Abstract: Objects are packed in respective receptacles in a unitary body of sheet material having orifices open in a common direction. An annular edge portion of the body envelops the orifices and one or more rib portions of the body separate each orifice from each other orifice. A cover of sheet material is superimposed in a vacuum chamber on the edge portion and the orifices and sealed gastight to the edge portion. When the body with the sealed cover is exposed to atmospheric pressure, the cover is pressed by the air against the rib portions and may be sealed thereto. The sealing die employed in this process need only clamp the edge portion of the sheet material body against a suitable backing die.

Abstract: A skin packaging machine for the continuous production of air-free skin packages comprising a suction box, a perforated conveyor for traversing over the suction box an imperforate lower web of thermoplastic material carrying spaced articles to be packaged, means for feeding a heated imperforate upper web of thermoplastic material towards the lower web and guiding its edges into contact with the upper surface of the lower web as the latter travels over the suction box and a thermoforming unit, disposed between a supply reel for the lower web and the conveyor, which is operative to impose a dimpled upper surface on the lower web, said thermoforming unit being constituted by a heated drum and an adjoining thermoforming drum around both of which the lower web is passed, and the thermoforming drum having an air-permeable and dimpled peripheral surface and including means for applying suction to the interior thereof.

Abstract: A package comprising a receptacle cup of semi-rigid plastic having a top of semi-rigid plastic sealed to flanges of the receptacle and formed inwardly to press against the packaged product and hold it in place with or without evacuation of the interior. Different techniques and apparatus are disclosed for forming such packages. Package configurations also are disclosed providing improved recloseable characteristics, wherein the semi-rigid nature of both the top and the cup are utilized to enable the reclosed top to be held securely in place.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for wrapping commodities, which may be compressible, and a corresponding method, in which a commodity is conveyed along a fixed path, a pair of opposed lengths of wrapping material are fed in an opposed relationship and in registry, the commodity is inserted between the opposed lengths of the wrapping material which have a leading end which has been sealed to form an open-sided and open-trailing end envelope, the lateral sides of the wrapping material are then sealed, and thereafter, a bag length is severed from the pair of lengths of wrapping material and sealed. Preferably, the commodity is fed under compression in between the opposed lengths of wrapping material, maintained under compression while the wrapping material is side-sealed and is vacuum-packaged while also under compression.

Abstract: A packaging machine for thermoforming plastic packages, filling them with the desired contents, and sealing them under vacuum or gas if desired, wherein a train of packages move through the machine in a horizontal path at substantially constant speed, the machine including reciprocating interacting package forming and sealing elements with support means acting simultaneously on the upper and lower side of the train of packages as they move through the machine. In an alternate arrangement, lids may be applied to package portions preformed by separate apparatus.