Thermoform packaging machine

Abstract

A thermoform packaging machine comprising a forming station for producing troughs in a bottom film, a sealing station for sealing troughs that contain a product, and at least one cutting station arranged on a machine frame. The thermoform packaging machine may include at least two clamp chains for holding and conveying the bottom film in a production direction through the packaging machine. The clamp chains may be guided by chain guides that extend at least from the forming station along an infeed line to the sealing station. Each chain guide may include an upper guide surface and a lower guide surface between which a respective one of the clamp chains is guided. In one embodiment, the chain guides are oriented horizontally at and along both the forming station and the sealing station and the chain guide ascends from the forming station to the sealing station along the infeed line.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermoform packaging machine comprising:
 at least two clamp chains for holding a bottom film and for conveying the bottom film in a production direction of the thermoform packaging machine, wherein each of the clamp chains are guided in a chain guide;   a forming station for producing troughs in the bottom film, a sealing station and at least one cutting station, which are arranged on a machine frame in this sequence in the production direction, wherein the chain guides extend at least from the forming station along an infeed line to the sealing station, wherein the chain guides each comprise an upper guide surface and a lower guide surface between which a respective one of the at least two clamp chains is guided; and   the upper guide surface is oriented horizontally at and along the forming station and has a first vertical distance from an installation surface along the forming station, wherein the chain guides are oriented horizontally at and along the sealing station and the upper guide surface has a second vertical distance from the installation surface along the sealing station; and   wherein the second distance is larger than the first distance by at least 100 mm, and wherein the chain guides have an ascending orientation along the infeed line.   
     
     
         2 . The thermoform packaging machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the chain guides are inclined at an angle (β) of 10° to 30° relative to the horizontal along the infeed line. 
     
     
         3 . The thermoform packaging machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the chain guides are substantially continuous from the forming station along the infeed line to the sealing station. 
     
     
         4 . The thermoform packaging machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming station is configured to form troughs in the bottom film having a trough depth of at least 100 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The thermoform packaging machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming station comprises a male die part used in the trough forming process. 
     
     
         6 . A packaging assembly comprising a thermoform packaging machine of  claim 1  and a product infeed belt, wherein the product infeed belt has an inclination at an angle of less than five degrees (5°) relative to the horizontal. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the product infeed belt includes a retractable belt. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the product infeed belt has a vertical dimension of less than 50 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the product infeed belt is provided above the forming station and extends to the infeed line and partially along the infeed line. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein a first advance movement of the product infeed belt is synchronized with a second advance movement of the clamp chains such that a product can be fed into the trough of the bottom film while the trough is being advanced in the second advance movement.