초록 ▼

An improved automatic and continuous packaging machine is disclosed formed by a support table supporting a turret, the turret being generally hexagonal in configuration said machine further including a plurality of six processing stations for processing a food package, including a first station prov

An improved automatic and continuous packaging machine is disclosed formed by a support table supporting a turret, the turret being generally hexagonal in configuration said machine further including a plurality of six processing stations for processing a food package, including a first station provided with a magazine for containing a plurality of food pouches, and deposition means for retrieving and depositing a single food pouch on the turret, a second processing station for automatically imprinting upon the food pouch pre-determined indicia, and also including pouch opening means for opening the pouch to its substantial dimension, a third processing station provided with protection means for determining the presence of a properly opened food pouch and in response to the proper signal, food loading means for loading a food product into the open food pouch. A fourth processing station is provided with ejection means for ejecting any pouches which have been determined at the third station to be improperly opened. A fifth processing station includes an improved vacuum hood assembly supported by a self-positioning carriage and carrying within the confines of the hood the vacuum and nitrogen purging and sealing means for sealing the food package, and a sixth processing station for effecting the discharge of the completed food package from the turret for further handling. The invention further provides an improved vacuum hood assembly as well as an improved heat sealing bar assembly whereby a food package may be automatically loaded onto the turret, imprinted, filled, purified, the package heat sealed, and discharged for subsequent packing operations.

대표청구항 ▼

A multi-station packaging device for automatically packing a portion of a food product into a food container and performing all subsequent operations including filling, purging, and sealing the food container, and discharging the filled food container for further handling, comprising in combination,

A multi-station packaging device for automatically packing a portion of a food product into a food container and performing all subsequent operations including filling, purging, and sealing the food container, and discharging the filled food container for further handling, comprising in combination, a support table, a turret mounted on said support table, said turret including a plurality of food container retention means, each of said retention means adapted to retain a single food container thereon, at least a first processing station positioned adjacent to said support table and in association with said turret, said first processing station including magazine means for carrying a plurality of food containers therein, and further including deposition means for retrieving a single food container from said magazine means and depositing said food container on said turret retention means, at least a second processing station positioned adjacent to said support table and in association with said turret, said second processing station including loading means for loading a pre-determined portion of a food product into said single food container, at least a third processing station positiOned adjacent to said support table and in association with said turret, said third processing station including vacuum means positioned in operative cooperation with said corresponding retention means of said turret thereby to create vacuum environment surrounding said filled food container, purging means associated with said vacuum means for purging said food container with said food product contained therein, sealing means associated with said vacuum means for simultaneously sealing said food container while said food container and contained food product is in the purged condition and under vacuum conditions, discharge means for effecting the discharge of said food container with said food product contained therein from said retention means of said turret for further handling, and indexing means for effecting an indexing function between said turret relative to each of said processing stations such that said food container may be consecutively processed at each of said processing stations, whereby said packaging machine may be operated on an automatic and continuous basis to remove a single food container from said magazine means and position the same on said turret retention means, and said indexing means operating to effect a relative indexing function to occur such that said food container is consecutively processed at each consecutive food processing station to provide a filled, purged and sealed food container and discharging said food container from said retention means for further handling.