Abstract: Receptacles are thermoformed in a strip of thermoplastic material, filled with a substance, and covered by capsules formed in a capsule strip. Prior to applying the capsule strip onto the thermoplastic strip, a preliminary cut is made for each receptacle in a station through the thermoplastic strip, thereby defining a portion of the outline of the edge of the receptacle. While the receptacles and their capsules are being cut out from the strips, a through cut is made for each receptacle in a station, the through cut passing through the thermoplastic strip and the capsule strip over a portion of the remainder of the outline of the receptacle, and a complementary cut is formed which passes through the capsule strip alone, which is connected to the through cut, and which, for each receptacle, defines a portion of the capsule strip that forms a pull tab.

Abstract: A device for achieving the separation or extension of the scale of products in a conveyance in superposed copies in which means are provided that are capable of increasing the speed of the belts (12, 17) conveying the separated or extended scale relative to the speed of the upstream belt (11) of the device for the conveyance of the scale before the separation or extension.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for cutting out a row of capsules from a capsule strip and for fixing them on a transverse row of filled receptacles advancing stepwise in an installation for filling receptacles.

Abstract: The method and the installation of the invention enable re-entrant receptacles to be thermoformed, filled, and closed, the rim of each receptacle having a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of its body. Prior to thermoforming a row of receptacles, preliminary cuts separated by attachment points are made in a transverse stripe of the strip of the thermoplastic strip that is to be used for thermoforming in a subsequent cycle, and for each receptacle that is to be thermoformed, the cuts define practically the entire final periphery of the rim of said receptacle, the attachment points being broken when the receptacles are separated in a subsequent cycle after the filled receptacles have been closed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making a receptacle from a generally flat thermoplastic blank has an upstream conveyor extending along a path in a transport direction through a loading station, a heating station downstream of the loading station, and a forming station downstream from the heating station. The conveyor has a plurality of supports forming a plurality of respective throughgoing apertures spaced apart in the direction. A supply at the loading station positions a respective blank atop each of the apertures of the conveyor with a central region of each blank exposed through the respective aperture and a periphery of each blank engaging and supported by the respective support A drive connected to the conveyor advances it and the blanks carried on it step-wise through the heating and forming stations. At the heating station at least the central region of each blank is heated to a softening point.

Abstract: A process for adjusting the quantities of a liquid or paste food or pharmaceutical product dosed and dispensed by a doser-dispenser (20) in which the weight of at least every nth one of the recipients (101) filled by the same doser-dispenser (20) with a dosed quantity of the product (102) is measured, the number n being an integer between 1 and 1000. Each weight value measured is compared with a predetermined standard value and at least one of the end-of-stroke positions of the doser piston of the doser-dispenser (20) is adjusted step by step and during the operation of the doser-dispenser (20), in the sense of increasing or decreasing the stroke of the doser piston when the difference between the actual weight measured and the difference between the actual weight measured and the predetermined standard weight exceeds a limiting value. The adjustment is continued stepwise until the difference disappears.

Abstract: Forming apparatus for forming hollow articles from a thermoplastic web wherein a mold block and a counter-mold block are respectively provided with the same number of forming chambers and cylindrical cavities. Each cylindrical cavity contains a forming punch having an inactive top portion and an active bottom portion, which active bottom portion is suitable for penetrating vertically into the corresponding forming chamber. The inactive portion of each forming punch extends over an axial height that is less than the maximum width of the punch. Each forming punch is surmounted by a guide piston which slides in sealed manner inside the corresponding cylindrical cavity of the counter-mold block. The annular space beneath the guide piston is suitable for communicating periodically with a source of compressed gas via at least one link duct.

Abstract: A method of positioning a continuous strip of tops over a continuous set of receptacles prior to sealing, wherein the following steps are performed repeatedly;the set of receptacles is advanced past sealing means through a distance equal to one longitudinal pitch of the receptacles or a multiple thereof;simultaneously, the strip of tops is released over a length equal to one longitudinal pitch of the tops or a multiple of said pitch, with said strip being driven by the set of receptacles, and with the longitudinal pitch of the tops being slightly greater than the longitudinal pitch of the receptacles; andapplying deformation to a central zone of each top level with the sealing means so as to shift the edges between the not-yet sealed tops so that they overlie the corresponding edges between receptacles.

Abstract: In the doser-dispenser, the doser-piston 28 is carried by a first control tube 2 and the valve 32a forming with the central passage 32b of said piston 28 an intake valve 32 is situated on the side of the supply chamber 25 and is carried by a second control tube 35 guided in the first tube 2 and extending beyond the lower end of the latter. Each tube 2, 35 is surrounded by and integral with a bellows 6, 38 of which the inside is connected permanently to the outside atmosphere, the top end of the bellows being fixed either to housing 3 or to the lower end of the first tube 2. The second tube 35 with its intake flap 32a is controlled outside of the housing 3 by means of the piston 36 of a jack.

Abstract: The invention relates to a group of receptacles comprising at least two rows of receptacles (P), each receptacle comprising an upper flange (C) and being substantially spaced from the neighboring receptacles in its zone situated below the flange, and the receptacles being secured to one another in the region of their upper ends by their flanges, characterized in that it comprises in the region of the bottoms (F) of the said receptacles at least one thin and essentially rigid reinforcing strip (B) extending in the direction of the said rows and adhesively bonded locally to the bottoms of the receptacles of two adjacent rows.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-layered thermoplastic container 1 opened by the partial peeling back of a multi-layer top 6 which has been heat-sealed onto the edge 3 of the container 1 including a peeling tab 7. The peeling tab 7 has a scalloped area cut into its edge 3 in such a way as to delimit a grip cavity which is open toward the side of the top 6 and of the edge 3, and, facing the area where the internal sheet 9 of the top 6 and the internal layer 4 of the container 1 meet. The intermediate sheet 10 has a tearing edge enabling the internal sheet 9 to be torn.

Abstract: A doser-dispenser has a single doser unit which is associated with at least two dispenser units. The outlet of the dosing chamber of the doser unit is connected in parallel to each of the dispensing chambers of at least two dispenser units. The active volume of the dosing chamber holds at least two whole doses of product to be dispensed through the two distinct dispenser units. A synchronization device which coordinates the movements of the doser-piston and of the intake flap, with a result that, during delivery of a first dose of product out an dosing chamber, only the ejection valve of the first dispenser unit is open, that, during delivery of the second dose of product, only the ejection valve of the second dispenser unit is open, and so on.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and device for sterilizing a packaging installation for food or pharmaceutical products. The sterilizing device comprises, on the one hand, at least one row of discharge tubes adapted to apply a heat-resistant sheet and obturating the base of a tunnel to be sterilized, against the lower end of the outlet tubulures of a metering/dispensing device, and on the other hand, at least one row of perforating members adapted to perforate the sheet and to create a passage therethrough for a sterilizing fluid while the discharge tubes and the outlet tubulures grip the heat-resistant sheet.

Abstract: A method of changing or replacing one liquid or semi-liquid product by another for insertion in a succession of thermoplastic receptacles bearing respective decorative and/or informative elements wherein, a minimum buffer volume is determined for a first product contained in a metering dispenser and in a buffer tank, the buffer volume corresponding to the sum of the portions of first product which remain to be inserted into the receptacles prior to the receptacles being replaced in a filling station zone by receptacles provided with different decorative elements. While the installation is in operation, a first master strip of the decorating station and/or a first strip of receptacle tops are cut transversely at distances from the filling zone which corresponds to the lengths of the first master strip and/or of the first strip of tops which will be consumed by the receptacles receiving the last portions of product from the minimum buffer volume of the first product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing and positioning a label on a thermoformed container. The device includes, inside a thermoforming station including a molding unit, at least one row of upwardly open forming chambers, a vertically movable supporting table supporting the molding unit, an individual band of labels for every forming chamber, means for at least partially cutting the labels in order to detach them from their individual band, a storage roll of master band mounted in fixed bearings, a cutting unit for cutting the master band longitudinally, a supporting table on which is installed the longitudinal cutting unit, and a tension roller applied against the master band.

Abstract: A process for regulating the heating of a thermoplastic band used in a station for thermoforming upwardly open containers, the process being characterized in that, in a zone of the softened thermoplastic band, zone surrounded by a mesh of rigidified matter, the degree of deformation of this zone under the action of a predetermined mass is measured, the measured value of the degree of deformation is compared with a predetermined reference value corresponding to a good aptitude to thermoforming, and the heating of the band is regulated as a function of the value of deformation measured so that the deformation corresponds to the reference value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing and positioning upon a container, an undercut thermoplastic lid, made from a thermoplastic band.According to the invention, in said method the upper part of the container support as well as the upper part of the container which extends from the upper end of said container support are used as stamping die or male forming mold, and the part of thermoplastic band defined by the lower edge of the bell is applied against the outer face of the upper parts of the container and of its support under a gas excess pressure created inside an enclosure closed and defined by the ball and the thermoplastic band.

Abstract: The invention relates to the packing of liquid products. A piston, moving inside a cylindrical metering chamber, introduces successive quantities of liquid in pots via a tubular nozzle vertically movable, which can be entirely retracted inside the dispensing chamber and which is equipped with a truncated bubble trap for eliminating the gases issued from the liquid.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for regulating the heating of a thermoplastic band used in a station for thermoforming upwardly open containers, the apparatus being characterized in that, in a zone of the softened thermoplastic band, zone surrounded by a mesh of rigidified matter, the degree of deformation of this zone under the action of a predetermined mass is measured, the measured value of the degree of deformation is compared with a predetermined reference value corresponding to a good aptitude to thermoforming, and the heating of the band is regulated as a function of the value of deformation measured so that the deformation corresponds to the reference value.