Vacuum Skin Packaging of a Product Arranged on a Support

Abstract

It is disclosed a machine for vacuum skin packaging a product arranged on a support. The support has a sidewall with at least one hole. The machine comprises a first film transfer plate configured for holding a film sheet, heating the film sheet, bringing the film sheet to a position above the support with the product arranged thereon and air tightly fixing the film sheet to the support. The machine also comprises a vacuum arrangement for removing air from within the support underneath the film sheet through the at least one hole. The first film transfer plate is configured to release the film sheet thereby allowing the film sheet to be drawn into the support while the vacuum arrangement is removing air from within the support.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A machine for vacuum skin packaging a first product between a first film sheet and a first support having a sidewall with at least one hole, the machine comprising:
 a base adapted to support the first support;   a film sheet supply station; and   a first film transfer plate having a first surface adapted to provide a vacuum to hold the first film sheet on the first surface, to heat the first film sheet held on the first surface, and to release the vacuum to release the first film sheet from the first surface;   wherein the first film transfer plate is moveable between
 (i) a film receiving position to engage the film sheet supply station and receive the first film sheet on the surface of the first film transfer plate; and 
 (ii) a film delivery position to engage the base to create a vacuum chamber enclosing the first film sheet and the first support; 
   wherein the base is adapted to evacuate air from within the vacuum chamber thereby withdrawing air through the at least one hole of the sidewall of the first support within the vacuum chamber to draw the first film sheet from the first surface of the first film transfer plate to vacuum skin package the first product supported by the first support between the first film sheet and the first support.   
     
     
         17 . The machine of  claim 16  for vacuum skin packaging first and second products between corresponding first and second film sheets and first and second supports each having a sidewall with at least one hole wherein:
 the base is adapted to sequentially support the first and second supports; 
 the film sheet supply station is adapted to sequentially supply the first and second film sheets; 
 the machine further comprises a second film transfer plate having a second surface adapted to provide a vacuum to hold the second film sheet on the second surface, to heat the second film sheet held on the second surface, and to reverse the vacuum to release the second film sheet from the second surface; 
 wherein the first film transfer plate and the second film transfer plate are alternatingly moveable between
 (i) the film receiving position to engage the film sheet supply station and receive the first film sheet on the first surface of the first film transfer plate and the second film sheet on the second surface of the second film transfer plate; and 
 (ii) the film delivery position to engage the base to create a vacuum chamber enclosing the first film sheet and the corresponding first support and the second film sheet and the corresponding second support. 
 
 
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 17  further comprising a rotatable cylinder suitable for rotating about its axis, wherein the first and second film transfer plates are connected to the rotatable cylinder so that as the rotatable cylinder rotates about its axis the first and second film transfer plates are alternatingly moved between the film receiving position and the film delivery position. 
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 17  wherein the film supply station comprises:
 a moveable cutting blade adapted to cut the first and second film sheets from a supply of film; and 
 a backing plate adapted to retain the first and second film sheets. 
 
     
     
         20 . The machine of  claim 19  wherein the backing plate comprises a plurality of holes suitable for drawing vacuum to retain the first and second film sheets. 
     
     
         21 . The machine of  claim 19  wherein in the film receiving position the first film transfer plate is adapted to engage the backing plate to receive the first film sheet from the backing plate and the second film transfer plate is adapted to engage the backing plate to receive the second film sheet from the backing plate. 
     
     
         22 . The machine of  claim 17  wherein each of the first surface of the film transfer plate and the second surface of the second film transfer plate comprise at least one opening connected to a vacuum source. 
     
     
         23 . The machine of  claim 17  wherein the base comprises an outer fixed element and an inner slidable element within the outer fixed element, the inner slidable element adapted to sequentially support the first and second supports, the outer fixed element comprising one or more vacuum conduits connected to a vacuum source. 
     
     
         24 . The machine of  claim 17  wherein the base comprises:
 a moveable outer element capable of engaging the first or second film transfer plates in the film delivery position, the moveable outer element defining a central cavity; 
 a fixed baseplate configured to fit within the central cavity; and 
 an adapter configured to sequentially support the first and second supports and comprising a plurality of levelling feet; 
 wherein the adapter is moveable between a disengaged position in which the adapter is supported by the fixed baseplate and the levelling feet extend beneath the fixed baseplate, and an engaged position in which the moveable outer element supports the plurality of levelling feet to elevate the adapter so that it is not supported by the fixed baseplate. 
 
     
     
         25 . A method for vacuum skin packaging comprising:
 supporting on a base a first support that supports a first product, the first support having a side wall comprising at least one hole;   holding by vacuum a first film sheet against a first surface of a first film transfer plate;   heating the first film sheet while it is held against the first surface;   moving the first film transfer plate to engage the base to create a vacuum chamber enclosing the first film sheet and the first support supporting the first product so that the first film sheet engages the first support to enclose the first product between the first film sheet and the first support;   removing air from within the vacuum chamber to withdraw air through the at least one hole of the first support; and   releasing the first film sheet from the first surface of the first film transfer plate so that the first film is drawn and sealed against the first support to cover the at least one hole and to vacuum skin package the first product between the first film sheet and the first support.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising:
 sequentially supporting the first support and a second support on the base, the second support supporting a second product and having a side wall comprising at least one hole; 
 holding by vacuum a second film sheet against a second surface of a second film transfer plate; 
 heating the second film sheet while it is held against the second surface; 
 moving the second film transfer plate to engage the base to create a vacuum chamber enclosing the second film sheet and the second support supporting the second product so that the second film sheet engages the second support to enclose the second product between the second film sheet and the second support; 
 removing air from within the vacuum chamber to withdraw air through the at least one hole of the second support; and 
 releasing the second film sheet from the second surface of the second film transfer plate so that the second film is drawn and sealed against the second support to cover the at least one hole and to vacuum skin package the second product between the second film sheet and the second support; 
 wherein the movement of the first and second film transfer plates alternate to sequentially engage the base to create the vacuum chamber. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the release of the first and second film sheets occurs at a predefined pressure within the vacuum chamber of less than 50 mBar. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the release of the first and second film sheets occurs at a predefined time after creation of the vacuum chamber of between 0.5 and 2.5 seconds. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the first and second film transfer plates are connected to a rotatable cylinder so that as the rotatable cylinder rotates about its axis the first and second film transfer plates alternate to sequentially engage the base to create the vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein:
 the first and second film transfer plates alternatingly and sequentially receive film sheets cut from a supply of film by a moveable cutting blade; 
 each cut film sheet is sequentially retained by a backing plate; and 
 the first and second film transfer plates alternatively engage the backing plate to receive each cut film sheet. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26  wherein:
 the base comprises an outer fixed element and an inner slidable element within the outer fixed element; 
 the inner slidable element sequentially supports the first and second supports; and 
 the inner slidable element moves to sequentially position one of the first and second supports within the outer fixed element before the vacuum chamber is formed. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26  wherein:
 the base comprises:
 a moveable outer element defining a central cavity and a fixed baseplate configured to fit within the central cavity; and 
 an adapter configured to sequentially support the first and second supports and comprising a plurality of levelling feet; and 
 
 the moveable outer element moves:
 to sequentially engage the first and second film transfer plates and create the vacuum chamber; and 
 to engage the levelling feet to elevate the adapter from the fixed baseplate so that the adapter is not supported by the baseplate and the corresponding first or second film sheet is pressed against the corresponding first or second support supported by the adapter.