Vacuum Skin Packaging of a Product Arranged on a Support

Abstract

A machine for vacuum skin packaging a product is 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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of packaging a product arranged on a support, the method comprising:
 arranging a product on each of one or more supports;   unrolling a length of film from a film roll of a roll supporting assembly,   moving the one or more supports with a respective product arranged thereon to a packaging assembly;   transversally cutting, at a cutting assembly, one or more cut film sheets from the unrolled length of film, wherein the cutting assembly is distinct from the packaging assembly and the cutting assembly is located between the roll supporting assembly and the packaging assembly;   transferring said one or more cut film sheets from the cutting assembly to the packaging assembly in a position above said one or more supports having the respective product arranged thereon; and   air-tightly fixing, in the packaging assembly, each of said one or more cut film sheets to the respective of said one or more supports.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 removing air from within said one or more supports positioned in the packaging assembly below the respective of said one or more cut film sheets to form one or more vacuum skin packages.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each of said one or more supports comprises at least one hole and wherein removing the air comprises removing air through said at least one hole. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said one or more supports comprises a base wall and a sidewall, and wherein the at least one hole is located in the sidewall of the one or more supports. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein removing the air comprises removing air while holding the one or more cut film sheets in the packaging assembly and above the respective of said one or more supports. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein after a predefined low pressure is reached within said one or more supports or after expiration of a predefined time from start of the step of air removal, wherein the method further comprises:
 releasing the one or more cut film sheets, and   allowing the one or more cut film sheets to be drawn downwardly by a vacuum within the one or more supports and adhere to the product and to an inner surface of the one or more supports.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein removing the air comprises removing air while the one or more cut film sheets in the packaging assembly adhere to a heated surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein removing the air comprises removing air through the at least one hole with the one or more cut film sheets tightly adhering to the one or more supports. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transversally cutting the unrolled length of film forms cut film sheets each of length matching a length of the respective of said one or more supports. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transversally cutting the unrolled length of film forms cut film sheets each of width and length respectively matching a width and length of a corresponding of said one or more supports. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more cut film sheets are transferred from the cutting assembly to the packaging assembly by a transfer plate movable from the cutting assembly to the packaging assembly and vice versa. 
     
     
         12 . A system for packaging a product arranged on a support, the system comprising:
 a roll supporting assembly having a film roll;   a cutting assembly configured to transversely cut the one or more cut film sheets from a length of film unrolled from the film roll; and   a packaging assembly configured to air-tightly fix each of said one or more cut film sheets to the respective of said one or more supports;   wherein the cutting assembly is distinct from the packaging assembly and the cutting assembly is located between the roll supporting assembly and the packaging assembly;   wherein the system is configured to move the one or more supports with a respective product arranged thereon to the packaging assembly; and   wherein the system is further configured to transfer said one or more cut film sheets from the cutting assembly to the packaging assembly in a position above said one or more supports having the respective product arranged thereon.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the packaging assembly is further configured to remove air from within said one or more supports positioned in the packaging assembly below the respective of said one or more cut film sheets to form one or more vacuum skin packages. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each of said one or more supports comprises at least one hole and wherein the packaging assembly is further configured to remove air through said at least one hole. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said one or more supports comprises a base wall and a sidewall, and wherein the at least one hole is located in the sidewall of the one or more supports. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the packaging assembly is configured to remove air while holding the one or more cut film sheets in the packaging assembly and above the respective of said one or more supports. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the packaging assembly is configured to remove air through the at least one hole with the one or more cut film sheets tightly adhering to the one or more supports. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each of the one or more cut film sheets has a length matching the length of the respective of said one or more supports. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each of the one or more cut film sheets has a width and length respectively matching the width and length of a corresponding of said one or more supports. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the system further comprises:
 a transfer plate configured to transfer the one or more cut film sheets to the packaging assembly, wherein the transfer plate is movable from the cutting assembly to the packaging assembly and vice versa.