Tray sealing machine and method for operating a gripper device on the tray sealing machine

US11401067B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Multivac Sepp Haggenmüller Se & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

• Albert Gabler · Ottobeuren, DE
• Peter Buchberger · Waltenhofen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 4, 2020
• Grant date: Aug 2, 2022
• Expiry date: Feb 9, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65G2201/0258
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A tray sealing machine comprises a gripper device including first and second tray grippers that operate together to take up trays provided by a feed unit and transport them to a sealing station that is downstream in a production direction. A speed of the first and second tray grippers in the production direction when respectively performing a closing motion from a respective initial position toward a respective closing position can be accelerated such that the speed of the first and second tray grippers in the production direction relative to a belt speed of the feed unit during a predetermined first time interval is slower than the belt speed, and during a subsequent predetermined second time interval until the respective closing position has been reached is greater than the belt speed, so that gripper fingers on the first and second tray grippers immerse into respective position windows located between the trays.