Abstract: A pouch making machine which simultaneously creates perimeter seams for a plurality of pouches on a web and temporarily stores the seamed web in an accumulator at the conclusion of the seaming step, and then withdraws the web from the accumulator to sever the individual pouches from the web. The withdrawal of the web from the accumulator is carried on independent of the seaming step, except that regulating means is included to make the long term average web speed the same through the seaming step and the cutoff step.

Abstract: A sterilizable package having at least one flexible plastic wall, and having an access opening therein covered by a peelable two layered tear strip, including a porous membrane and a plastic interlayer, which interlayer has an opening substantially matching the access opening, where the opening in the plastic interlayer is 25% or more of the width of the interlayer. The interlayer is kept from deforming during fabrication of the pouch by tack sealing it to the flexible wall of the package, and cutting the access opening and the opening in the interlayer simultaneously after the interlayer is tack sealed to the front sheet.

Abstract: A pouch to hold sterile articles which is comprised of two sheets in face to face contact and sealed around the periphery except at an access opening. One of the sheets has one or more pleats which intersect the access opening in order to provide greater internal storage space. A flap on the unpleated sheet overhangs the edge of the pleated sheet, and is covered with a self-adhesive which extends partly into the pouch between the sheets at said access opening. This construction results in both sides of the pleated sheet being in contact with self-adhesive when the flap is folded over the pleated sheet to seal the pouch. In a second embodiment, the pleat intersects the access opening at an angle other than 90 degrees in order to provide a seal at the pleat having greater sterile integrity.

Abstract: A Mayo Stand cover in the form of a bag made of plastic tubing wherein a portion of the area of the bag which covers the tray is necked down to provide a closer fit to the tray than does the remainder of the bag whereby the bag will fit smoothly on the tray and not be prone to shift.

Abstract: A fiber free, fast breathing tear strip for a gas sterilizable package which comprises a sandwich of a gas permeable membrane impervious to bacteria, and a perforated, or slit plastic sheet. The sandwich is peelably sealed around the access opening of a bag. One seam of the tear strip can be made non-peelable so that the tear strip becomes non-detachable. Particular embodiments of gas sterilizable packages which utilize the invented tear strip are disclosed.