Food packaging system

Abstract

A form, fill and seal packaging machine bottom fills a carton. The machine includes a lid application station for applying a lid to the carton open top at an upper edge and means for removing the carton from the mandrel. The carton is positioned on a conveyor and is conveyed to a filling station disposed along the conveyor for filling product into the carton. After filling, the carton is indexed to a bottom flap folding station for folding the bottom flaps toward one another and a bottom fin sealing station for sealing a portion of the bottom wall flaps to one another to form an elongated fin. A bottom panel folding station folds the bottom panels toward one another to form a sealed bottom wall and a discharge station discharges the packages from the machine. A method for forming the carton and a carton formed by the method are also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A form, fill and seal packaging machine for forming a package, filling the package and sealing the package, the package being formed from a plurality of upstanding side walls, each contiguous with its adjacent side walls, the carton including a bottom wall contiguous with the upstanding side walls, the bottom wall being formed from a plurality of bottom wall flaps, the upstanding side walls defining an open top having an upper edge, and the bottom wall flaps defining an open bottom, the packaging machine comprising: 
 a carton magazine for storing a plurality of cartons, the cartons being in a flat folded form and having a longitudinal side seal;    a carton erection station for receiving the cartons and opening the cartons to a tubular form;    a mandrel for receiving one carton in the tubular form and for carrying the carton, the carton positioned on the mandrel such that the top of the carton is positioned at a free end of the mandrel;    a lid application station for applying the lid to the carton open top at the upper edge;    means for removing the carton from the mandrel;    a conveyor;    a filling station disposed along the conveyor for filling product into the carton;    a bottom flap folding station for folding the bottom flaps toward one another;    a bottom fin sealing station for sealing a portion of the bottom wall flaps to one another to form an elongated fin;    a bottom panel folding station for folding the bottom panels toward one another to form a sealed bottom wall; and    a discharge station for discharging the packages from the machine.    
     
     
         2 . The packaging machine in accordance with  claim 1  including an inverter for inverting the cartons following bottom panel folding.  
     
     
         3 . The packaging machine in-accordance with  claim 1  including a membrane application station disposed prior to the lid application station for applying a membrane to the carton at the carton open top.  
     
     
         4 . The packaging machine in accordance with  claim 1  including a bottom panel sealing station for sealing the bottom panels to the sealed bottom wall.  
     
     
         5 . A method for forming a carton comprising the steps of: 
 erecting a tubular carton having a plurality of upstanding side walls, each contiguous with its adjacent side walls, the carton including a bottom wall contiguous with the upstanding side walls, the upstanding side walls defining an open top having an upper edge, and an open bottom;    providing a lid having a peripheral frame having an open central portion and a cover extending across the periphery to close the open central portion;    applying and sealing the lid to the open top of the carton;    filling the carton through the open bottom;    providing a seal in the bottom to form a sealed bottom having an elongated upstanding fin; and    folding the fin onto the sealed bottom.    
     
     
         6 . The method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the folding step forms triangular panels in the sealed bottom, and including the step of folding the triangular panels onto the sealed bottom to form a sealed bottom wall.  
     
     
         7 . The method in accordance with  claim 5  including the step of inverting the carton following the folding step.  
     
     
         8 . The method in accordance with  claim 5  including the step of forming corners of the upstanding walls, at the top edge, so as to have a curved profile.  
     
     
         9 . The method in accordance with  claim 5  including the step of applying a membrane to the open top prior to applying and sealing the lid to the open top of the carton.  
     
     
         10 . The method in accordance with  claim 9  including the step of flushing the filled carton with an inert gas prior to sealing the bottom wall.  
     
     
         11 . A carton comprising: 
 a plurality of upstanding sidewalls, each contiguous with its adjacent side walls and a bottom wall contiguous with the upstanding side walls, the upstanding side walls defining an open top and having an upper edge, the upstanding side walls and bottom wall formed from a single blank of paperboard material; and    a lid formed from a polymeric material, the cover having an outer frame defining a periphery and a cover portion disposed within the periphery, the cover being    wherein the outer frame is affixed to the carton at the upper edge, and wherein a juncture of each of the upstanding walls with its adjacent side walls, at the upper edge, is formed having curved corners.    
     
     
         12 . The carton in accordance with  claim 11  including a membrane affixed to the upper edge, at about the outer frame.  
     
     
         13 . The carton in accordance with  claim 12  wherein and outer edge of the membrane is positioned between the outer frame and the carton upper edge.  
     
     
         14 . The carton in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the lid has rounded corners.  
     
     
         15 . The carton in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the carton has four upstanding side walls and wherein opposing side walls are parallel to one another.  
     
     
         16 . The carton in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the cover is connected to the outer frame by a hinge.  
     
     
         17 . The carton in accordance with  claim 16  wherein the lid is formed as an unitary member and wherein the hinge is formed integral with the outer frame and with the cover.  
     
     
         18 . The carton in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the carton includes a longitudinal side seal formed therein extending from the bottom wall to the upper edge, the side seal being formed in one of the side walls intermediate edges thereof, and wherein the carton having the side seal formed therein, forms a tubular erected carton.  
     
     
         19 . The carton in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the bottom wall is formed from a plurality of bottom panels, the bottom panels being contiguous with adjacent bottom panels and having a continuous seal portion extending along an edge thereof opposite of the upstanding side walls, the bottom seal being formed by sealing the bottom panel seal portion onto itself to form an elongated fin.  
     
     
         20 . The carton in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the fin is folded flat onto the bottom panels to define a pair of triangular walls, and wherein the triangular walls are folded onto the bottom wall to define a sealed rectangular bottom wall.