Packaging in foil with predefined subsections

Abstract

A packaging apparatus creates foil packages by wrapping objects in foil from a first roll of foil. The foil has a number of predefined subsections along its length. Sub rollers guide the foil between the first roll of foil to a second roll via a foil path. Packaging means along the foil path wrap the objects in a subpart of the foil present along said foil path. The sub rollers have adjustable accumulation means for accumulating an adjustable amount of foil along the foil path for ensuring that the subpart for wrapping corresponds to one of the predefined subsections. Thereby, foil is accumulated in the foil path to ensure that one complete subsection of foil is present in the foil path for wrapping an object in one subsection of foil and ensuring that the final package has the graphical print of an entire subsection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging apparatus ( 101 ) for creating foil packages by wrapping objects in foil ( 100 ) from a first roll of foil ( 103 ), said foil ( 100 ) comprising a number of predefined subsections (S 1 , S 2 , S 3  . . . ) along its length,
 said packaging apparatus ( 101 ) comprising sub rollers ( 106 ,  108 ,  110 ) for guiding said foil between said first roll of foil to a second roll ( 105 ) via a foil path ( 107 ), 
 said packaging apparatus ( 101 ) further comprising packaging means ( 109 ) along said foil path for performing said wrapping of said objects in a subpart of said foil present along said foil path, 
 wherein 
 said sub rollers comprise adjustable accumulation means ( 111 ) for accumulating an adjustable amount of foil along said foil path for ensuring that said subpart for wrapping corresponds to one of said predefined subsections. 
 
     
     
         2 . A packaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said packaging means ( 109 ) comprises roller paths ( 201 ) on each side of said foil ( 100 ) in said foil path for transporting objects from one side of said foil path to the opposite side of said foil path, and wherein this transporting results in that the object is partly surrounded by said foil. 
     
     
         3 . A packaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said packaging means further comprises closing means, welding means and cutting means ( 203 ), wherein
 said closing means are adapted for closing foil together at overlapping foil layers to completely surround the partly surrounded object in foil after the object has been transported from one side of the foil path to the opposite side via said rollers,   said welding means are for welding the overlapping foil layers and   said cutting means are for cutting the foil at a cutting line relative to the welding of said overlapping layers in a manner whereby foil is welded on both sides of the cutting line, and wherein the welding means and cutting means are adapted to weld and cut in a manner, where the ends of foil around the package is welded together and whereby foil from respectively the first and second roll of foil are welded together for maintaining a connection between the foil along said foil path between said first and said second roll of foil.   
     
     
         4 . A packaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the accumulation means ( 111 ) comprises at least three sub rollers ( 106 ,  108 ), wherein one of said sub rollers is the accumulation roller ( 106 ) which is displaceable relative to the other sub rollers ( 108 ) of said accumulation means to accumulate foil. 
     
     
         5 . A packaging apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said accumulation roller is displaceable along displacement rails ( 104 ). 
     
     
         6 . A packaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said accumulation means is adapted to accumulate an amount of foil corresponding to the length of the upper surface of said object to be wrapped. 
     
     
         7 . A packaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said subsections are separated by a separation marker ( 113 ) and wherein the apparatus comprises a sensor ( 115 ) for detecting said separation marker. 
     
     
         8 . A packaging apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the separation marker and the sub rollers are fixed relative to each other, whereby the length of foil in the foil path between the sensor ( 115 ) and the accumulation roller ( 106 ) corresponds to the length of a subsection of said foil. 
     
     
         9 . A method of creating foil packages by wrapping objects in foil ( 100 ) from a first roll of foil ( 103 ), said foil ( 100 ) comprising a number of predefined subsections (S 1 , S 2 , S 3  . . . ) along its length, said method comprising:
 guiding said foil along sub rollers between said first roll and a second roll ( 105 ) via a foil path ( 107 ); 
 wrapping said object in foil along said foil path using packaging means; and 
 accumulating an adjustable amount of foil along said foil path for ensuring that said subpart for wrapping corresponds to one of said predefined subsections. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein said wrapping is performed by transporting objects from one side of said foil to the opposite of said foil, and wherein this transporting results in that the object is partly surrounded by said foil. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein said wrapping further comprises the steps of:
 closing foil together at overlapping foil layers to completely surround the partly surrounded object in foil after the object has been transported from one side of the foil path to the opposite side via said rollers,   connecting the overlapping foil layers and   cutting the foil at a cutting line relative to a connection point of said over-lapping layers in a manner whereby foil is welded on both sides of the cutting line, and wherein the connecting and cutting is performed in a manner, where the ends of foil around the package are connected, and whereby foil from the first and second rolls of foil, respectively, are welded together for maintaining a connection between the foil along said foil path between said first and said second rolls of foil.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein accumulation of foil is performed by accumulation means comprising at least three sub rollers ( 106 ,  108 ), wherein accumulation is achieved by displacing one of said sub rollers relative to the other sub rollers ( 108 ). 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein an amount of foil corresponding to the length of the upper surface of said object to be packaged is accumulated.