Abstract: A method of forming a wrapped article, comprising the steps of: forming a continuous stream of material such as an agricultural product; moving the continuous stream of material along an elongated path; compressing the continuous stream of material to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof until a predetermined cross-sectional dimension is achieved; drawing the compressed continuous stream of material through a rod-forming arrangement, the rod-forming arrangement having a non-contact displacement transducer associated therewith; folding at least one web longitudinally around the compressed continuous stream of material to form a continuous rod of material; and detecting variations in rod density within the rod-forming arrangement from a signal obtained from the non-contact displacement transducer.

Abstract: A method of combining groups of articles to form packaging units includes wrapping a packaging unit along a running direction thereof on a transporting path with a sheet material, concurrently with the wrapping, forming a sheet-material overlap and folding flaps that each project beyond the packaging unit along transverse peripheries thereof, positioning the folding flaps against the packaging unit as the packaging unit passes through a folding unit, and fixing the folding flaps to each other, thereby forming a sheet-material wrapper that is closed on all sides.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer assembly includes an ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic booster, an ultrasonic probe, and a booster cooling unit. The ultrasonic booster is connected to the ultrasonic transducer to amplify acoustic energy generated by the ultrasonic transducer and transfer the amplified acoustic energy to the ultrasonic probe. A seated end of the ultrasonic probe is positioned in a probe seat of the ultrasonic booster. The booster cooling unit is positioned to regulate the temperature of the probe seat of the ultrasonic booster such that the assembly supports a temperature dependent press-fit engagement of the seated end of the ultrasonic probe and the probe seat of the ultrasonic booster. The temperature dependent press-fit engagement is such that the seated end of the ultrasonic probe can be reversibly moved in and out of the probe seat at an elevated temperature THOT and is fixed in the probe seat at room temperature TCOLD.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus including a rotary jaw device, the rotary jaw device comprising an elongate holder, an elongate knife mounted on and projecting outwardly from the elongate holder, the knife having an elongate cutting edge parallel to a plane of the knife, and at least one part of a heat seal device located on the elongate holder on opposed sides of the knife. A packaging method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A heating element for a film-sealing apparatus comprises a heating wire segment formed of a first metal having a first reflectance to laser radiation of a predetermined wavelength. The heating element further comprises a first conductor lead comprising a wire having one end joined to a first end of the heating wire segment, and a second conductor lead comprising a wire having one end joined to a second end of the heating wire segment. The first and second conductor leads have a lower electrical resistance than the heating wire segment, and are formed of a second metal having a second reflectance to laser radiation of the predetermined wavelength, the second reflectance being higher than the first reflectance. Each of the first and second conductor leads is lap-welded to the respective end of the heating wire segment using laser radiation of the predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: A rotary heat sealing system heat seals top and bottom webs to each other around discrete articles held in predetermined alignments and spacings between the webs. The rotary heat sealing system comprises a sealing station at which the heat sealing occurs, and a tensioning station upstream of the sealing station. The tensioning station produces a tension in the top and bottom webs and the articles by wrapping them in a reverse bend so as to maintain the predetermined alignments and spacings of the articles as they enter the sealing station. The sealing station includes an anvil and a heating die with a heat sealing grid and pockets between circumferential rails. The articles enter the pockets, and the webs are sealed to each other at areas corresponding to the heat sealing grid. A force mechanism applies a predetermined force between the heating die rails and the anvil.

Abstract: A rotary heat sealing system heat seals top and bottom webs to each other around discrete articles held in predetermined alignments and spacings between the webs. The rotary heat sealing system comprises a sealing station at which the heat sealing occurs, and a tensioning station upstream of the sealing station. The tensioning station produces a tension in the top and bottom webs and the articles by wrapping them in a reverse bend so as to maintain the predetermined alignments and spacings of the articles as they enter the sealing station. The sealing station includes an anvil and a heating die with a heat sealing grid and pockets between circumferential rails. The articles enter the pockets, and the webs are sealed to each other at areas corresponding to the heat sealing grid. A force mechanism applies a predetermined force between the heating die rails and the anvil.

Abstract: A filling device of a dual-layered filling and packing device having a cotton paper device within the packing device which guides cotton paper via a guide rack to fold the paper and to fill a paper bag with fixed amount of tea leaves, by means of a roller, the paper bag with tea leaves being sealed at the edges thereof, and by means of a gripping structure, the tea bag being held to a funnel tube of the folding structure, a plurality of rollers delivered packing foil from an insertion section through space between a folding slot and the funnel tube, characterized in that the gripping structure composes a magnetic cylinder interconnected to a Y-shaped pneumatic cylinder and the gripping section is extended with two corresponding folding board and the folding structure comprises a folding slot covered a gap outside the funnel tube, the cross-section of the funnel tube has a flat body and the folding slot is a U-shaped plate body having a top end folded outward to form the insertion section.

Abstract: In a heat seal device of a filling and packaging machine, wherein a continuously fed film F is vertically sealed by a vertical seal mechanism 19 and the laterally sealed by lateral seal mechanisms 20, 21, contents W, W1, W2 are filled in the film formed in the bottomed cylindrical shape and, while the film F is fed, a portion of the film F which forms a bag opening part side is sealed laterally by the lateral seal mechanisms 20,21 for continuously packaging as pouches P, the vertical seal mechanism 19 comprises a pair of rotating shafts 25 incorporating heaters H and mounted rotatably and two pairs of vertical seal rolls 31, 34 which are mounted in pairs on the rotating shafts 25 with a given distance in the axial direction of the rotating shafts 25 and have seal portions 30,35 protruded in a flange shape around outer peripheral portions thereof respectively, the heaters H incorporated in the rotating shafts 25 are disposed movably along the axial direction of the rotating shafts 25 with the position of the h