Method and device for producing tubular bags which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling material components

Abstract

The invention relates to a tubular bag machine and to a method for operating a tubular bag machine ( 01 ) for the continuous production of tubular bags ( 20 ), which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling components ( 29, 30 ). A formatting device ( 18 ), by means of which the bag shape of the tubular bag ( 20 ) open at the top seal is formatted, is disposed below the wiper device ( 16 ), the formatting device ( 18 ) comprising at least two formatting elements ( 19 ), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube ( 34 ) and are displaced between an open position and a formatting position. The horizontal distance between the formatting elements ( 19 ) is larger in the open position than in the formatting position. The formatting elements ( 19 ) are moved to the open position before and/or while filling the tubular bag ( 20 ) with filling material ( 29, 30 ). The formatting elements ( 19 ) are moved to the formatting position while and/or after filling the tubular bag ( 20 ) with filling material ( 29, 30 ) and before producing the top seam to remove air from the air bubble ( 32 ) in the top area of the tubular bag ( 20 ) via filling material components ( 29, 30 ).

1 . A method for operating a tubular bag machine ( 01 ) for the continuous production of tubular bags ( 20 ), which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling components ( 29 ,  30 ), the tubular bag machine ( 01 ) having
 a) a biaxially driven transverse sealing device ( 12 ), the transverse sealing jaws ( 13 ,  14 ) of the transverse sealing device ( 12 ) sealing a film web ( 03 ) after forming a film tube ( 34 ) having a bottom seal ( 31 ) and a top seal,   b) a compressing device ( 09 ) which is disposed above the transverse sealing device ( 12 ), the compressing device ( 09 ) comprising at least two compressing elements ( 21 ,  22 ), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube ( 34 ) and are displaced horizontally between a closed position and an open position, and the compressing elements ( 21 ,  22 ) compressing the film tube ( 34 ) in a liquid-proof manner in the closed position,   c) a wiper device ( 16 ), which is disposed below the transverse sealing device ( 12 ), the wiper device ( 16 ) comprising at least two wiper elements ( 17 ), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube ( 34 ) and are displaced horizontally between a wiping position and an open position, the wiper elements ( 17 ) in the wiping position wiping solid filling components ( 30 ) downward, which are in the sealing zone on the inner side of the film tube ( 34 ),   characterized in that   a formatting device ( 18 ), by means of which the bag shape of the tubular bag ( 20 ) open at the top seal is formatted, is disposed below the wiper device ( 16 ), the formatting device ( 18 ) comprising at least two formatting elements ( 19 ), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube ( 34 ) and are displaced between an open position and a formatting position, and the horizontal distance between the formatting elements ( 19 ) being larger in the open position than in the formatting position, and the formatting elements ( 19 ) being moved to the open position before and/or while filling the tubular bag ( 20 ) with filling material ( 29 ,  30 ), and the formats ting elements ( 19 ) being moved to the formatting position while and/or after filling the tubular bag ( 20 ) with filling material ( 29 ,  30 ) and before producing the top seam to remove air from the air bubble ( 32 ) in the top area of the tubular bag ( 20 ) via filling material components ( 29 ,  30 ).   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 characterized in that   the formatting elements ( 19 ) of the formatting device ( 18 ), which abut against the outer side of the tubular bag ( 20 ) in the formatting position, are vertically displaced at the same vertical speed as the film tube ( 34 ).   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 ,
 characterized in that 
 the wiper device ( 16 ) remains in the open position until the formatting device ( 18 ) is moved to the formatting position. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method according to any one of the  claims 1  to  3 ,
 characterized in that 
 the wiper elements ( 17 ) of the wiper device ( 16 ), which abut against the outer side of the tubular bag ( 20 ) in the wiping position, are vertically displaced along a trajectory section ( 33 ) at a higher vertical speed than the tubular bag ( 34 ). 
 
     
     
         5 . The method according to any one of the  claims 1  to  4 ,
 characterized in that 
 at least one air-permeable venting channel is formed between the inner surfaces of the tubular bags ( 20 ) in the wiping position of the wiper device ( 16 ), air being able to escape the air bubble ( 32 ) in the top area of the tubular bag ( 20 ) via the venting channel. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method according to any one of the  claims 1  to  5 ,
 characterized in that 
 the top seal of the tubular bag ( 20 ) is transversely sealed using the transverse sealing device ( 12 ) as soon as the air from the air bubble ( 32 ) in the top area of the tubular bag ( 20 ) has escaped via the air-permeable venting channel between the inner surfaces of the tubular bag ( 20 ) safe an insignificant remainder. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method according to any one of the  claims 1  to  6 ,
 characterized in that 
 the compressing device ( 09 ) forms two retaining zones ( 24 ,  25 ) in the closed position, the film tube ( 34 ) being compressed in a liquid-tight manner in the lower retaining zone ( 24 ), and the film tube ( 34 ) being compressed so tightly in the upper retaining zone ( 25 ) while maintaining a liquid-permeable residual gap that solid filling components ( 30 ) cannot pass through the residual gap. 
 
     
     
         8 . A tubular bag machine ( 01 ) for the continuous production of tubular bags ( 20 ), which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling components, having
 a) a biaxially driven transverse sealing device ( 12 ), the transverse sealing jaws ( 13 ,  14 ) of the transverse sealing device ( 12 ) sealing a film web ( 03 ) after forming a film tube ( 34 ) having a bottom seal ( 31 ) and a top seal,   b) a compressing device ( 09 ) which is disposed above the transverse sealing device ( 12 ), the compressing device ( 09 ) comprising at least two compressing elements ( 21 ,  22 ), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube ( 34 ) and are displaced horizontally between a closed position and an open position, and the compressing elements ( 21 ,  22 ) compressing the film tube ( 34 ) in a liquid-proof manner in the closed position,   c) a wiper device ( 16 ) which is disposed below the transverse sealing device ( 12 ), the wiper device ( 16 ) comprising two wiper elements ( 17 ), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube ( 34 ) and are displaced horizontally between a wiping position and an open position, the wiper elements t  17 ) in the wiping position being able to wipe solid filling components ( 30 ) downward, which are in the sealing zone on the inner side of the film tube ( 34 ),   characterized in that   a formatting device ( 18 ), by means of which the bag shape of the tubular bag ( 20 ) open at the top seal is formatted, is disposed below the wiper device ( 16 ), the formatting device ( 18 ) comprising at least two formatting elements ( 19 ), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube ( 34 ) and are displaced between an open position and a formatting position, the horizontal distance between the formatting elements ( 19 ) being larger in the open position than in the formatting position.   
     
     
         9 . The tubular bag machine according to  claim 8 ,
 characterized in that   the horizontal distance between the formatting elements ( 19 ) in the open position and/or the horizontal distance between the formatting elements ( 19 ) in the formatting position is adjustable.   
     
     
         10 . The tubular bag machine according to  claim 8  or  9 ,
 characterized in that 
 the formatting elements ( 19 ) of the formatting device ( 19 ) each comprise several rotatably stored rolls ( 26 ), the rolls ( 26 ) being disposed subjacent so as to be parallel to one another, and the rolls ( 26 ) of the two formatting elements ( 19 ) together forming a roll chute contactable on two sides of the tubular bag ( 20 ). 
 
     
     
         11 . The tubular bag machine according to any one of the  claims 8  to  10 ,
 characterized in that 
 the formatting device ( 1 ) and the transverse sealing device ( 12 ) are vertically driven using a shared drive device. 
 
     
     
         12 . The tubular bag machine according to any one of the  claims 8  to  11 ,
 characterized in that 
 the wiper elements ( 17 ) of the wiper device ( 16 ) are resiliently mounted on the transverse sealing jaws ( 13 ,  14 ) of the transverse sealing device ( 12 ), the wiper elements ( 17 ) springing back when surpassing a certain excess pressure in the air bubble ( 32 ) in order to form an air-permeable venting channel between the inner surfaces of the tubular bag ( 20 ), through which air from the air bubble ( 32 ) in the top area of the tubular bag ( 20 ) escapes. 
 
     
     
         13 . The tubular bag machine according to any one of the  claims 8  to  12 ,
 characterized in that 
 the compressing device ( 09 ) comprises two pairs of compressing elements ( 21 ,  22 ) for forming two retaining zones ( 24 ,  25 ), the compressing elements ( 21 ,  22 ) of each pair being superjacent, the first pair of compressing elements ( 21 ) compressing the film tube ( 34 ) in a lower retaining zone ( 24 ) in the closed position of the compressing device ( 09 ) so as to be impermeable to liquid, and the second pair of compressing elements ( 22 ) compressing the film tube ( 34 ) so tightly in an upper retaining zone in the closed position of the compressing device ( 09 ) that the film tube ( 34 ) retains solid filling components ( 30 ) while maintaining a liquid-permeable residual gap. 
 
     
     
         14 . The tubular bag machine according to any one of the  claims 8  to  13 ,
 characterized in that 
 the compressing elements ( 21 ,  22 ) of the compressing device ( 09 ) are designed in the manner of compressing rolls. 
 
     
     
         15 . The tubular bag machine according to any one of the  claims 8  to  14 ,
 characterized in that 
 the compressing rolls ( 21 ) are at least partially driven by motor.