The present invention relates to an improved process for manufacturing multiple pouches. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an improved process for manufacturing a multiple pouch using a horizontal form-fill-seal technique.

Background

A prior method and machine for packaging medicine in divided paper partitions is described in JP60-134805A. A continuous roll of packaging paper A is folded in the lengthwise direction so that the fold line provides the bottom edge of the packages. A heat seal roll mechanism 3 is provided to seal parts of opposing faces of the paper together, transversely of the machine direction, to provide multiple divided packaging partitions A', each having an opening b. The packaging paper A is held by a clamp 4 and a predetermined overfeed between clamp 4 and heat seal roll 3 is employed in order to swell the opening b of a single packaging partition A' in order to receive medicine from a pouring guide 1 1 . The opening b of the filled partition A' is subsequently sealed using a heat sealing mechanism 6 and the filled, sealed partition A' drawn out by rollers 7.

The present invention is directed to a horizontal form-fill-seal process for manufacturing a multiple pouch using a pair of opposing sealable films.

Pouches are known in the art and are commonly employed to contain convenient volumes of fluids or solids. A most basic form of pouch is a sachet which might comprise a pair of opposing sealable films sealed at the edges and with a tear-off portion along one edge to permit egress of the contained product. The sachet is typically made using what is commonly known as a form-fill-seal (FFS) process whereby the sachet is formed, filled and then sealed at sequential stations in a manufacturing facility. A more sophisticated type of pouch is the doy pack which, by way of a stiffening member at the base, permits the pack to be supported on its base. A doy pack is a popular and relatively cheap means for packaging a consumer product. Preferably, where the sealable film is folded at a bottom edge the stiffening member is formed by a folding plough which pushes the base, formed between the bottom edges up into the pouch portion and thereby creating a portion which may be unfolded to provide a flattened base. In such a configuration the cross section of the sealable film forms a 'W shape when viewed along a machine direction.

The present invention provides an improved form-fill-seal process for manufacturing a multiple pouch.

Summary of the invention.

According to the present invention, there is provided a horizontal form-fill-seal process for manufacturing a multiple pouch comprising: -presenting a pair of opposing sealable films;

-bonding the films to one another with substantially vertical seals;

-cutting the opposing films to form a multiple pouch section comprising at least one pouch part connected to multiple other pouch parts by common side edges; and -compressing the multiple pouch section along a general longitudinal axis of the section (general axis of the process) so as to provide an opening for each pouch part at a pouch top.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the common edge side films which connect one pouch part to another are perforated along the substantially vertical seal. Such perforation is typically executed by a perforation blade which pierces the opposing sealable films along the seal and permits a pouch to be separated from its neighbouring pouch more easily.

The process of the invention generates a pouch section. The pouch section is a template for forming a multiple pouch. A multiple pouch comprises at least three pouches connected in a side-by-side formation. Accordingly, at least one pouch is connected to at least one other pouch on two common edges.

The simplest multiple pouch comprises three pouches in series. A more complex multiple pouch will have four, five, six or more pouches in such a manner. The multiple pouch will always have at least two pouches which are only connected to one other pouch. Further, in a multiple pouch which comprises n pouches, there will be n-2 pouches having opposite edges in common with two other pouches.

In a preferred aspect, the sealable films are fed into the process in a machine direction. Preferably, the machine direction is substantially horizontal to the ground. The leading edge of the sealable films is a leading edge of the leading pouch and so when the sealable films are cut to form the multiple pouch section it is preferably only cut once along the sealable films and at a distal following edge of the multiple pouch section.

Where the leading edge is new and has not been subjected to a seal it will be sealed before entering the process or alternatively at the start of the process.

Once the sealable films are in position they are bonded to one another to form the precursor to the pouch section. Bonding is effected by standard processes, for example, by thermal or sonic pressure or by adhesive. Bonding is preferably effected by what is known commonly as vertical sealers which bond the sealable films together along an axis substantially orthogonal to the general machine direction.

The sealable films may be bonded at the distal edges of proposed pouch section and at intermediate positions, each along an axis substantially orthogonal to the machine direction. The intermediate positions correspond to common side edges for pouch parts in the multiple pouch section. The sealable films are then cut to form the multiple pouch section.

Where the opposing sealable films are not contiguous with one another at their bottom edges the bottom edge of the pouch section is required to be sealed at some point in the process but it is not critical when such bonding occurs. It may be done before the vertical seal or it may be after the pouch section is formed. The multiple pouch section is compressed along a general longitudinal axis of the section (machine direction of process), preferably by displacing the side edges of the pouch parts to bring them closer together. This is to open the pouch parts in the multiple pouch section so that product can be supplied to them. Typically this is effective to provide an opening in each pouch part of the multiple pouch section, at the top of the respective pouch parts. Preferably the multiple pouch section is held by way of grippers which clamp the section along the common edges of the pouch parts and also the distal edges of the section. The grippers are then moved towards a mid-point between the two outermost grippers. The inferior grippers (inferior to the outermost 'exterior' grippers) also move towards the mid- point a distance such that the ratio between the grippers is substantially maintained.

During such compression stage the pouch parts of the multiple pouch section are opened such that product may be disposed within a pouch part. Such product may be solid or fluid, such as powder or liquid. The process may involve disposing product within several pouch parts simultaneously. Preferably, the pouch parts are then closed by an appropriate sealing method as described above to form filled pouches.

Preferably, the grippers are moved away from the mid-point to permit closure of the pouches. More preferably, the innermost grippers are raised such that the top edge of the associated pouch (es) is/are stretched facilitating closure. Examples

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the following non- limiting drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of opposing sealable films;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same sealable films clamped to one another; Figure 3 is a plan view of the films compressed to provide open pouch parts;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the multiple pouch section filled with product;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the pouch section being decompressed for sealing; and

Figure 6 is a side view of a multiple pouch section in which the pouch parts have a closure cap. In detail, figure 1 shows a pair of opposing sealable films (1 ) as seen from above. Shown is also the leading edge (2) of the films as they enter the process in a machine direction (MD). Figure 2 shows the sealable films (1 ) being clamped between four pairs of opposing clamps (3 and 3a; 4 and 4a; 5 and 5a and 6 and 6a). The clamp 6-6a also serves as a cutter (A-A) such that the sealable films from the cut to the leading edge form a multiple pouch section (8) capable of forming three pouches with one central pouch part connected to two other pouch parts on either side.

The clamp pairs (6, 6a), (3, 3a), (4, 4a), (5, 5a) are displaceable along the machine direction (the general axis of the process) so that each pair can move towards and away from a mid-point (B-B).

Figure 3 shows the multiple pouch section (8) being compressed towards a mid-point (B- B). Exterior clamps (5) and (6), which clamp the outermost edges the multiple pouch section (8), are moved an equal distance towards B. Similarly, interior clamps (3) and (4) which clamp the common side edges of the pouch parts in the multiple pouch section (8) are also moved towards B but by a distance proportional to their proximity to B as compared with (5) and (6). During this compression stage the pouch parts of the multiple pouch section (8) are opened to allow product (7) to be disposed therein.

Figure 4 shows three pouches (C, D and E) filled with product (7).

Figure 5 shows clamps (3), (4), (5) and (6) being pulled apart to bring the top edges of the pouch parts together facilitating sealing. Clamps (3) and (4) are also raised to draw the top edges of pouch D away from the bottom edge of the pouch. This facilitates closure of the pouch.

Figure 6 shows a multiple pouch section (18) in which each pouch part (18c, 18d, 18e) is provided with a closure cap (19) fitted by standard means. The closure caps may be fitted as part of the process for sealing the filled pouches, for example. Pouch part (18d) is connected to pouch part (18c) at common side edge (20) and is connected to pouch part (18e) at common side edge (21 ).