Blister packaging machine

Abstract

A blister packaging machine comprises a filling station, in which products can be inserted into cup-shaped depressions of a bottom sheet, and a downstream sealing station in which a supplied cover sheet is sealed onto the bottom sheet thereby forming a blister band. The cyclically operating sealing station has an associated cyclically operating first drive device for discontinuously transporting the bottom sheet and the cover sheet through the sealing station. A second drive device for the bottom sheet is thereby disposed between the filling station and the sealing station for discontinuously transporting the bottom sheet. The drive motions of the first drive device and the second drive device are superposed such that the bottom sheet is transported on the stationary filling station at a constant speed.

1 - 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A blister packaging machine for inserting products into cup-shaped depressions in a bottom sheet and for sealing a cover sheet onto the bottom sheet to form a blister band containing the products, the machine comprising: 
 a stationary filling station for inserting the products into the cup-shaped depressions of the bottom sheet;    a sealing station disposed downstream of said filling station to seal the cover sheet onto the bottom sheet for forming the blister band containing the products;    a cyclically operated first drive device for discontinuously transporting the bottom sheet and the cover sheet through said sealing station; and    a second drive device disposed between said filling station and said sealing station for discontinuously transporting the bottom sheet, wherein drive actions of said first and said second drive devices superpose such that the bottom sheet is transported through said filling station at constant speed.    
   
   
       10 . The blister packaging machine of  claim 9 , wherein said second drive device comprises a deflecting device which can be adjusted between a basic position and a deflected position to exert a tensile force on the bottom sheet in said filing station.  
   
   
       11 . The blister packaging machine of  claim 10 , wherein said deflecting device returns from said deflected position back into said basic position.  
   
   
       12 . The blister packaging machine of  claim 10 , wherein said deflecting device is adjusted substantially perpendicularly to a main transport direction of the bottom sheet.  
   
   
       13 . The blister packaging machine of  claim 10 , wherein said deflecting device comprises a shaft which is adjusted by a motor, with several mutually separated deflecting discs disposed on said shaft.  
   
   
       14 . The blister packaging machine of  claim 13 , wherein a mutual separation between said deflecting discs along said shaft can be changed.  
   
   
       15 . The blister packaging machine of  claim 13 , wherein said deflecting discs are rotatably disposed on said shaft.  
   
   
       16 . The blister packaging machine of  claim 10 , wherein said deflecting device comprises several guide elements on which an open side of the cup-shaped depressions in the bottom sheet is supported.