Abstract: A gated-pocket, tape-form packaging system is provided having an elongated carrier tape which is formed with a series of longitudinally spaced apart pockets for containing of respective articles. The system includes a series of retaining fingers that cooperate in one embodiment with the pockets to directly mechanically engage with and effect retention of articles, but which, through mechanical manipulation of the tape, can be displaced to a position where they do not obstruct passage of an article either into or out of a pocket. An alternative construction includes a cover tape working in combination with the retaining fingers to perform the gating function. The cover tape is mechanically secured to the carrier tape by the retaining fingers which permit relative longitudinal displacement of the carrier and cover tapes to accommodate the difference in longitudinal length that occur as a consequence of the combination of two tapes being wound up onto a reel for storage or transport.

Abstract: A tape-form packaging system is provided having an elongated carrier tape on which a plurality of elongated article-receiving loops are mounted on a face of the tape in transversely oriented relationship to the longitudinal axis of the tape with the axial ends of the loops spaced a distance inwardly from the longitudinal edges of the tape. Gating elements are affixed to the carrier tape with a gating element positioned between each axial end of a loop and the adjacent longitudinal edge of the carrier tape and operative to block axial movement of an article into or out of the respective loop. The carrier tape is flexible and upon flexing of the marginal edge portion of the tape, the gating element is displaced out of blocking relationship to the loop permitting axial displacement of an article into or out of a loop.

Abstract: An article packaging system is provided which includes elongated, flat strip form carrier and bonding tapes that are releasably mechanically interconnected together at longitudinally spaced points to package articles therewith between adjacent points of interconnection of the tapes. An interference-type of mechanical interconnection is provided with either or both the carrier and bonding tapes formed from resiliently flexible strips of material with portions of one or both flexed in effecting assembly or disassembly.

Abstract: An article packaging system is provided having a primary package which includes an elongated strip form carrier tape and bonding tape that are releasably secured together at longitudinally spaced points to package articles between the tapes' intermediate pairs of the points of interconnection of the two tapes. The carrier tape is provided with mechanisms for mechanically engaging with the articles to position the articles in fixed location to the carrier tape and in a predetermined orientation with respect thereto. A secondary packaging unit is provided in the article packaging system to receive and contain a length of the primary package in a spirally coiled configuration.