Heat sealing machine for a packaging system

Abstract

In a system for discretely packaging liquid or solid medication or other substances comprising a compartmented tray ( 10 ) with a perforated sealed sheet ( 21 ) attached thereto and individual removable pots ( 17 ) to which the sealed sheet is also sealed, a heat sealing machine to cause the sheet ( 21 ) to be sealed to the individual pots ( 17 ) and to the tray ( 10 ) whist simultaneously folding and sealing a front flap ( 29 ) of the film ( 21 ) to an end face ( 15 ) of the tray, comprising a heated plate ( 30 ) and a spring loaded pressure plate ( 32 ) with a supplementary heated member ( 36 ) and adjustable spot- sealing pins ( 37 ) pivotally mounted on the machine such that as the heated plate ( 30 ) seals the top of the film ( 21 ) so the pins ( 37 ) fold the front flap ( 29 ) of the film ( 21 ) down over the end of the tray and seal it thereto. Thus, the film ( 21 ) is sealed to the tray on two planes substantially simultaneously.

1 . A heat sealing machine for applying heat at predetermined positions on a heat sealable film placed over a compartmented tray to seal the film to the tray on two planes, one substantially normal to the other, the machine comprising a heated plate adapted to bear upon a heat sealable film superimposed on a first plane over a compartmented tray, a spring loaded pressure plate adapted to bear upon the heated plate, a supplementary heated member movable with respect to the heated plate and having a pressure member adapted to bear against the heat sealable film to become superimposed over the surface of the compartmented tray on a second plane. 
     
     
         2 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure plate and the supplementary heated member become inter-engaged when the pressure plate bears against the heated plate. 
     
     
         3 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1  wherein the heated plate includes shaped contact dies to cause the film to be sealed to the tray peripherally around each compartment of the tray. 
     
     
         4 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1  wherein the heated plate includes contact dies to cause the film to be sealed between the compartments of the tray. 
     
     
         5 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1  wherein the supplementary heated member is pivotally mounted with respect to the heated plate and moved into a sealing position by the pressure plate when it bears upon the heated plate. 
     
     
         6 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1  wherein the supplementary heated member is spring loaded thus to assume a non-sealing condition until engaged by the pressure plate. 
     
     
         7 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1  wherein the supplementary heated member has adjustable heated pins which cause the film to be superimposed over an end face of the tray and spot-sealed thereto. 
     
     
         8 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1  wherein movement of the pressure plate causes the film to be sealed around and between the compartments, and spot-sealed to the end face of the tray, substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         9 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1  including control means to enable the temperature of and/or the pressure applied to the heated plate, and/or the duration of sealing contact to be predetermined. 
     
     
         10 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1  including means to introduce a tray and film into the machine, and to remove the tray with the sealed film from the machine, automatically. 
     
     
         11 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1 , including clamping means to ensure that the heat sealable film shall be maintained correctly positioned with respect to the compartmented tray during its introduction into the machine. 
     
     
         12 . A heat sealing machine according to  claim 1 , including resilient means to ensure that the heated plate makes uniform pressurised contact with the heat sealable film on said first plane