Abstract: Managing supply chain inventory is accomplished by measuring the dimensions and the weight of a product. A plurality of images of the product is obtained. The shape of the outer surface of the product is determined. The center of gravity of the product can be calculated. A product model that includes a three dimensional representation of the shape of a configuration of the product and optionally the center of gravity of the product is generated. The product model is stored in memory for future use.

Abstract: A packing method for applying a heat-seal overwrap to a package of tobacco articles having an inner container, which houses a group of tobacco articles; an outer container housing the inner container in sliding manner; and a hinged lid, which closes an open top end of the inner container; the packing method including the steps of folding a sheet of heat-seal wrapping material into a tube about the package to form a tubular wrapping; folding two ends of the tubular wrapping to complete the overwrap; stabilizing the overwrap with two transverse heat seals; and, at least when making the transverse heat seals, compressing a front wall of the outer container, so as to move at least part of a top edge of the front wall of the outer container beneath a top wall of the lid.

Abstract: A reclosable film structure for a package is disclosed, in particular a reclosable lap seal, comprising a multiple layer film with an interior pressure sensitive adhesive layer, and methods of manufacture thereof. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer is positioned between a first and a third layer on either side of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer and is continuous throughout the package. The package is heat sealed at an open end to initially close the package by folding over an outer lap seal segment onto an inner lap seal segment and heat-sealing together. Upon opening the package at the lap seal, the package delaminates between the first and second layers along one of the lap seal segments, thus exposing the pressure sensitive adhesive layer to facilitate reclosing the package, oriented away from the package interior and away from the food removal path to maintain the adhesion strength by avoiding food contact.

Abstract: A package for the delivery of products of various sizes and shapes to customers, and apparatus and a method of producing the package are disclosed, wherein a sealing and a cutting process is employed to produce a customized shipping package from a first and a second web of material. The package is readily adaptable to be reused by the customer to return the product to the original source.

Abstract: A forming device and method for use in a packaging machine of the type where packages are produced from a tube. The forming device comprises two opposing sealing elements between which the tube is arranged to be flat-laid and squeezed to heat the thermoplastic and obtain a first transverse seal of the tube. It further comprises two volume control elements. The forming device is arranged to displace the first transverse seal off-center in relation a longitudinal axis of the first portion of the tube in a displacement direction essentially perpendicular to the first transverse seal to enable later shaping of a corresponding final package with a wall arranged with a predetermined angle of inclination in relation to the displacement direction. Also disclosed is a machine, a process and a packaging laminate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a non-rectilinear flexible package comprising an in-line process including application and selective sealing of a semi-rigid strip to an inner wall of the package and further including a dual-stage die-cutting technique to remove and cut a non-linear shape into a formed web of film. The semi-rigid strip is sealed to one interior wall of the package but not the other to provide a reinforced opening to the package through which a material can be dispensed. Additionally, the dual stage die-cutting method comprises first cutting and removing a portion of the web material prior to filling the package and again cutting and removing a portion of the web material after filling, resulting in a package having a narrowed neck adjacent the closed reinforced opening at an upper portion of the package and a body of the package that is tapered towards the reinforced opening.

Abstract: A method of wrapping an object with wrapping material includes the steps of wrapping a first wrapping film around the object during a first portion of a wrapping cycle; and simultaneously wrapping the first wrapping film and a second wrapping film around the object during a second portion of the wrapping cycle. The simultaneous wrapping includes bringing the second wrapping film into contact with the first wrapping film thereby causing the second wrapping film to adhere to the first wrapping film, wrapping the object with the adhered first and second wrapping films, and severing the second wrapping film, with a severing device, after a predetermined length of the second wrapping film has been wrapped onto the object.

Abstract: A continuous wrapping apparatus includes a web supply section that supplies a pair of continuous webs, and a wrapping section for applying the webs about the article. The web supply section includes a pair of web supply stations for each web, and a supply roll is located at each web supply station. Each web supply station includes a splicing mechanism for splicing together the trailing end of a web from an exhausted roll with the leading end of a web from a fresh roll. A storage mechanism is located downstream of each splicing mechanism, and includes rollers that are movable toward and away from each other to continuously supply the web during the splicing operation, which maintains the web ends stationary. The webs are applied to the elongated article such that side areas of the webs overlap each other, and adhesive is applied between the overlapping areas of the webs.

Abstract: A self-closing package formed from a unitary two-ply or three-ply laminate sheeting having an inner surface which is entirely coated with cohesive material, which has the property of sticking only to itself, and having a first portion and second portion. An article may be placed on the first portion of the laminate sheeting before folding and forming he laminate sheeting into a self-closing package. To form the package, the second portion of the laminate sheeting is pulled upward around the article and folded over both the article and the first portion of the laminate sheeting so that the inner surface of both the first portion and second portion are opposed to each other. The package is closed and sealed by the cohesive coated inner surfaces of the first and second portions coming into contact with each other and thereby sticking to each other.

Abstract: A label film applicator mechanism which is integrally incorporated into the overall stretch wrap film applicator system so as to be located at the same wrapping station as that of the stretch wrap film mechanism whereby the stretch wrap film can be applied to or wrapped upon, for example, the palletized load independent of the label film, however, the stretch wrap film and the label film can also be simultaneously applied to or wrapped upon, for example, the palletized load when it is desired to apply a label film to, for example, the palletized load during a predetermined portion of the stretch wrap film load wrapping cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a bag-in-carton using a forming jig to shape a side-sealed closed portion of the inner bag in accordance with the related shape of the carton. The forming jig helps form a bag-in-carton having an inner bag formed with high precision and constant volume, thus ultimately permitting good discharge of contents in the bag-in-carton with little content in the inner bag after discharge.

Abstract: Bags, primarily for liquid or other flowable products, are formed from sheet plastics material to define a generally rectangular container closed at one end and with a filling and discharging arrangement at the other end. The bags are formed from an outer sheet 10 and an inner sheet 11, the outer sheet extending the full length of the bag whereas the inner sheet extends only part way along the bag. The outer sheet defines pockets 15 which act as the corners of the rectangle and the inner sheet extends across the corners of the rectangle and is connected to the outer sheet adjacent the edges of the pockets. The bag is made by feeding the two sheets of material onto a table, the outer sheet 10 lying below the inner sheet 11. The outer sheet is drawn down to form the pockets 15 at spaced locations along the table. The inner sheet is then welded to the outer sheet at 18, 19 adjacent the edges of the pockets.

Abstract: A polymeric film and method for overcoming the problem of "pinholes" created in filled pouches by the harmonic motion occurring during transport of the filled pouches. The polymeric film composed of from about 5% to about 95% by weight of a first polymeric material having an elongation at break of more than about 500% in the machine direction and more than about 600% in the transverse direction, and from 5% by weight to about 95% by weight of a second polymeric material having a density of at least about 0.915 g/cm.sup.3 and selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and ethylene copolymers. The first polymeric material includes a very low density linear ethylene interpolymerized from ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin in the range of C.sub.3 -C.sub.10. The film may be fabricated into pouches and the pouches stacked for transportation.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for automatically feeding from a roll successive pairs of inflatable packaging bags each having a common intermediate inflation channel to present the end bag upon a base platform for receiving an item-to-be-packaged, and then to fold the other bag of the pair thereover to envelope the same; and then sealing the enveloping bags to provide a package of appropriate item size, inflating the bags through the inflation channel, and finally severing the inflated package from the roll.

Abstract: A continuous web of wrapping material for catamenial tampons or other commodities is advanced lengthwise first through a station where it is acted upon by a perforating knife to weaken longitudinally spaced-apart portions of the web transversely of the direction of advancement. The web is thereupon converted into a continuous tubular body and the leader of the tubular body is engaged by a pair of rolls which pull the leader in the direction of lengthwise advancement of the web in order to break the material of the web along successive weakened portions. The thus obtained discrete tubular envelopes are moved sideways, one end portion of each envelope is closed, a commodity is introduced through the other end portion, and the other end portion is closed to confine the commodity at both ends. Such mode of making tubular envelopes ensures that the material of the web is not wasted at all and that the envelopes need not be stored prior to reception of commodities.

Abstract: There is provided a cardboard packaging for liquids which consists of a folding box, an inner bag arranged therein and made from a plastic material, and of a withdrawal nozzle which is accessible from the outside through a hole formed in one wall of the folding box. The withdrawal nozzle comprises a base plate which is welded or bonded in liquid-tight fashion to the bag at the inner side of said bag in a weldless area thereof. The inner bag is only bonded to and easily detachable from the folding box wall that includes the hole for the withdrawal nozzle, but, apart from this, is not bonded to the walls of the folding box. The withdrawal nozzle is therefore secured against rotation, and the bag is sufficiently fixed in the folding carton. In addition, it can easily collapse during emptying, and the packaging can be easily disassembled into its cardboard and plastic parts after use (FIG. 2 ).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating floral displays, and other products formed by layers of superposed materials such as pouch or pocket type packages has a base member with an opening therethrough in communication with a receiving space below the base member and at least one or more plate members with openings therein serially and pivotably connected to the base member so they can be pivoted from an open or disengaged position to a closed or engaged position superposed over the base member and/or another of the plate members to bring the openings therein into alignment with one another and with the opening in the base member to permit layers of material to be positioned on the base and between each of the given number of plates, and a plunger tube is used to depress and move the layers of material so they gather or pinch inwardly into the area about the opening to form a centrally disposed depressed section, pouch or pocket for selectively and electively receiving random items therein, spaced clips conne

Abstract: Apparatus for packaging a plurality of articles, such as ends for beverage containers, using a plurality of accumulating cages and a plurality of transfer cages to feed an accumulated plurality of container ends in succession into a packaging station wherein the accumulated plurality of container ends are positioned between portions of a first continuous strip of a flexible material permitting passage of at least a gaseous substance and a second continuous strip having a thermally reactive surface facing the first continuous strip and superposed portions of the first and second continuous strips surrounding the accumulated plurality of container ends are sealed together to form interconnected plurality of sealed compartments each having an accumulated plurality of container ends confined therein.

Abstract: An improved package and method of packaging, including an oil-containing product, includes a multiple layer packaging sheet material which has reduced sensitivity to cockling. The multiple layer sheet material includes a layer which is susceptible to being swelled when in contact with oil, giving a cockled appearance. With reference to the package structure, the sheet material also includes a layer which impedes penetration of oil, the impeding layer being between the oil-containing product and the layer which is susceptible to being swelled when in contact with oil. The impeding layer comprises polypropylene.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembling and dispensing a multi-ply web and wrapping a load with the multi-ply web includes a film web dispenser for receiving a plurality of webs from a plurality of rolls of web material, juxtaposing the plurality of webs to form a multi-ply web and dispensing the multi-ply web. The load is rotated relative to the film web dispenser to wrap the multi-ply film on the load and tension is maintained on the multi-ply web between the film web dispenser and the load. A core material such as a web of foam, UV-resistant material, or reinforcement netting is inserted between the plurality of webs prior to dispensing the multi-ply web. Rollers and a clutch and brake assembly are used to intermittently forward the web of core material.

Abstract: Heat sealing of foam-paper laminates and the like around articles to cushion them. Foam can be coated with anti-stat and/or corrosion inhibitor to protect articles against static electricity and/or corrosion. Such coatings can reduce the heat sealing temperature. Laminate portions to be heat sealed can be pre-heated to shorten heat sealing dwell.

Abstract: A roll-wrapping apparatus and method where rolls are wrapped with an envelope of heat-shrink plastic film with a label positioned between the envelope and roll and electrostatically bonded to the film. The bond prevents misalignment of the label prior to heat shrinking of the film onto the roll.