Ferris-Wheel Type Vacuum Packaging System And Method

Abstract

A vacuum packaging system for vacuumizing and sealing unsealed packages including a plurality of vacuum chambers each linked with a respective platen assembly having a platen and conveyor, each chamber and assembly arranged to receive an unsealed package and perform a vacuum sealing operation on the package, characterized by a) a conveyor apparatus including an in-feed conveyor to load each platen conveyor with an unsealed package, and an out-feed conveyor to unload each vacuumized, sealed package from each platen conveyor; and b) a ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus including at least three radially arranged vacuum chambers each linked with a respective platen assembly, each chamber and platen assembly rotatable about a central horizontal axis disposed parallel to the linear path of the conveyor apparatus, the ferris wheel-type apparatus operable in a vertical plane of rotation disposed perpendicular to the linear path of the conveyor apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum packaging system for vacuumizing and sealing a plurality of unsealed packages comprising a plurality of vacuum chambers each linked with a respective platen assembly, each platen assembly comprising a platen and a platen conveyor, and each vacuum chamber and platen assembly arranged to receive an unsealed package and operable to perform a vacuum sealing operation on the unsealed package, characterized in that the vacuum packaging system comprises:
 a) a conveyor apparatus configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each platen conveyor, and to load an unsealed package onto each platen conveyor, in a linear path, the conveyor apparatus comprising
 i) an in-feed conveyor operable to load each platen conveyor with an unsealed package, and 
 ii) an out-feed conveyor, disposed downstream of and longitudinally spaced apart from the in-feed conveyor, operable to unload each vacuumized, sealed package from each platen conveyor; and 
   b) a ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus comprising at least three radially arranged vacuum chambers each linked with a respective platen assembly, each chamber and platen assembly rotatable about a central horizontal axis disposed parallel to the linear path of the conveyor apparatus, the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus operable in a vertical plane of rotation disposed perpendicular to the linear path of the conveyor apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the conveyor apparatus further comprises a bridging member configured to facilitate downstream movement of each unsealed package onto each platen conveyor. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the bridging member comprises a telescoping conveyor operable to bridge the space between the in-feed conveyor and the platen onto which the unsealed package is loaded. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus comprises three radially arranged vacuum chambers each linked with a respective platen assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum packaging system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a heat seal assembly is associated with each vacuum chamber and linked platen assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus comprises a first side and a second side, with a drive device for driving the apparatus disposed on the first side, and a vacuum inlet for vacuumizing each unsealed package loaded on a respective platen conveyor disposed on the second side. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein each vacuum chamber and linked platen assembly are linked with a linear rail system operable to effect relative movement between the chamber and platen assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein each of the conveyor apparatus and ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus are configured to move in a predetermined intermittent manner. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus further comprises a platen-stabilizing apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 9  wherein the platen-stabilizing apparatus comprises a drive plate connected to a slave plate, both plates attached to each of the plurality of vacuum chambers such that each platen assembly is in a substantially horizontal orientation during the packaging cycle. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 9  wherein the platen-stabilizing apparatus comprises a gear system attached to each of the plurality of vacuum chambers such that each platen assembly is in a substantially horizontal orientation during the packaging cycle. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 9  wherein the platen-stabilizing apparatus comprises a belt system comprising a single belt attached to each of the plurality of vacuum chambers such that each platen assembly is in a substantially horizontal orientation during the packaging cycle. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus further comprises a vacuum system comprising a central vacuum inlet in communication with a plurality of vacuum valves operative to provide vacuumization of an unsealed package in each of the vacuum chambers. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus further comprises a slip ring system operative to convey electrical signals and power and air pressure to control each of the vacuum chambers to effect predetermined movement of a heat sealing assembly, a cut-off knife, and a piercing knife, and to drive each of the platen conveyors and provide electrical current to seal wires disposed in each of the vacuum chambers to provide sealing of an unsealed package in each of the vacuum chambers. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus further comprises a device for providing controlled descent of a platen assembly, then temporarily stopping the platen assembly, and then advancing the platen assembly, during the packaging cycle. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the conveyor apparatus is operable to simultaneously unload a vacuumized, sealed package from a platen conveyor, and load an unsealed package onto the platen conveyor. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus is configured to perform at least part of a vacuum sealing operation in one of the plurality of vacuum chambers while loading an unsealed package on a platen conveyor linked with another of the plurality of vacuum chambers. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein each unsealed package can be loaded onto a platen conveyor with an unopened end of the package oriented transversely to the linear path of the conveyor apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the in-feed conveyor is configured to load an unsealed package onto a platen conveyor with an unsealed portion of the package trailing. 
     
     
         20 . A method of vacuumizing and sealing a plurality of unsealed packages comprising:
 a) providing a plurality of vacuum chambers each linked with a respective platen assembly, each platen assembly comprising a platen and a platen conveyor, each vacuum chamber and platen assembly arranged to receive an unsealed package and operable to perform a vacuumizing and sealing operation on the unsealed package;   b) providing a conveyor apparatus configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each platen conveyor, and to load an unsealed package onto each platen conveyor, in a linear path, the conveyor apparatus comprising
 i) an in-feed conveyor operable to load each platen conveyor with an unsealed package, and 
 ii) an out-feed conveyor, disposed downstream of and spaced apart from the in-feed conveyor, operable to unload each vacuumized, sealed package from each platen conveyor; 
   c) providing a ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus comprising at least three radially arranged vacuum chambers each associated with a respective platen assembly, each chamber and platen assembly rotatable about a central horizontal axis disposed parallel to the linear path of the conveyor apparatus, the ferris wheel-type vacuum packaging apparatus operable in a vertical plane of rotation disposed perpendicular to the linear path of the conveyor apparatus;   d) sequentially placing each of the plurality of unsealed packages onto the in-feed conveyor;   e) advancing each unsealed package onto a platen conveyor;   f) closing a vacuum chamber onto the platen conveyor;   g) rotating the vacuum chamber and platen assembly about the central axis, while vacuumizing and sealing the package to produce a vacuumized, sealed package; and   h) unloading the vacuumized, sealed package from the platen conveyor onto the out-feed conveyor.