Abstract: Associated with a form-fill-seal packaging machine for liquid-packaging cartons is an apparatus (10) including a pusher (24) for driving a pour spout fitment (12) axially from a removal-ready position at an exit end (14) of a feed track (16) that serially guides pour spout fitments (12, 30) edge-wise to the exit end (14) such that external, circumferential flanges (18) of adjacent pour spout fitments (12) and (30) tend to overlap one another. The apparatus (10) also includes a pour spout fitment separator (28) supported adjacent the exit end (14) for reversing an immediately following pour spout fitment (30) back along the track (16) to a position where the flange (18) of the leading fitment (12) in the removal-ready position and the flange (18) of the immediately following pour spout fitment (30) do not overlap.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in welding a pour spout fitment (22) to a container (32) comprises an ultrasonic welding horn (18) formed with a recess (20) at one end for receiving part of the fitment (22), an anvil (2) between an annular surface portion of which and that one end of the horn (18) are vibratingly pressed a wall off the container (32) and the flange (28) to each other, a head (14) at the opposite end of the head (14) for maintaining an annular, radially inner portion of the flange (28) spaced axially outwards from the annular surface portion of the anvil (2), the outer periphery of the ring (16) being radially dimensioned to be received in the recess (20).

Abstract: A valve device (4) for controlling fluid flow comprises a hollow body (2) bounding a flow path through the valve device (4), a valve obturating member (10) in the flow path and movable between a fully obturating position and a less obturating position for permitting lesser and greater flows of fluid along the path, which flows urge the member (10) in the sense from the more obturating position to the less obturating position, the valve obturating member (10) including magnetic portions (18), and at least one electrically energizable inductor (22) fixed relative to the body (2) and serving to act upon the valve obturating member (10) to urge the valve obturating member (10) in the sense from the less obturating position to the fully obturating position.

Abstract: A system for subjecting articles and containers to microbiocidal radiation and for attaching the articles to the containers comprises a source (6) of microbiocidal radiation, a first conveying device (26) for advancing pour spout fitments (21) along a first path, a second conveying device (2) for advancing containers (4) along a second path substantially parallel to the first path, the source (6) being effective along both the first and the second paths, and a fitment applicator (27) arranged to attach to the containers (4) fitments (21) which have been subjected to the radiation.

Abstract: An apparatus (2) comprises: first clamp means (30) for indexing sheet material (6, 10) through its own forming means (24, 26, 28), further clamp means (52; 54) for advancing said sheet material (6; 10) towards said first clamp means (30) synchronously; the first clamp means (30) and/or the further clamp means (52; 54) are coupled to electronic control means and are mechanically disconnected to each other; a method comprises: indexing sheet material (6, 10) through its own forming means (24, 26, 28) by acting on a region of said sheet material (6; 10), controlling said advancing by acting on a further region of said sheet material (6, 10) disposed upstream said region; said advancing and said controlling take place by using electronic auxiliary means; a container comprises first and second wall means connected to each other along a peripheral sealing (130) in order to define an internal space (132) and regions (104, 110) positioned in a pre-established manner on faces (106, 112) of said wall means.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for securing a pour spout fitment to a panel of a filled and sealed thermoplastic-coated carton, wherein a machine 10 is mounted over a conveyor 12 conveying a line of cartons. Within the machine 10, a selected panel surface of each filled and sealed carton is heated to a predetermined temperature; next, at least an annular surface of a flange of the fitment is heated to a predetermined temperature. When the heated surface of the fitment is applied to the heated surface of the carton, the heat energy is transferred to the latter surface to an extent capable of activating the thermoplastic coating thereon. Upon pressing and cooling, the fitment and the carton surface are bonded together, without the need for a back-up or support mechanism, such as a mandrel or anvil. Alternatively, the fitment may be secured to the carton by way of a jetted-on, circular bead of hot melt adhesive.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of initiating oxygen scavenging in a packaging article comprising an oxygen scavenging polymer. The method involves (i) providing the packaging article comprising the oxygen scavenging polymer, wherein the packaging article comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface; (ii) wetting the interior surface of the packaging article with a solution comprising a peroxide, to result in a packaging article with a wetted surface; and (iii) exposing the wetted surface to an initiating factor, to initiate oxygen scavenging by the packaging article. Typically, the initiating factor is ultraviolet light, heat, or both.

Abstract: In an off-line, free-standing, parts-orienting and -feeding device, selected parts are fed by a hopper to, and oriented in, a parts feeder unit, and then discharged to a programmed transferring arrangement. The latter includes a slide shuttle unit for alternately receiving discharged parts in a plurality of passages and aligning the parts-receiving passages with one or more pressurized air passages to blow the parts through either a clean-out track from the device, or through selected transfer tracks to pick-and-placement devices which serve to place the parts on packaging materials being processed on one or more packaging machines. Limit devices on each transfer track signal the slide shuttle unit to realign the parts-receiving passages with the pressurized air passage(s), to provide parts as required by the or each machine.

Abstract: In an off-line, free standing, parts-orienting and feeding device, selected parts are fed by a hopper to and oriented in a centrifugal or vibratory parts feeder unit, and then discharged to a programmed transferring arrangement. The latter includes a slide shuttle unit for alternately receiving discharged parts in a plurality or passages and aligning the part receiving passages with one or more pressurized air passages to blow the parts through selected transfer tubes to pick and placement devices which serve to place the parts continually one at a time on packaging materials being processed on one or more packaging machines. Limit devices on each transfer tube signal the slide shuttle unit to realign the parts receiving passages with the pressurized air passages to provide parts as required by each machine.

Abstract: An air mover apparatus for conveying and separating articles through a transport tube. A line-up of articles are supplied via a track from an orienting and feeding device and, thence, to a transport tube leading to a remote processing machine. The air mover is operatively connected between the track and the transport tube. Oppositely disposed converging air passages are formed in the air mover, adapted to receive compressed air from a suitable source and emit same to the interior of the air mover, to thereby draw each successive article therepast from the line-up and project same forward, creating a separation between adjacent articles while blowing the articles through the transport tube to the processing machine. An orifice may be formed upstream of the converging air passages, adapted to receive the compressed air to stall the articles to enhance the separation between adjacent articles.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for securing a pour spout fitment to a panel of a filled and sealed thermoplastic-coated carton, wherein a machine 10 is mounted over a conveyor 12 conveying a line of cartons. Within the machine 10, a selected panel surface of each filled and sealed carton is heated to a predetermined temperature; next, at least an annular surface of a flange of the fitment is heated to a predetermined temperature. When the heated surface of the fitment is applied to the heated surface of the carton, the heat energy is transferred to the latter surface to an extent capable of activating the thermoplastic coating thereon. Upon pressing and cooling, the fitment and the carton surface are bonded together, without the need for a back-up or support mechanism, such as a mandrel or anvil. Alternatively, the fitment may be secured to the carton by way of a jetted-on, circular bead of hot melt adhesive.

Abstract: A holder for picking up and holding a fitment and cap assembly prior to the bonding thereof on a filled and sealed carton. The holder is one of a plurality of holders mounted on a continuously moving conveyor. Each holder includes a body having an arcuate surface for engagement of the cap portion of the fitment and cap assembly, an arm pivotally mounted on the body, a compression spring mounted in an opening formed in the body and abutting against an inner end of the arm, and a pair of spaced abutments formed on the inner surface of the outer end for engaging vertical ribs formed on the cap adjacent the arcuate surface of the holder body.

Abstract: A machine including a single power source for asynchronously operating dual indexing conveyors. The single power source is a reversible servo unit operatively connected to gear sets and one-way clutches to drive the conveyors. Alternately, the power source is a uni-directional rotating driver with linkage means to reciprocally move a rack operatively connected to gear sets with one-way clutches or ratchets and pawls.

Abstract: A bottom end closure of a carton to be heat- and pressure-sealed has four substantially rectangular panels (P6, P7-P9, P12 and P14-P16) of which the panels (P7-P9 and P14-P16) are divided by score lines (S3, S7 and S13, S17) into inner, triangular sub-panels (P8 and P15) and outer triangular sub-panels (P7, P9 and P14, P16) and have central lugs formed by pairs of small, rectangular sub-panels (P10, P11 and P17, P18) providing for gas-tightness at the apices (A1 and A2) in the sealed closure. Score lines (S4, S6 and S14, S16) provide lines of weakness across the whole widths of the roots of the central lugs, so that the lugs, when each folded upon itself, can adjust to the orientation of an outwardly folded panel (P13) during tucking of the panel (P13) inwards of the lugs, which are sandwiched between the panels (6 and P13). In the blank, the lugs and the panels (P6 and P13) are so dimensioned that they can interdigitate with the corresponding lugs and panels of the bottoms of a row of identical blanks.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement for sealing overlapped edge portions of laminates folded onto a support member. The arrangement includes a pressure pad assembly and a drive member. An elastomeric disk is retained compressed between the drive member and the pressure pad assembly. A drive unit serves to extend the drive member to thereby urge the pressure pad via the elastomeric disk into pressure sealing engagement with the overlapped laminates on the support member.