Abstract: A batching system (200) for use in a food packaging system comprises a batching table (202) having a plurality of filling stations (206) positioned around an axis of a predefined delivery position. A weigher (204) is operable to provide food product in predefined batches at the delivery position; and a conveyor (230) is provided for transporting said batches provided from the weigher (204) to at least one of said plurality of filling stations.

Abstract: A combination weighing device facilitates the performance of operation using optimal operational settings. The combination weighing device includes a dispersion feeder, a plurality of radial feeders and a plurality of weighing hoppers. The dispersion feeder is disposed in an upper portion, and conveys and disperses supplied articles. The radial feeders are arranged radially on the periphery of the dispersion feeder, and convey the articles that are discharged from the dispersion feeder. The weighing hoppers receive the articles discharged from the radial feeders. The combination weighing device performs a combination weighing based on the weight of the articles in the weighing hoppers. In the combination weighing device, the operational settings are performed automatically.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine includes a vertical sealing mechanism, a first film detection sensor, and a controller. The vertical sealing mechanism has a horn, an anvil, and an ultrasonic transmitter. The vertical sealing mechanism sandwiches a cylindrical film conveyed by a pull-down belt mechanism, by the horn and the anvil, and seals the cylindrical film by applying ultrasonic vibrations to the cylindrical film. The first film detection sensor detects whether the cylindrical film is sandwiched by the horn and the anvil. The controller stops the ultrasonic transmitter in a circumstance in which the first film detection sensor detects that the cylindrical film is not sandwiched by the horn and the anvil.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling a poultry packaging system is provided. The apparatus comprises a first receiving unit operable to receive a plurality of orders for poultry product, wherein said poultry product is either a whole or a portion of a poultry bird; a second receiving unit operable to receive at least one measurable parameter of at least one poultry bird from a measurement unit; a recommendation unit operable to determine which of the plurality of received orders best corresponds to the received at least one measurable parameter, and a control unit operable transmit a signal to a poultry processing system such that said poultry processing system processes the at least one poultry bird in accordance with the determined order.

Abstract: A vertical bag-manufacturing and packaging machine includes a feeding unit having an upstream tube portion, an opening/closing mechanism, and a downstream tube portion. The upstream tube portion is configured and arranged to downwardly convey the article. The opening/closing mechanism is disposed on a downstream side of the upstream tube portion with a gap being formed between a downstream end of the upstream tube portion and an upstream end of the opening/closing mechanism, and configured and arranged to selectively open or close to selectively discharge or hold the article discharged by the upstream tube portion. The downstream tube portion is disposed on a downstream side of the opening/closing mechanism, and configured and arranged to downwardly convey the article discharged by the opening/closing mechanism, the downstream tube portion having an internal diameter that is larger than an internal diameter of the upstream tube portion.

Abstract: A method for filling a container with a food product includes: delivering a food product into a hopper; tamping, by means of a first tamping block, said food product whilst it is in the hopper; locating a container, having an upwardly facing opening, beneath the hopper; and opening the hopper such that the tamped food product falls from the hopper into the container.

Abstract: A conveyance apparatus aligns conveyed packaging bags. In the conveyance apparatus, a thickness measurement part measures the thickness of a packaging bag. A controller infers that the width of the packaging bag has decreased when the thickness of the packaging bag is greater than a reference thickness, and the controller causes a first guide member to move so as to approach a second guide member via a guide drive part. In addition, the controller infers that the width of the packaging bag has increased when the thickness of the packaging bag is less than the reference value, and the controller causes the first guide member to move so as to be distanced from the second guide member via the guide drive part.

Abstract: Amass measurement device measures the mass of an article, even when the article is being moved. A mass measurement device includes a robot hand, a robot arm, a force sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a control unit. The robot hand holds an article (Q). The robot arm moves the robot hand. The force sensor is provided between the robot hand and the robot arm and measures force acting on the article (Q) during movement. The acceleration sensor measures acceleration acting on the article (Q) during the movement. The control unit runs and controls the robot hand and the robot arm, and calculates the mass of the article (Q) on the basis of the force and acceleration acting on the article (Q) during the movement.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine is capable of reducing poor sealing caused by a packaged article catching in lateral seal portions. The form-fill-seal machine is provided with an upper tube, a lower tube disposed therebelow, a former, a lateral sealing mechanism below the lower tube, and opening and closing sliding members. A packaged article is dropped through the interiors of the upper tube and the lower tube. The former winds a sheet of a film F around the circumference of the lower tube to convert same into a tubular film. The lateral sealing mechanism laterally seals the tubular film. The opening and closing sliding members, which are disposed between the upper tube and the lower tube, shut off an upwardly oriented flow of gas from the interior of the lower tube when in a closed state.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine is adapted to manufacture a bag having a gusset section, and includes a conveying part, a plurality of splitters and an inward-folding member. The conveying part is configured and arranged to convey a tubular packaging material. The splitters extend along a conveyance direction of the tubular packaging material to contact with the tubular packaging material from an interior side. The inward-folding member has a pressing part including a plurality of contacting portions that are three-dimensionally arranged to generally correspond to a shape of the gusset section. The inward-folding member is configured and arranged to press the contacting portions of the pressing part from an external side of the tubular packaging material against an outer surface of a gusset formation area of the tubular packaging material located between the splitters to form the gusset section.

Abstract: A multi-head weigher has a plurality of heads operable to hold and discharge product; first and second discharge chutes arranged to receive product discharged from respective first and second subsets of the plurality of heads and each operable to selectively deliver said product to a first location or a second location; and a combinational weight determining system operable to determine a combination of one or more heads which meets a target criterion, and to discharge product from the determined combination through their respective discharge chute(s) to the first location. When a predetermined condition has occurred, the combinational weight determining system can discharge product from that head(s) to the second location via the discharge chute arranged to receive product from that head(s), when said discharge chute is not being used to deliver product to the first location.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine has a tube, a sailor-collar-shaped part, and a vertical sealing mechanism. The sailor-collar-shaped part wraps a sheet-shaped film around the tube so that two edges thereof define overlapping portions. The vertical sealing mechanism ultrasonically seals the overlapping portions of the sheet-shaped film in the vertical direction. The vertical sealing mechanism has an oscillator and a roller. The oscillator generates ultrasonic waves. The roller is disposed downstream of the oscillator along the advancing direction of the film. The roller holds down the film while rotating in the advancing direction of the film after the film has passed the oscillator.

Abstract: A bag-making and packaging machine includes a forming mechanism, a vertical sealing mechanism, a transverse sealing mechanism and a receiving member. The forming mechanism is configured to roll a sheet-shaped packaging material into a cylindrical shape to form a cylindrical packaging material. The vertical sealing mechanism is configured and arranged to seal an overlapping portion of the cylindrical packaging material with heat vertically along a direction in which the cylindrical packaging material extends. The receiving member is attached to the forming mechanism in a position facing the vertical sealing mechanism, and configured and arranged to sandwich the overlapping portion together with the vertical sealing mechanism. The receiving member has elasticity with which the receiving member presses the overlapping portion toward the vertical sealing mechanism.

Abstract: A bag making and packaging machine includes a conveying unit, a transverse sealing mechanism, and a gusset forming mechanism. The conveying unit is configured and arranged to continuously convey a tubular packaging material. The transverse sealing mechanism has a pair of sealing jaws configured and arranged to revolvingly move while following annular loci to seal the tubular packaging material in a transverse direction with respect to a conveyance direction of the tubular packaging material. The gusset forming mechanism has a pair of folding members configured and arranged to be pressed against side portions of the tubular packaging material to form gussets in the side portions of the tubular packaging material while the folding members move along the conveyance direction of the tubular packaging material before the transverse sealing mechanism seals the tubular packaging material.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus includes a collection unit and a conveyance unit. The collection unit is configured and arranged to overlay a plurality of packaged objects on adjacent packaged objects. The conveyance unit is configured and arranged to convey, as a group of packaged objects, the packaged objects which are overlaid on the adjacent packaged objects at the collection unit. The conveyance unit includes a position control component. At least one portion of the position control component is positioned below a conveyance plane of the conveyance unit and the other portion of the position control component is positioned above the conveyance plane of the conveyance unit before positions of the packaged objects are adjusted, the one portion and the other portion of the position control component is provided sequentially.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus includes a chute, a moving member, and a control unit. The chute encloses a passage space, and has a slit formed in a first portion. Items to be packaged are supplied from an upper apparatus to the passage space. The first portion surrounds a first space. The first space is part of the passage space, where the items targeted to be packaged, readily become clogged. The moving member is configured to move into the first space and withdraw from the first space through the slit. The control unit causes the moving member to enter the first space after the items targeted to be packaged have passed through the first space.

Abstract: An article alignment device aligns articles having first end portions and second end portions that have a shape different from the shape of the first end portions. The article alignment device includes a first conveyance device, a second conveyance device, and a control device. The first conveyance device has conveyance units that carry and convey the articles. The first conveyance device conveys the articles in a first orientation. In the first orientation the first end portions are positioned on a downstream side with respect to a first conveyance direction of the articles. The second conveyance device is placed downstream of the first conveyance device. The control device controls the first and second conveyance devices such that the orientation of first articles conveyed by the second conveyance device are changed to a second orientation where the second end portions are positioned on the downstream side.

Abstract: A conveyor system for conveying articles is provided, comprising a plurality of indexing flights (4) rotatably coupled to and spaced along a conveyor, wherein each of the plurality of indexing flights has a first laterally protruding guiding member (7) and a second laterally protruding guiding member (8); first and second grooves (20,21) laterally spaced from said conveyor and arranged to receive said first and second guiding members respectively; and adjustment means (19) for adjusting, in use, the first protruding member (7) of each flight to a leading or trailing position with respect to its second protruding member (8) such that each flight (4) is positioned either to a protruding position or to a retracted position with respect to the conveyor.

Abstract: A container sealing apparatus is provided, comprising a sealing tool having a lower tool half (6) and an upper tool half (6a); a feed lane (3) for transferring one or more containers to and away from means for transferring containers on to the lower tool half of the sealing tool; and a lifting mechanism for moving the lower tool half towards the upper tool half. The container sealing apparatus also comprises an elongate container guide (5) extending along the feed lane and sealing tool to laterally locate containers as they are transported along the feed lane and sealing tool, and control apparatus (2) adapted to adjust the lateral position of at least the part of said container guide extending along said feed lane.

Abstract: The present application relates to a lifting apparatus comprising a first member and a second member; a lifting mechanism coupled to said first member adapted to move said first member towards said second member; and a third member coupled to said first member, the third member slideably moveable through said second member when said first member is moved towards said second member. When a predetermined compressive force is applied to said third member, a latching mechanism responds by latching said second member to said third member, such that when a further compressive force is applied to said third member, said first member and lifting mechanism are isolated from said further compressive force.