Method and apparatus for forming films
US7677015B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 16, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB31B70/10
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process for forming filled sealed pouches, comprising: supplying a thermoformable film to an upper surface of a conveyer which includes a plurality of recessed vacuum molds in its upper surface and is mounted to slide over an elongated conveyor support through holding, forming, filling and sealing stations; holding the film on the conveyer at the holding station; forming the film to form pouches at the forming station by supplying a forming under-pressure at the forming station into the mold recesses wherein the forming under-pressure is supplied through vacuum apertures leading from a vacuum supply apparatus and discharging through the conveyer support through vacuum orifices extending through the conveyer into the vacuum molds wherein under-pressure is supplied to the mold recesses at one or more subsequent processing stations through the vacuum apertures and vacuum orifices, and wherein the under pressure at the forming station is greater than the under-pressure at one or more of the subsequent processing stations; filling the pouches at the filling station; and sealing the pouches with a sealing film at the sealing station.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.