Apparatus and a method for manufacturing a pouched product for oral use and a pouched product for oral use
The present invention relates to an apparatus ( 1 ) and a method for manufacturing a pouched product ( 201 ) for oral use. The present invention further relates to a pouched product ( 201 ) for oral use. The apparatus comprises a supplying unit ( 3 ) for supplying a filling material ( 5 ), a holding unit ( 7 ) for holding a piece ( 9 ) of tubular web of a saliva-permeable packaging material, the piece of tubular web having a predefinable length when provided to the holding unit, a transverse sealing unit ( 11 ) for providing the piece of tubular web with transverse seals ( 13 ) thereby forming a pouched product, and a separation unit ( 15 ) for separating the pouched product from a subsequent pouched product ( 201 ′) in or at the transverse seals. The holding unit comprises guiding provisions ( 17 ) for guiding the filling material from the supplying unit to be supplied into the piece of tubular web at an end ( 19 ) of the holding unit, wherein a length of the holding unit (L h ) is at least 35 cm.
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a pouched product for oral use, said apparatus comprising:
a supplying unit configured to supply a filling material,
a holding unit configured to hold a piece of tubular web of a saliva-permeable packaging material, said piece of tubular web having a predefined length when provided to said holding unit,
a transverse sealing unit configured to provide said piece of tubular web with transverse seals thereby forming a pouched product, and
a separation unit configured to separate said pouched product from a subsequent pouched product in or at said transverse seals, wherein said holding unit comprises guiding provisions for guiding said filling material from said supplying unit to be supplied into said piece of tubular web at an end of said holding unit, and
wherein a length of said holding unit is at least 35 cm.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said length of said holding unit is in the range of 35-200 cm.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said holding unit is configured to hold said piece of tubular web in a gathered state,
said apparatus further comprising:
a feeding unit configured to feed said piece of tubular web in a direction of travel of said piece of tubular, thereby sequentially expanding said piece of tubular web from said gathered state to a flat state, wherein said feeding unit is located at or adjacent to said end of said holding unit, such that said filling material is supplied into said piece of tubular web when in said flat state.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said feeding unit is configured to move said piece of tubular web in said gathered state in a direction opposite to said direction of travel, such that said piece of tubular web is loaded onto said holding unit.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said feeding unit comprises one or more pulling wheels or pulling belts configured to pull out said piece of tubular web, thereby sequentially expanding it from said gathered state to said flat state.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a loading unit and a storage unit for at least one additional piece of tubular web, said loading unit being displaceable between a first position located at said storage unit, in which said additional piece of tubular web is movable from said storage unit to said loading unit, and a second position located at said holding unit, in which said additional piece of tubular web is movable from said loading unit to said holding unit.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of holding units configured to be used sequentially together with said supplying unit, each holding unit being configured to hold a respective separate piece of tubular web of saliva-permeable packaging material.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a magazine configured to store said plurality of holding units, said magazine also configured to move one holding unit at a time into a filling position in relation to said supplying unit.
9. A method for manufacturing a pouched product for oral use, said method comprising:
a) providing and holding a piece of tubular web of a saliva-permeable packaging material on a holding unit, said piece of tubular web having a predefined length when provided to said holding unit,
b) providing said piece of tubular web with a first transverse seal,
c) supplying a filling material through said holding unit into said piece of tubular web,
d) advancing said piece of tubular web in a direction of travel,
e) providing said piece of tubular web with a second transverse seal thereby forming a pouched product, and
f) separating said pouched product from a subsequent pouched product in or at said second transverse seal.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein a length of said piece of tubular web as seen in a flat state is in the range of 35-500 cm.
11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein, in step a), said piece of tubular web of saliva-permeable packaging material is provided in a gathered state and held on said holding unit in said gathered state,
wherein step b), c) or d) is performed while expanding said piece of tubular web from said gathered state to said flat state, and
wherein a length of said piece of tubular web, when in said gathered state, is less than a length of said piece of tubular web when in said flat state.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said length of said piece of tubular web in said gathered state is in the range of 35-200 cm.
13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said method further comprises:
loading a new piece of tubular web of saliva-permeable packaging material onto said holding unit.
14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said method further comprises:
exchanging an empty holding unit to a new holding unit comprising a new piece of tubular web of saliva-permeable packaging material.