitudinal sealer is arranged adjacent to the second side of the tube and adapted and configured to apply a seal to the tube when the second former is installed at the entrance of the overwrap feed station.
11. The overwrap feed station of claim 9 wherein the overwrap feed station comprises a longitudinal sealer, the longitudinal sealer is adapted and configured to be movable between the first and second sides of the tube, the longitudinal sealer is adapted and configured to apply a seal to the first side of the tube when the first former is installed at the entrance of the overwrap feed station and the longitudinal sealer is arranged adjacent the first side of the tube, the longitudinal sealer is adapted and configured to apply a seal to the second side of the tube when the second former is installed at the entrance of the overwrap feed station and the longitudinal seal is arranged adjacent to the second side of the tube.
12. The overwrap feed station of claim 9 wherein each of the first and second formers comprises a cap portion and a base portion, the base portion of the first former is the same as the base portion of the second former.
13. The overwrap feed station of claim 9 wherein the overwrap feed station receives the overwrap material in a planar direction when the first former is installed at the entrance of the overwrap feed station, and a same planar direction when the second former is installed at the entrance of the overwrap feed station.
14. The overwrap feed station of claim 13 wherein the overwrap feed station receives the overwrap material with a first offset in the planar direction when the first former is installed at the entrance of the overwrap feed station, and a second offset in the planar direction when the second former is installed at the entrance of the overwrap feed station, the second offset being different from the first off set.
15. The overwrap feed station of claim 9 wherein:
the first former comprises a plurality of former plates assemblable to form the first former in a first assemblage;
the second former comprises a plurality of former plates assemblable to form the second former in a second assemblage; and
the first and second formers share a common former plate.
16. The overwrap feed station of claim 15 wherein the first assemblage of the former plates of the first former is adjustable to accommodate differently sized products to be packaged.
17. The overwrap feed station of claim 15 wherein the second assemblage of the former plates of the second former is adjustable to accommodate differently sized products to be packaged.