Patch transfer and inspection apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides an interlinked device for producing sealed packaging units, with a clocked delivery device for web-like material, with a separating device for separating in each case at least one portion of the web-like material, with a clocked packaging device, and with a sealing device, the sum of the stoppage intervals per cycle of the delivery device differing from the sum of the stoppage intervals per cycle of the packaging device, and a method for producing such a packaging unit. For this purpose, the device comprises an intermediate conveyor device which, in the material flow, is arranged between the delivery device and the packaging device. An optical inspection device is also arranged on the intermediate conveyor device and used at least for geometric inspection of the separated portion. With the present invention, a device and a method are disclosed for producing packaging units in an interlinked device, in which the content of the packaging unit can be inspected.

1 . An interlinked device ( 1 ) for producing sealed packaging units ( 80 ), the device ( 1 ) including a clocked delivery device ( 10 ) adapted to carry a web-like material ( 90 ), the clocked delivery device ( 10 ) having at least one stoppage time interval ( 102 ) per cycle, a separating device ( 20 ) operatively connected to the clocked delivery device ( 10 ) and adapted to separate in each case at least one portion ( 95 ) of the web-like material ( 90 ), a clocked packaging device ( 50 ) operatively connected to the clocked delivery device ( 10 ) and adapted to place an upper packaging material web ( 51 ) and a lower packaging material web ( 52 ) on the at least one portion ( 95 ) of the web-like material ( 90 ), the clocked packaging device ( 50 ) having at least one stoppage time interval ( 109 ) per cycle, a sealing device ( 60 ) operatively connected to the clocked packaging device ( 50 ) and adapted to seal the upper packaging material web ( 51 ) and the lower packaging material web ( 52 ) on to the at least one portion ( 95 ) of the web-like material ( 90 ), the sum of the time of the stoppage intervals ( 102 ) per cycle of the delivery device ( 10 ) differing from the sum of the time of the stoppage intervals ( 109 ) per cycle of the packaging device ( 50 ), an intermediate conveyor device ( 30 ) adapted to carry the at least one portion ( 95 ) of the web-like material ( 90 ), the intermediate conveyor device operatively arranged between the delivery device ( 10 ) and the packaging device ( 50 ), and an inspection device ( 40 ) adapted to inspect the surface ( 96 ) of the at least one portion ( 95 ) of the web-like material, the inspection device ( 40 ) operatively arranged with the intermediate conveyor device ( 30 ) for at least geometric inspection of the at least one portion ( 95 ) of the web-like material ( 90 ). 
   
   
       2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the delivery device ( 10 ), the intermediate conveyor device ( 30 ) and the packaging device ( 50 ) are all adapted to have conveying speeds at least approximately the same outside of the stoppage intervals ( 102 ,  109 ). 
   
   
       3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the delivery device ( 10 ) further comprises an intermittent conveyor ( 11 ). 
   
   
       4 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sum of the time of the stoppage intervals ( 102 ) per cycle of the delivery device ( 10 ) is greater than the sum of the time of the stoppage intervals ( 109 ) per cycle of the packaging device ( 50 ). 
   
   
       5 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inspection device ( 40 ) comprises a camera ( 41 ). 
   
   
       6 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate conveyor device ( 30 ) further comprises a conveyor belt ( 34 ) and a suction device ( 36 ) in operative relationship with the conveyor belt ( 34 ). 
   
   
       7 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the packaging device ( 50 ) further comprises an incremental sensor adapted to control at least the delivery device ( 10 ) and/or the intermediate conveyor device ( 30 ). 
   
   
       8 . A method for producing sealed packaging units ( 80 ) in an interlinked device ( 1 ), said method comprising:
 delivering a web-like starting material ( 90 ) in a clocked manner,   separating portions ( 95 ) of the web-like starting material ( 90 ) from the web-like starting material ( 90 ) by means of a separating device ( 20 ) during a stoppage time interval ( 102 ) of the delivery device ( 10 ),   inspecting the portions ( 95 ) with an inspection device ( 40 ) at least geometrically on an intermediate conveyor device ( 30 ) arranged downstream of the separating device ( 20 ) in the material flow,   delivering a lower packaging material web ( 52 ) and an upper packaging material web ( 51 ) to the portions ( 95 ) by a clocked packaging device ( 50 ),   transferring the portions ( 95 ) by the intermediate conveyor device ( 30 ) between the packaging material webs ( 51 ,  52 ), and   sealing the packaging material webs ( 51 ,  52 ) onto each other in a sealing device ( 60 ) such that the packaging unit ( 80 ) is closed in a moisture-tight and aroma-tight manner during a stoppage time interval ( 109 ) of the packaging device ( 50 ).   
   
   
       9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein conveying speeds of the delivery device ( 10 ), of the intermediate conveyor device ( 30 ) and of the packaging device ( 50 ) are at least approximately the same outside of the stoppage intervals ( 102 ,  109 ). 
   
   
       10 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the stoppage time interval ( 109 ) per cycle of the packaging device ( 50 ) is shorter than the stoppage time interval ( 102 ) per cycle of the delivery device ( 10 ).