Tubular-bag machine having a gas-adjusting device, and gas-adjusting device for such a tubular-bag machine

Abstract

The invention specifies an in particular horizontal tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) in which objects ( 2 ) which are provided for packaging are conveyed along a conveying direction ( 6 ) by means of a conveying apparatus ( 51 ). The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) has an apparatus ( 50, 43 ) for producing from a packaging sheet material ( 12 ) a packaging tube ( 13 ) extending in the conveying direction ( 6 ), and also has a longitudinal-connection device ( 53, 54 ) and a transverse-connection device ( 44 ) for producing longitudinal and transverse connections in the packaging tube ( 13 ). Also provided is a gas-adjusting device ( 8 ) with an introduction head ( 80 ) for engaging in the packaging tube ( 13 ) in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a first gas-passage opening ( 802, 804, 805, 807, 808 ) and at least one second gas-passage opening ( 802, 804, 805, 807, 808 ) by way of which a gas is fed into the packaging tube ( 13 ) or removed therefrom.

1 . A tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) configured to package objects ( 2 ) by means of a packaging sheet material ( 12 ), comprising:
 a conveying apparatus ( 51 ) configured to convey objects ( 2 ), which are provided for packaging by means of the tubular-bag machine ( 5 ), along a conveying direction ( 6 );   an apparatus ( 50 ,  43 ) configured to produce, from a packaging sheet material ( 12 ), a packaging tube ( 13 ) extending in the conveying direction ( 6 );   a longitudinal-connection device ( 53 ,  54 ) configured to produce a longitudinal connection of the packaging tube ( 13 ) along a longitudinal sheet edge region ( 120 ) of the packaging sheet material ( 12 );   a transverse-connection device ( 44 ) configured to produce transverse connections in the packaging sheet material ( 12 ) which extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal connection; and   a gas-adjusting device ( 8 ) with an introduction head ( 80 ) configured to engage in the packaging tube ( 13 ) in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a first gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) by way of which a gas is fed into the packaging tube ( 13 ) or removed therefrom,   and wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has at least one second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) by way of which a gas is fed into the packaging tube ( 13 ) or removed therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a longitudinal direction extending in the conveying direction ( 6 ) and wherein the second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  808 ) is disposed downstream of the first gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ) in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         3 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the first gas-passage opening ( 802 ) is configured to evacuate air out of the packaging tube ( 13 ) and wherein the second gas-passage opening ( 804 ,  805 ,  808 ) is configured to feed gas into the packaging tube ( 13 ). 
     
     
         4 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a first continuous bearing surface ( 800 ) and a second continuous bearing surface ( 800 ), wherein the first bearing surface ( 800 ) is configured to support a first lateral surface ( 120 ) of the packaging tube ( 13 ) and the second bearing surface ( 800 ) is configured to support a second lateral surface ( 120 ) of the packaging tube ( 13 ) which lies opposite the first lateral surface ( 120 ) and wherein the first gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) and the second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) are disposed between the first and second continuous bearing surfaces ( 800 ). 
     
     
         5 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) comprises a main section, within which the first bearing surface ( 800 ) and the second bearing surface ( 800 ) extend substantially parallel to one another and wherein the first gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) and the second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) are disposed in this main section. 
     
     
         6 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a first wedge-shaped section ( 801 ), within which the first bearing surface ( 800 ) and the second bearing surface ( 800 ) converge in a wedge-shaped manner in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         7 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) and the second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) is an elongated hole, which has a substantially larger extension in the longitudinal direction of the introduction head ( 80 ) than in a direction perpendicular thereto. 
     
     
         8 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has at least another third gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) in addition to the first and the second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ). 
     
     
         9 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and the second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) is configured to evacuate gas out of the packaging tube ( 13 ) and is delimited by an orifice structure ( 806 ), which is unevenly formed in an opening direction of the first gas-passage opening ( 802 ). 
     
     
         10 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a continuous, substantially planar orifice surface ( 809 ), within which the first gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) as well as the second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) outwardly discharges. 
     
     
         11 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has at least one sensor configured to measure gas properties in the packaging tube ( 13 ). 
     
     
         12 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) has a control unit ( 96 ) which is designed to optimize at least one of a gas feed quantity and a gas removal quantity flowing through the gas-adjusting device ( 8 ) as a function of at least one of the following: a volume of the packaging; properties of the objects ( 2 ) to be packaged; conveying settings of the conveying apparatus ( 51 ); and values which are measured by sensors on the gas-adjusting device ( 8 ). 
     
     
         13 . A gas-adjusting device ( 8 ) for a tubular-bag machine ( 5 ), said gas adjusting device being configured to adjust a gas content of packagings ( 3 ) which are produced from a packaging tube ( 13 ) by means of a tubular-bag machine ( 5 ), the gas-adjusting device comprising:
 an introduction head ( 80 ) configured to laterally engage into the packaging tube ( 13 ), wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a first gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) by way of which gas is fed into the packaging tube ( 13 ) or removed therefrom,   and wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has at least one second gas-passage opening ( 802 ,  804 ,  805 ,  807 ,  808 ) by way of which gas is fed into the packaging tube ( 13 ) or removed therefrom.   
     
     
         14 . The gas-adjusting device ( 8 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has bearing surfaces ( 800 ) for supporting lateral surfaces ( 120 ) of the packaging tube ( 13 ), wherein the bearing surfaces ( 800 ) extend continuously over approximately an entire length of the introduction head ( 80 ). 
     
     
         15 . A method for adjusting a gas content of packagings ( 3 ) which are produced from a packaging tube ( 13 ), which is conveyed in a conveying direction, by means of a tubular-bag machine ( 5 ), wherein gas is discharged out of the packaging tube ( 13 ) through a lateral opening formed on said packaging tube ( 13 ) and wherein gas is simultaneously introduced into the packaging tube ( 13 ) through the same lateral opening. 
     
     
         16 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a second wedge-shaped section ( 801 ), within which the first bearing surface ( 800 ) and the second bearing surface ( 800 ) converge in a wedge-shaped manner in a direction which is oriented oppositely to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         17 . The tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the introduction head ( 80 ) has a wedge-shaped section ( 801 ), within which the first bearing surface ( 800 ) and the second bearing surface ( 800 ) converge in a wedge-shaped manner in a direction which is oriented oppositely to a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         18 . A method for adjusting a gas content of packagings ( 3 ) which are produced from a packaging tube ( 13 ), which is conveyed in a conveying direction, by means of a tubular-bag machine ( 5 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein gas is discharged out of the packaging tube ( 13 ) through a lateral opening formed on said packaging tube ( 13 ) and wherein gas is simultaneously introduced into the packaging tube ( 13 ) through the same lateral opening.