Abstract: A vertical stand-up pouch or flexible package, and method for manufacturing same, constructed by modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The invention involves producing a vertical stand-up pouch from a single sheet of packaging film by creating a vertical crease along one edge of a packaging film tube prior to forming a transverse seal on the tube. Said vertical crease is formed using a stationary tucker bar positioned outside the packaging film tube and between two forming plates positioned inside the packaging film tube.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the production of a spiral or coil shaped puffed extrudate. A tube or other peripheral containment vessel is placed at the exit end of an extruder die. A force or resistance is then applied on the extrudate downstream of the glass transition point, thereby causing the extrudate to back up and coil in the containment vessel.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for forming and filling tubes containing a product, with the filling process taking place from the longer side of the tube, rather than the shorter side. An elongated product delivery tube contains product diverters that evenly spread out the product, allowing a clean seal in less time. An optional vibrator helps the product to settle quickly. Throughput is increased over the prior art, as well as facilitating improvements in opening the tube and in marketing.

Abstract: A sunroof apparatus comprises a drive motor which actuates a roof glass and a control section. The control section rotates the drive motor reversely when the movement of the sunroof is obstructed by a caught foreign matter. When a drive voltage to be supplied to the drive motor becomes lower than a reference voltage, the control section determines that the drive voltage is abnormal and stops supplying the drive voltage to the drive motor to inhibit the drive motor from being operated. A first reference voltage is used as the reference voltage at the time the drive motor is stopped, and a second reference voltage lower than the first reference voltage is used as the reference voltage at the time the drive motor is operated. It is therefore possible to detect a foreign matter being caught before an abnormality of the drive voltage is determined.

Abstract: A DC motor has a stator that is constituted as a hybrid magnet. The stator has a plurality of electromagnets and permanent magnets that are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction of the stator. Fixed cores of the electromagnets have pole cores that have an approximately arched cross-sectional shape. When direct current is supplied to fixed coils, the pole cores are alternately magnetized to be N- and S-poles in the circumferential direction of the stator. The permanent magnets are anisotropic magnets. The inner surface of the permanent magnet includes a first portion that is arranged in one of both sides in the circumferential direction and magnetized to be an S-pole and a second portion that is arranged in the other of both sides in the circumferential direction and magnetized to be an N-pole. The first portion contacts the pole core that is magnetized to be an S-pole and the second portion contacts the pole core that is magnetized to be an N-pole.

Abstract: Methods for identifying a note with a partial OCR of one or more characters in the note's serial code. The methods record the characters read and associates each character read with its field position in the serial code. The method can use this information or combine the character and field information with positional information of the note within a stack in order to identify a note with a reasonable degree of statistical probability.

Abstract: A flexible package, and method for manufacturing same, that provides for the presentation of graphics inside the package using existing converter and vertical form and fill packaging machine technology. The invention involves producing a slightly wider film through the converter having a strip along one edge of the graphics side of the film dedicated to use as a graphics flap inside the formed package.

Abstract: A vertical stand-up pouch, flat bottom bag, or flexible package, and method for manufacturing same, constructed with a quick change module modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The invention involves producing a vertical stand-up pouch or flat bottom bag from a single sheet of packaging film by creating one or two vertical creases along the packaging film tube prior to forming a transverse seal on the tube. Such creases are formed using fixed or stationary modifications to prior art vertical form, fill, and seal machines comprising, in part, a quick change module that easily installs on the base of a forming tube.

Abstract: A flexible self-standing package and method for making the same provides for a package that has its own support mechanism. Thereby, a package, such as a snack food package, can be displayed in an upright position without the need to be placed against another package or wall. To achieve this, the package is formed with a support flap formed extended away from the tube of the package. When the package is positioned to stand, a pocket forms between the support flap and tube of the package to provide support.

Abstract: A spiral winder wrinkle remover capable of wrapping a material of varying thickness into a structurally stable, smooth coil. As a material is supplied to the spiral winder, the collecting device, such as a spool, rotates and oscillates linearly along the axis of rotation to distribute the material along the length of the collecting device and form a structurally stable coil of material. As the material is directed to the collecting device it is threaded through a tilting guide. The guide tilts with the linear oscillations of the collecting device and maintains a uniform tension across the width of the material. The oscillations and tilting guide ensure that a material, particularly if the material's thickness varies along its width, is wrapped into a structurally stable coil where the layers of the coil are wrapped smoothly, without folds or wrinkles.

Abstract: A clutch mechanism is provided between a driving rotor and a driven rotor. The clutch mechanism selects from a state for transmitting rotational force and a state for discontinuing the transmission of rotational force. The holder permits the rolling. A holder supports rolling bodies such that the rolling bodies are switched between a transmitting position and a disconnecting position. When held at the transmitting position, the rolling bodies are engaged with both of the driving rotor and the driven rotor so that rotational force of the driving rotor is transmitted to the driven rotor. When held at the disconnecting position, the rolling bodies are disengaged from the driving rotor so that the transmission of rotational force from the driven rotor to the driving rotor is discontinued. When external rotational force is applied to the driven rotor, the holder sets the rolling bodies to the disconnecting position.

Abstract: A self-aligning zipper seal module adapted for quick change-out in a sealing carriage. The zipper seal module allows for a quick modification of a sealing carriage in order to accommodate different package dimensions. The module is stored and is installed in a closed and aligned position by use of an aligning handle. The module is easily installed or removed with a single tool and is designed to reduce the potential for operator injury by isolation from heat sources and by virtue of the aligning handle. The various seal facings of the module are oriented to equalize pressure on the facings during sealing and increase stripping efficiency. The zipper seal facings incorporate a novel insert design, thereby eliminating the need for stocking different sized facings to accommodate various bag widths. A return module of similar design is used to quickly return the sealing carriage to a standard configuration.

Abstract: A method for making a shelf-stable soft pretzel without using a caustic bath. The method substitutes several processing steps for the caustic bath, in combination with other microbal spoilage hurdle strategies, resulting in a uniformly browned, topically salted soft pretzel uniquely possessing a relatively low surface pH and long shelf life.

Abstract: The variable geometry seasoning tumbler is an adjustable tumbling device that allows for the uniform application of seasoning of snack food product such as potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, and the like. With the adjustable tumbling device, uniform application of seasoning can be achieved while minimizing snack food product breakage. The tumbler has adjustable upper and lower rolls that support a belt that receives and processes the snack food product. The belt has a catenary region wherein snack product is processed in a tumbling bed. By adjusting one or both rolls, the dimensions of the tumbling bed and the inclination of the belt can be easily modified. Thereby, the tumbling parameters can be optimized for each type of snack product being seasoned.

Abstract: A trading card having an electroluminescent feature in combination with a display stand providing a power source. When the trading card is placed in the display stand, the power source from the display stand energizes the electroluminescent feature of the trading card, thereby providing illuminated graphics and making the trading card more interactive. The trading card can include a circuit that facilitates moving graphics displays and can further drive a speaker to allow for audio in conjunction with the illumination.

Abstract: A flexible package and method for making the same provides for a package that has a pouch formed adjacent to a portion of a package. Thereby, the package, such as a snack food package, can be filled with one product in the main compartment of the package and can be filled with a separate product in the pouch. To realize this, the package is formed with an extra length of film extended adjacent to the main portion of the tube of the package. First and second longitudinal seals are provided to form the pouch over a portion of the tube of the package. The package can then be filled with a first product in the main portion of the package and a second product in the separate and distinct pouch. As the pouch is filled, the material of the pouch protrudes away from the surface of the main portion of the package.

Abstract: The system and method for monolayer alignment snack chip transfer process a snack chip from a first to a second conveyor. By using a roll at the discharge of the toast oven conveyor that has a diameter that is substantially closer in size to the pickup roll of the second conveyor, mechanical devices for lifting the chips off of the toast oven conveyor can be avoided. Further, chip preforms' alignment in passing between the two conveyors is maintained.