US20070022716A1 - Method of packaging coffee and a packaging machine for packaging coffee - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention provides a novel method of packaging coffee and a machine therefor. Such a method comprises conveying an outer wrapper in a machine direction, applying a tear tape to the outer wrapper at an angle to the machine direction, wrapping the outer wrapper around an inner bag, and filling the inner bag with coffee before or after wrapping with the outer wrapper.

Description

FIELD
• The invention relates to a method of packaging coffee and a packaging machine for packaging coffee.
BACKGROUND
• In the field of packaging food products, in particular coffee, several aspects, which involve specific requirements, have to be taken into account. Firstly, the coffee is to be packaged in a hermetic manner so as to keep its freshness and taste. Secondly, the packaging operation should be performed as economically as possible. Thirdly, it is desirable that the consumer will be able to open the package easily. Finally, both the closed and the opened package should exhibit an attractive outer appearance.
• EP 0 298 302 B1 discloses a vacuum pack for ground coffee, which consists of a tube of multilayer composite sheet which is provided with a tear-open strip. The vacuum pack can be wrapped in an outer wrapper, which can be made of paper. Such types of coffee packages are also available on the market, for example, for the Applicant's Jacobs Krönung-brand. DE 38 33 939 A1 and DE 38 28 847 A1 disclose similar vacuum packs.
• EP 0 121 371 B2 relates to a method of producing filmic packaging material, to which a tear tape is adhered in a machine direction, i.e., in a direction, in which the packaging material is conveyed in the packaging machine.
SUMMARY
• This invention provides a novel method of packaging coffee and a machine therefor. Such a method comprises conveying an outer wrapper in a machine direction, applying a tear tape to the outer wrapper at an angle to the machine direction, wrapping the outer wrapper around an inner bag, and filling the inner bag with coffee before or after wrapping with the outer wrapper.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a flow diagram depicting a method of packaging coffee;
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a partially opened coffee package;
• FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a device for applying tear tape to an outer wrapper of a coffee package;
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device ofFIG. 3 for applying tear tape to an outer wrapper of a coffee package; and
• FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the device ofFIG. 3 for applying tear tape to an outer wrapper of a coffee package.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The invention provides a method100 of packaging coffee, as illustrated inFIG. 1, which can efficiently produce acoffee package101, illustrated inFIG. 2, which is both easy to open and has an attractive appearance after opening. Moreover, a packaging machine for carrying out such a method100 is provided, as illustrated inFIGS. 3-5.
• Accordingly, the novel method100 of packaging coffee includes the step of filling103 the coffee into aninner bag104. Filling103 the coffee into theinner bag104 can be preformed before or after anouter wrapper105, which is described in more detail below, is wrapped106 around theinner bag104. Generally, the method100 and the machine described herein are also suitable for packaging other food products, preferably hermeticinner bag104, in which the food product is contained, and which is wrapped106 in anouter wrapper105. As an example, it can be mentioned that the method100 and device described herein are also suitable for packaging rice. Thus, the invention generally relates tosuch packages101, independent of their contents.
• Theinner bag104 can consist of an airtight and/or hermetic material in order to constitute a vacuum pack in the final state. Theinner bag104 can be formed107 by wrapping a suitable material around a mandrel and forming a first end seal as well as a side seal. Thus, one end remains open, and coffee is filled103 into thebag104 at this end either before or after theouter wrapper105 is wrapped106 around theinner bag104. Afterwards, an evacuating step can be carried out, and the second end can be sealed thereafter.
• In the novel method100 of packaging coffee, anouter wrapper105 is wrapped106 around theinner bag104. Theouter wrapper105 can be made of paper, plastic film or laminate, for example, consisting of paper and a plastic film or a suitably coated paper, and, with reference toFIG. 4, is conveyed108 in amachine direction111. In particular, theouter wrapper105, rather a continuous web of pluralouter wrappers105 is conveyed108 in the form of a web, and individualouter wrappers105 are cut at an appropriate state. In particular, theouter wrapper105 can be partially wrapped106 around theinner bag104, before the individualouter wrapper105 is cut from the web. However, individualouter wrappers105 can also be cut, before they are fed in to the packaging machine and conveyed108 into themachine direction111. Finally, cutting of individualouter wrappers105 can also be performed at any other appropriate time, for example, just before thewrapper105 is wrapped106 around theinner bag104. A currently preferred process can be described as follows. Theinner bag104 is cut from a web, wrapped around a mandrel and a first end seal and a side seal are formed107. The individualouter wrapper105 is also cut from a web, and wrapped106 around theinner bag104. In this state, theinner bag104 can still be on the mandrel. Afterwards coffee is filled103 into theinner bag104, an evacuating step can be conducted, and both theinner bag104 and theouter wrapper105 are closed. As mentioned, theouter wrapper105 can also be wrapped106 around theinner bag104, when the latter is already filled with coffee, and an optional evacuating step has been conducted.
• In any case, individualouter wrappers105 are wrapped106 around theinner bag104, in order to form acoffee package101 with an attractive appearance. In particular, a material of theinner bag104 can be specifically chosen so as to fulfill the requirements regarding airtightness, sealability and so on. Independent therefrom, the material of theouter wrapper105 can be chosen to provide the desired attractive appearance.
• In order to allow for easy opening of thepackage101,tear tapes109 are applied110 to theouter wrapper105. Thisapplication110 can be performed, while pluralouter wrappers105 are still present as a web. As an alternative, theindividual tear tape109 can also be applied110 to a individualouter wrapper105, after the latter has been cut from a web. Normally, onetear tape109 is applied110 to each individualouter wrapper105. Referring toFIG. 5, thisapplication110 is, in a novel manner, performed at an angle θ to themachine direction111. In particular, thetear tapes109 can be applied110 substantially perpendicular to themachine direction111, in other words in a cross-machine direction. This allows for an efficient method100 for packaging coffee, and, at the same time, provides an easy-to-open package101.
• This is because, theinner bag104 can be formed107, filled103 and sealed in one and the same packaging machine and “in line” with the wrapping106 of theouter wrappers105. Due to theapplication110 of thetear tapes109 at an angle θ to themachine direction111, thetear tapes109 will extend across thefinal package101, preferably horizontally in anupright package101 with the end seals of theinner bag104 being located at thebottom113 andtop114 of thepackage101. Referring now toFIG. 2, thetop part115 of theouter wrapper105 can, for example, be removed after thetear tape109 has been gripped and torn around thepackage101. This allows, firstly, easy opening of both theouter wrapper105 and theinner bag104, as the area, where theinner bag104 is to opened, is exposed by removal of apart115 of theouter wrapper105. Moreover, also in the opened state, thepackage101 exhibits an attractive appearance, as amajor part116 of theouter wrapper105 can stay intact and has a relativelystraight edge117, where thetear tape109 has been torn, and only apart115 of theouter wrapper105 has been removed. In particular, when amajor part116 of theouter wrapper105 remains on theinner bag104, thesurface118 thereof is still visible on theopened package101, and the “branding”, any product information and the like is still legible on theopened package101. This is also beneficial for the consumer, as he can easily realize what the openedpackage101 contains. Preferred embodiments of the method described herein are specified in dependent claims
• As mentioned above, specific advantages can be obtained for thecoffee package101, when thetear tapes109 are applied110 in a direction substantially perpendicular to themachine direction111. This particularly implies that thetear tape109 is oriented substantially horizontally in anupright package101 so that the above-mentioned advantageous effects can be realized. Thepackage101 is to be considered in an upright position, when any printing thereon is legible, and the end seals of theinner bag104 are normally located at the bottom113 and top114 of thepackage101, in this upright state.
• Generally, the invention is independent of certain details regarding theapplication110 of thetear tapes109. However, referring toFIG. 4, thetear tapes109 can be advantageously be applied110 to arear side119 of anouter wrapper105, which is printed on afront side118. In other words, theouter face118 of theouter wrapper105 is printed, in order to provide both an attractive appearance and product information. Thetear tape109 of thepackage101 is “hidden” by being applied110 to the (inner)rear side119 of theouter wrapper105. Thefront side118 can contain an indication that atear tape109 is present, in order to assist the consumer in finding and using thetear tape109, when thepackage101 is to be opened. It can, however, also be mentioned that thetear tape109 can also be applied110 on an outer face or afront side118 of theouter wrapper105. In such a case, thetear tape109 can be particularly wide and can be printed in order to make the consumer especially aware of the presence of thetear tape109 and/or provide additional product information in a particularly exposed manner.
• It has been found particularly advantageous for the method100 of packaging coffee, when thetear tapes109 are applied110 in a self-adhesive state. In this embodiment, theapplication110 of thetear tapes109 can be conducted particularly efficiently.
• Moreover, thetear tapes109 can also be applied110 in a sealable state. Thus, they can be heat or cold sealed to theouter wrapper105. Finally, they can be suitably glued to theouter wrapper105.
• Moreover, tests have shown that it provides advantages if thetear tapes109 are, before they are applied110 to theouter wrapper105, cut to a predetermined width. In other words, thetear tapes109 are supplied to theouter wrapper105 with the required width so that they do not need to be cut to the predetermined width immediately before theirapplication110 to theouter wrapper105. Moreover, thetear tapes109 will normally be cut to the appropriate length, preferably extending across the completeouter wrapper105. This cutting to length can be performed before, during or after thetear tape109 is applied110 to theouter wrapper105.
• In order to merely need onecutter120 in connection with thetear tapes109, these can be supplied asrolls121 having a continuous strip oftear tapes109 with the desired width wound thereon.
• In the novel method100 of packaging coffee, thetear tapes109 are preferably applied110 intermittently, which is advantageously compatible with theintermittent filling103 and packaging of coffee packages101. Experiments have shown that the inventive method100 currently allows up to 130 or evenmore coffee packages101 to be produced per minute which corresponds to an efficient method100 of producing easy-to-open packages101.
• The above-mentioned object underlying the invention is, moveover, solved by the packaging machine described in claim8.
• Corresponding to the method100 described above, the packaging machine includes a device for forming107 aninner bag104, a device for filling103 coffee into theinner bag104, preferably a device for sealing theinner bag104, aconveyer122 for conveying108 anouter wrapper105 in amachine direction111, adevice123 for applying110tear tapes109 to theouter wrapper105 at an angle θ to amachine direction111, and a device for wrapping106 theouter wrapper105 around theinner bag104. This list of components of the packaging machine described herein does not imply any particular order of method steps. Rather, numerous alternatives, as detailed above in connection with the inventive method100, are possible.
• Preferred embodiments of the packaging machine described herein substantially correspond to preferred embodiments of the inventive method100.
• In addition, the packaging machine can include a cutter for cutting thetear tapes109 to a predetermined width.
• Moreover, with reference toFIG. 3, thedevice123 for applying110 thetear tapes109 can include a device for accommodating at least oneroll121 oftear tapes109. This allows thetear tapes109 to be supplied as a continuous strip of material, from whichindividual tear tapes109 are cut and applied110 to theouter wrapper105.
• In order to be compatible with well-established machines for forming107 theinner bag104 of thecoffee package101, the device for forming107 theinner bag104 can include a mandrel, around which the material, which is to form theinner bag104, is wrapped and sealed at one end and the side.

Claims (12)

1. A method of packaging coffee, wherein the coffee is filled into an inner bag, and an outer wrappers is conveyed in a machine direction and wrapped around the inner bag before or after filling the coffee into the inner bag, and wherein tear tapes are applied to the outer wrapper at an angel to the machine direction.

2. The method in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the tear tapes are applied in a direction substantially perpendicular to the machine direction.

3. The method in accordance withclaim 1 or2, wherein the outer wrapper has a front side, which can be printed, and the tear tapes are applied to a rear side of the outer wrapper.

4. The method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein the tear tapes are applied in a self-adhesive state.

5. The method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein the tear tapes are, before being applied to the outer wrappers, cut to a predetermined width.

6. The method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein the tear tapes are supplied as rolls having a predetermined width.

7. The method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein the tear tapes are applied intermittently.

8. A packaging machine for packaging coffee, including a device for forming an inner bag, a device for filling coffee into the inner bag, a conveyer for conveying an outer wrapper in a machine direction, a device for applying tear tapes to outer wrapper at an angle to the machine direction, and a device for wrapping the outer wrapper around the inner bag.

9. The package machine in accordance withclaim 8, wherein the device for applying the tear tapes is adapted to apply the tear tapes in a direction substantially perpendicular to the machine direction.

10. The packaging machine in accordance withclaim 8 or9, further including a cutter for cutting the tear tapes to a predetermined width.

11. The packaging machine in accordance with any ofclaims 8 to10, wherein the device for applying the tear tapes includes a device for accommodating at least one roll of tear tapes.

12. The packaging machine in accordance with any ofclaims 8 to11, wherein the device for forming the inner bag includes a mandrel.

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