Method of packaging goods, particularly snack food, into bags, package assembly with goods and apparatus for producing package assemblies

摘要

In the present invention, there is disclosed a method of packaging goods. especially snack food, into bags (12), wherein the bag material (21) being in the form of a strip is first formed into the form of a tube and subsequently is continuously filled with goods and under the action of pressure and heat it is sealed such that a series of sealingly closed bags (12) connected to each other by end seal areas (13, 14) that are provided with a parting weakening (15). The end seal area (13, 14) after the last of the required number of bags (12), forming a selling set (17) of goods, is attached by the action of pressure and heat to a moving carrier strip (11) and the set (17) is severed from the row of bags (12), whereupon the whole process is repeated such that there is formed a carrier strip (11) unit with bag (12) sets (17) with goods attached adjacent one after other thereto. Each set (17) includes a plurality of bags (12), with adjacent bags (12) being connected by adjacent end seal areas (13, 14). A transverse perforation line of weakness (15) exists between each pair of adjacent bags 12. The transverse line of weakness (15) fractures to enable separation of the bag (12) from the strip (11). In this respect, it should be appreciated that the end seal areas (13, 14) include sealed portion (16) that maintains each bag (12) sealingly closed despite the perforations forming the line (15) and separation of the bags (12) from the strip 11 upon fracturing of the line (15). In an apparatus for making the above-described method, a series of bags (12) is guided between a pair of jaws (34, 35) that perform a number of functions. First of all, the jaws (34, 35) are heated so that when they engage the end sealed areas (13, 14) between adjacent bags (12), the bags (12) are attached thereby to the strip (11). In addition to this, the jaws (34, 35) separate either individual bag (12) so as to provide the package assembly (10) or alternatively sever selling sets (17) from the bags (12) being delivered to the apparatus so as to provide the bag assembly (10). More particularly, the jaw (34) includes a knife blade (36) that is movable between an extended position to engage the end seal areas (13, 14), and a retracted position so as to not separate adjacent bags (12). The apparatus comprises an electric or pneumatic actuator (50) for producing an advance motion of the blade (36) in dependence on a requirement for the length of the selling set (17) or the number of bags (12) in the set (17).