Abstract: A system for discharging product from a bag, the system including: a vibration unit arranged to support the bag and to vibrate so that the product exits an opening of the bag; a conduit having an inlet that is located below the vibration unit to receive the product; a downstream equipment connected to the conduit to receive the product from the conduit; wherein a protective cage is arranged around the inlet of the conduit, the protective cage having an open position to allow access to the inlet, and a closed position to restrict access to the inlet.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus for forming sealed packages filled with a pourable product comprises a delimiting element movably arranged, in use, within a tube and designed to divide the tube in a first space and a second space. The delimiting element is movable along first and second directions opposite one another and substantially parallel to the tube, and between at least a first position and a second position. The delimiting element comprises a main engagement portion configured to abut against a main abutment portion of a gas supply pipe or a filling pipe with the delimiting element being in the first position. The main abutment portion and/or the main engagement portion are designed such that at least one opening and/or at least one channel is present between the main abutment portion and the main engagement portion with the delimiting element being in the first position.

Abstract: A cutting unit for cutting preparation features in a web of sheetlike material is provided. The cutting unit has a first part with a rigid base portion, at least one first cutting tool configured to cut a first preparation feature in the web of sheetlike material, and at least one second cutting tool configured to cut a second preparation feature in the web of sheetlike material. The at least one first and second cutting tools are attached to the base portion and located at a distance from each other, wherein at least one of the at least one first or second cutting tools is supported by a flexible support that is located in the rigid base portion of the first part.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator for separating milk into a cream phase and a skim milk phase is described. The separator includes a centrifuge bowl, a disc stack of conical discs arranged inside the centrifuge bowl. The disc stack includes a first set of discs and a second set of discs, the discs in the disk stack includes distribution openings such that the milk passes the first set of discs before passing the second set of discs. The discs in the first set of discs are separated from each other by a first distance, and the discs in the second set of discs are separated from each other by a second distance which is smaller than the first distance.

Abstract: A pump for pumping a liquid food product, including a star wheel arranged to be driven by an impeller to rotate around an axis that is offset from an axis of rotation of the impeller, an element that extends between a part of the star wheel and the impeller, such that the liquid is pumped when the impeller rotates and thereby drives the star wheel. A channel is formed between the star wheel and an axle on which the star wheel is arranged, such that a part of the product may enter the channel for providing lubrication.

Abstract: A block former (1) for the production of blocks of cheese (19) includes an upright drainage column (2) having a feed opening (3) for curd particles (4) at an upper end (5) of the drainage column (2). The drainage column (2) includes an inner wall (6) having an interior surface (7) against which a pillar of curd (8) formed of the curd particles (4) slides as the pillar of curd (8) moves downwardly through the drainage column (2). The upright drainage column (2) is divided into an upper part (9) and a lower part (10). The interior surface (7) at the upper part (9) has a first finish and the interior surface (7) at the lower part (10) has a second finish that provides higher friction with the pillar of curd (8) relative to the first finish.

Abstract: The invention relates to a jam detecting device (10) for detecting defective packages in a filling machine. The jam detecting device (10) comprises a movable element 5 (12), and a sensor (13) connected to the movable element (12). The jam detecting device (10) is adapted to be positioned in the filling machine such that any defective package will mechanically raise the movable element (12) when passing the same and thereby trigger the sensor (13). The invention also relates to a method for detecting defective packages in a filling machine, and a folding unit (1) and a filling machine for producing packages (2) of pourable food products from sealed packs (3).

Abstract: A method and system for processing a fermented dairy product, including feeding, in a product feed conduit, fermented dairy product to a separator, separating the fermented dairy product into a heavy phase and a light phase, returning a part of the light phase to the product feed conduit, such that the returned part of the light phase is mixed with fermented dairy product that is fed into the separator, while another part of the light phase is removed from the fermented dairy product, such that the heavy phase forms a concentrated, fermented dairy product.

Abstract: A spout includes a base frame fittable about a designated package pour opening surface area, an opening assembly moveably coupled to the base frame and adapted to at least partially cut/rupture/open/pierce the pour opening surface area, and a control device configured to control the opening assembly. The control device comprises at least one interaction element connected to the opening assembly, at least one control ring rotatably coupled to the base frame and at least one interaction member connected/coupled to the control ring and configured to interact with the interaction element. In use, upon rotating the control ring, the interaction member interacts with the interaction element to induce translation of a cutter of the opening assembly for controlling the opening assembly from a rest configuration to an operative configuration and an axial end portion of the interaction member is arranged within a rotation plane fixed relative to the base frame.

Abstract: There is described a drinking straw (3, 3?) for a package (2) being filled with a pourable food product. The drinking straw (3, 3?) comprises at least an inlet opening (11) for allowing the introduction of the pourable food product into the drinking straw (3, 3?), a tubular main portion (16) configured to be inserted, in use, into the package (2), having the inlet opening (11) and a sleeve (22, 22?) superimposed on and/or surrounding at least a section of the tubular main portion (16). The sleeve (22, 22?) is configured to allow for the insertion and/or introduction of the drinking straw (3, 3?) into the package (2) and to impede and/or hinder and/or block a removal and/or separation of the drinking straw (3, 3?) from the package (2) after introduction and/or insertion of the drinking straw (3, 3?) into the package (2).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing of a laminated cellulose-based liquid or semi-liquid food packaging material, wherein the laminated packaging material has a bulk material layer comprising a low-density cellulose spacer layer, an outside module comprising a substrate layer having a print surface and an inside material module comprising a barrier layer or barrier coating. The invention further relates the laminated packaging materials obtained by the method and to a packaging container for liquid food packaging, comprising the laminated packaging material or being made from the laminated packaging material obtained by the method.

Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining a product sample from a vacuum vessel by using a system including a first valve arrangement, a second valve arrangement and a sample receiver connected to the first valve arrangement and the second valve arrangement. The method includes opening the first valve arrangement to provide fluid communication between an upper volume of the vacuum vessel and the sample receiver, opening the second valve arrangement to provide fluid communication between a lower volume of the vacuum vessel and the sample receiver, closing the first valve arrangement and the second valve arrangement, opening the first valve arrangement to provide fluid communication between surrounding atmosphere and the sample receiver, and opening the second valve arrangement to collect the product sample.

Abstract: A packaging material for packaging of light-sensitive goods, said packaging material comprising a first layer and a second layer, at least one hole penetrating said first layer and being covered by said second layer, and a light barrier, wherein said light barrier comprises a layer of ink being essentially nontransparent to light and provided on said second layer to at least partly cover said hole. The disclosure further relates to a method for providing a light barrier covering a hole in a packaging material as well as to a package for packaging of light-sensitive goods.

Abstract: An inductor for induction welding of a packaging material having at least one layer of metal foil is disclosed. The inductor comprises a welding surface configured to be arranged opposite the packaging material for heating thereof, and at least one spacing element arranged to protrude from the welding surface in a first direction towards the packaging material, when the packaging material is arranged opposite the welding surface, whereupon the least one spacing element separates the packaging material from the welding surface by an off-set distance. A sealing machine for sealing packaging material and a method of welding a packaging material is also disclosed.

Abstract: Screw cap, loading piston, and method for aligning the screw cap and the loading piston in relation to each other and a method for screwing a screw cap onto a threaded neck portion of a packaging container. The screw cap can include a base portion having a top and a bottom surface, an annular portion raised from the base portion, the annular portion having an inner and an outer surface, and at least one first threaded portion arranged on the inner surface of the annular portion, wherein the base portion can include engagement means, such that the screw cap can engage a tool with at least one complementary engagement means in a process of screwing the cap onto the container with the complementary threaded neck portion.

Abstract: A welding head comprises a welding element for welding a lid to an opening device of a container, a supporting body for supporting the welding element and a compensating device for compensating a possible mutual mispositioning of the welding element and the lid during welding of the lid to the opening device, the compensating device being interposed between the supporting body and the welding element, the compensating device comprising a planar spring arrangement provided with at least one planar spring element having a first member and a second member mutually connected by deformable elements.

Abstract: There is described a packaging apparatus for forming a plurality of sealed packages comprising a conveyor for advancing a web of packaging material along an advancement path, an isolation chamber, a tube forming device adapted to form a tube from the, in use, advancing web of packaging material, a sealing device adapted to longitudinally seal the tube, a filling device for continuously filling the tube formed by the tube forming device, a package forming unit adapted to form and seal the packages from the, in use, advancing tube formed by the tube forming device and filled by the filling device and a support platform supporting the isolation chamber from a first side of the support platform and carrying the package forming unit from a second side of the support platform opposite to the first side.

Abstract: There is described a package-spout assembly having a package having a pour opening surface area and a reusable spout. The package comprises a first fastening device being arranged adjacent to the pour opening surface area and the spout comprises a second fastening device. The first fastening device and the second fastening device are configured such to removably and/or releasably couple the spout onto the package.

Abstract: A method for forming sealed packages filled with a pourable product comprises at least the steps of forming a tube from a web of packaging material, filling the pourable product into the tube for forming a product column within the tube and directing, during the step of forming and the step of filling, a sterile gas into the product column for forming and/or maintaining a gas cushion within the product column.

Abstract: A sheet packaging material for producing a sealed package of a pourable food product is disclosed. The packaging material may include at least one base layer for imparting stiffness to the sheet packaging material, at least one lamination layer applied to and covering said base layer, and a partially laminated opening zone. The opening zone may include a laminated cutting area having at least three longitudinal portions extending between the center and the periphery of the opening zone, and at least three removable portions adjacent to the laminated cutting area, each removable portion being located between two longitudinal portions and having a folding zone adjacent to the periphery of the opening zone. In use, the removable portions are partly detached from the packaging material by penetration of the laminated cutting area prior to being folded at the folding zone to form an opening in the packaging material for pouring a food product from the package.