Tetra Pak Patent Attorneys

A cap arrangement (100) configured to close a neck (11) for a food package (10) containing a liquid or semi-liquid food product is disclosed. The cap arrangement (100) comprising a cap (110) having a top (111) configured to close an upper part of the neck (11) and a cap wall (112) extending from the top (111) along a first axis (A1), wherein the top (111) has an inner surface (111a) surrounded by the cap wall (112), and a gasket (130) being engaged with and covering the inner surface (111a) of the top (111), wherein the cap (110) is made with a natural fiber-based material. It is also disclosed a food package (10) for holding a liquid or semi-liquid food product.

There is described a splicing device (20) for a strip application apparatus (7) configured to splice a new sealing strip (21) onto a sealing strip (8) in use, each one of the new sealing strip (21) and the sealing strip (8) in use being made of a heat-sealable material; the splicing device (20) comprises a sealing unit (22) configured to seal the new sealing strip (21) onto the sealing strip (8) in use; the sealing unit (22) comprises a first sealing group (23) configured to execute a first sealing operation so as to seal a first sealing portion (31) of the sealing strip (8) in use and a second sealing portion (32) of the new sealing strip (21) to one another; a cutting group (27) configured to cut the sealing strip (8) in use after the first sealing operation downstream of the first sealing portion (31) along the strip advancement path (S) thereby obtaining a combined sealing strip (25) comprising protruding portions (28) projecting from the combined sealing strip (25) ; and a second sealing group (29) distinct from the first sealing group (23) and configured to seal the protruding portions (28) onto the combined sealing strip (25) during a second sealing operation.

A packaging apparatus for forming sealed packages (2) partially-filled with a pourable product, comprises: a tube forming and sealing device (3), configured to form a tube (4) from an advancing web (5) of packaging material and to longitudinally seal the tube (4); a filling device (6), including a product feeding pipe (60) extending from an inlet (61) to an outlet (62) and comprising a first portion (63), proximal to the inlet (61), and a second portion (64), proximal to the outlet (62), and configured to direct the pourable product into the tube (4) for obtaining a product column (7) within the tube (4); a gas feeding device (8), comprising a gas feeding duct (80) configured to direct a sterile gas into the product column (7), so that a gas cushion (71) is formed and/or maintained within the product column (7); a package forming unit (9), for forming and transversally sealing the tube (4) for obtaining the packages (2), so that each package (2) is filled with the pourable product and contains a gas space (10) containing a defined volume of the sterile gas present within the gas cushion (71). The gas feeding duct (80) includes an inner portion (81) at least partially positioned inside the product feeding pipe (60) .

A damper arrangement (1) for reducing pressure pulsations in a fluid line (9) filled with a liquid product (LP) is disclosed. The arrangement comprises a vessel (7) in fluid communication with the fluid line (9), an air supply (21) configured to provide air, and a regulation valve (41) for controlling the passage of air into the vessel (7) to form an air pocket (71). A pressure sensor (5) generates pressure data (P1) indicative of the pressure in the fluid line (9). A control unit (80) is configured to receive the pressure data (P1), determine, based on the received pressure data (P1), a feed pressure (Pf1) at which air is to be supplied, control the air supply (21) to supply air at the feed pressure (Pf1), and control the regulation valve (41) to regulate the passage of air into the vessel (7).

There is described a packaging machine (1) for producing packages (2) starting from a web (4) of packaging material and comprising: a plurality of folding rollers (6) configured to interact with the web (4) to fold the web (4) into a tube (3); a heating device (13) for heating the packaging material at a heating station (H); a presser roller (14) designed to be located inside the tube (3) arranged downstream of the heating station (H) and configured to press the heated packaging material against the folding roller (6); the heating device (13) and the folding roller (6) are configured to be moved selectively in: a first position, in which the heating device (13) faces, a first section (52) of the tube (3) at the heating station (H) and upstream of the presser roller (14), and in which the folding roller (6) cooperates in abutment with the presser roller (14); a second position, in which the folding roller (6) is spaced from the presser roller (14) and in which the heating device (13) faces a second section (53) of the tube (3) arranged downstream of the heating station (H); a third position, in which the folding roller (6) is spaced from the presser roller (14) for allowing a distancing of the packaging material away from the presser roller (14), and in which the heating device (13) is inoperative.

A packaging apparatus for forming sealed packages (2) partially-filled with a pourable product, comprises: a tube forming and sealing device (3), configured to form a tube (4) from an advancing web (5) of packaging material and to longitudinally seal the tube (4); a filling device (6), including a product feeding pipe (60) extending from an inlet (61) to an outlet (62) and presenting an inner surface (67) and a pipe axis (A2), and configured to direct the pourable product into the tube (4) for obtaining a product column (7) within the tube (4); a gas feeding device (8), comprising a gas feeding duct (80) configured to direct a sterile gas into the product column (7) so that a gas cushion (71) is formed and/or maintained within the product column (7); a package forming unit (9), for forming and transversally sealing the tube (4) for obtaining the packages (2), so that each package (2) is filled with the pourable product and contains a gas space (10) containing a defined volume of the sterile gas present within the gas cushion (71). The apparatus (1) includes a channel (68) that develops around the pipe axis (A2) and provides the outlet (62) of the product feeding pipe (60), and is configured to convey the product at the outlet (62) of the product feeding pipe (60) in an ejecting direction (D1) having a component radially diverging with respect to the pipe axis (A1).

There is described a packaging machine (1) comprising a conveying device for advancing a web (4) of packaging material; a web folding device (5) including a plurality of folding rollers (6) configured to fold the web (4) into a tube (3) by superimposing a first longitudinal edge (4a) of the web (4) onto a second longitudinal edge (4b) of the web (4) thereby defining a superimposing region (50) of the tube (3); a heating device (13) configured to heat the tube (3); a presser roller (14) located inside the tube (3) and configured to press the superimposing region (50) against one folding roller (6) for providing the tube (3) with a longitudinal seal (11); a resting member (16) located inside the tube (3) and configured to receive in abutment said folding roller (6) with the interposition of the packaging material of the tube (3), so that, in use, the packaging material is pressed between said folding roller (6) and the resting member (16).

A packaging apparatus for forming sealed packages (2) partially-filled with a pourable product, comprises: a tube forming and sealing device (3), configured to form a tube (4) from an advancing web (5) of packaging material and to longitudinally seal the tube (4); a filling device (6), including a product feeding pipe (60) extending from an inlet (61) to an outlet (62) and presenting a pipe axis (A2), and configured to direct the pourable product into the tube (4) for obtaining a product column (7), within the tube (4), extending primarily along a vertical direction; a gas feeding device (8), comprising a gas feeding duct (80) extending from a first end (87) to a second end (88) and having a duct axis (A3) , and configured to direct a sterile gas into the product column (7) so that a gas cushion (71) is formed and/or maintained within the product column (7); a package forming unit (9), for forming and transversally sealing the tube (4) for obtaining the packages (2), so that each package (2) is filled with the pourable product and contains a gas space (10) containing a defined volume of the sterile gas present within the gas cushion (71). The gas feeding device (8) includes a nozzle (100), defining a gas outlet (89), placed at a lower quote with respect to the outlet (62) of the product feeding pipe (60), along the product column (7), and configured to eject the gas into the product column (7).

There is described a packaging blank (2, 2', 2", 2‴, 2ʺʺ, 2ʺ‴) comprising a top crease pattern (44) having a first transversal crease line (48) with a front portion (51), one or more back portions (52) and two auxiliary crease lines (73), each auxiliary crease line (53) being interposed between one respective back portion (52) and the front portion (51). Each auxiliary crease line (53) and/or its respective linear imaginary extension intersects with the front portion (51) at a respective front intersection point (54) and with one respective back portion (52) at one respective back intersection point (55). Each auxiliary crease line (53) is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis (E) and/or the one or more back portions (52). The front portion (51) comprises two straight lateral portions (56) and a straight center portion (57). Each straight lateral portion (56) and/or its imaginary linear extension intersects with one respective front intersection point (54). Each straight lateral portion (56) and/or its imaginary linear extension intersects with the straight center portion (57) and/or its linear imaginary extension at a respective connection point (58). The connection points (58) are interposed between a bottom section of the packaging blank and the front intersection points (54).

Packaging line (1) for producing packages (5) comprising pourable product, each package (5) comprising a main body (5a) formed from a multilayered packaging material (3) having a first surface (4A) in contact with the product and a second surface (4B) opposite to the first surface (4A) and configured to form an outer surface of the package (5), each package (5) having a designated pour opening (5b), each package (5) further comprising an opening device (7) positioned at the pour opening (5b). The packaging line (1) comprises a printing apparatus (11) comprising a laser source (20) configured to print a marking pattern (16) on at least one between the first surface (4A) and/or the opening device (7).