Abstract: There is described a drinking straw (3, 3?) for a package (2) being filled with a pourable food product. The drinking straw (3, 3?) comprises at least an inlet opening (11) for allowing the introduction of the pourable food product into the drinking straw (3, 3?), a tubular main portion (16) configured to be inserted, in use, into the package (2), having the inlet opening (11) and a sleeve (22, 22?) superimposed on and/or surrounding at least a section of the tubular main portion (16). The sleeve (22, 22?) is configured to allow for the insertion and/or introduction of the drinking straw (3, 3?) into the package (2) and to impede and/or hinder and/or block a removal and/or separation of the drinking straw (3, 3?) from the package (2) after introduction and/or insertion of the drinking straw (3, 3?) into the package (2).

Abstract: There is described a method for feeding a supply station (6) of a packaging unit (1) with a new reel (3a) of sheet packaging material, comprising the steps of releasably connecting a sheet packaging material holder (11) to a support structure (5); coupling an end portion (52) of new reel (3a) with holder (11) connected, in turn, to support structure (5); carrying out on end portion (52) at least an operation, which is preliminary for joining of end portion (52) to a first edge (53) of a terminated reel (3a?, 3b) previously connected to packaging unit (1); moving new reel (3) together with holder (11) from support structure (5) towards supply station (6); and releasably connecting a fixed part (12) of supply station (6) to holder (11) together with new reel (3a).

Abstract: There is described a packaging machine for producing sealed packages of pourable food products from a web of packaging material, comprising: an aseptic chamber through which web is fed and within which a sterilizing agent is applied onto web; a station which is arranged downstream from said aseptic chamber and in which a tube formed by web is, in use, fed; and a sealing device which separate chamber and station; packaging machine also comprise a conveyor fluidically connected with station and adapted to convey away residues of sterilizing agent from station.

Abstract: There is described a unit for sterilizing a web of packaging material advanced along a given path, having, along a longitudinal portion thereof, a succession of pre-applied opening devices and adapted to be transformed in a plurality of sealed packages containing a pourable food product; the unit comprises a bath, containing a sterilizing agent in which the web with the opening devices is advanced, and an aseptic chamber connected to an outlet of the bath and housing drying mechanism for removing residual sterilizing agent from the web; the drying mechanism comprise an ejector located at a distance from the outlet of the bath and configured so as to direct a stream of air transversally to the web and onto the longitudinal portion of the web provided with the opening devices.

Abstract: There is described a method for feeding a supply station (6) of a packaging unit (1) with a new reel (3a) of sheet packaging material, comprising the steps of releasably connecting a sheet packaging material holder (11) to a support structure (5); coupling an end portion (52) of new reel (3a) with holder (11) connected, in turn, to support structure (5); carrying out on end portion (52) at least an operation, which is preliminary for joining of end portion (52) to a first edge (53) of a terminated reel (3a?, 3b) previously connected to packaging unit (1); moving new reel (3) together with holder (11) from support structure (5) towards supply station (6); and releasably connecting a fixed part (12) of supply station (6) to holder (11) together with new reel (3a).

Abstract: A method for feeding a supply station of a packaging unit with a new reel of sheet packaging material comprises releasably connecting a sheet packaging material holder to a support structure; coupling an end portion of new reel with holder connected, in turn, to support structure; carrying out on end portion at least an operation, which is preliminary for joining of end portion to a first edge of a terminated reel previously connected to packaging unit; moving new reel together with holder from support structure towards supply station; and releasably connecting a fixed part of supply station to holder together with new reel.

Abstract: There is described a unit for sterilizing a web of packaging material advanced along a given path, having, along a longitudinal portion thereof, a succession of pre-applied opening devices and adapted to be transformed in a plurality of sealed packages containing a pourable food product; the unit comprises a bath, containing a sterilizing agent in which the web with the opening devices is advanced, and an aseptic chamber connected to an outlet of the bath and housing drying mechanism for removing residual sterilizing agent from the web; the drying mechanism comprise an ejector located at a distance from the outlet of the bath and configured so as to direct a stream of air transversally to the web and onto the longitudinal portion of the web provided with the opening devices.

Abstract: There is described a packaging machine for producing sealed packages of pourable food products from a web of packaging material, comprising: an aseptic chamber through which web is fed and within which a sterilizing agent is applied onto web; a station which is arranged downstream from said aseptic chamber and in which a tube formed by web is, in use, fed; and a sealing device which separate chamber and station; packaging machine also comprise a conveyor fluidically connected with station and adapted to convey away residues of sterilizing agent from station.

Abstract: A method for feeding a supply station of a packaging unit with a new reel of sheet packaging material comprises releasably connecting a sheet packaging material holder to a support structure; coupling an end portion of new reel with holder connected, in turn, to support structure; carrying out on end portion at least an operation, which is preliminary for joining of end portion to a first edge of a terminated reel previously connected to packaging unit; moving new reel together with holder from support structure towards supply station; and releasably connecting a fixed part of supply station to holder together with new reel.

Abstract: A unit (3) for sterilizing strip packaging material (2) with preapplied opening devices (5) on a packaging machine (1) for packaging pourable food products, the unit (3) having a bath (8) for containing a sterilizing agent in which the material (2) is fed continuously, and an aseptic chamber (15) having an input (12) connected to an output of the bath (8); the aseptic chamber (15) houses two drying rollers (20) cooperating with opposite faces of the material (2) and having respective recesses (20a) at a longitudinal portion (2a) of the material (2) fitted with the opening devices (5), and two nozzles (27) for directing sterile air onto the longitudinal portion (2a) of the material (2).

Abstract: A unit (3) for sterilizing strip packaging material (2) on a packaging machine (1) for packaging pourable food products, the unit (3) having a bath (8) for containing a sterilizing agent in which the packaging material is fed continuously; an aseptic chamber (15) having an input (12) connected to an output of the bath (8); and an auxiliary recirculating circuit (28) having a blower (30) for aspirating air from the aseptic chamber (15), and two nozzles (27) located close to the input (12) of the aseptic chamber (15) to direct a jet of sterile air onto an intermediate longitudinal portion (2a) of the packaging material (2) having preapplied opening devices (5).