Abstract: A spout comprises a collar carrying a pouring outlet and an inlet opening for the pourable product and delimiting a flow channel. The collar comprises an inner surface delimiting the flow channel. The inner surface comprises at least a main surface portion and a slanted surface portion. The main and slanted surface portions are such that a first intersection of a first intersection plane with the inner surface results in at least one first one-dimensional curve, a second intersection of a second intersection plane with the inner surface results in at least one second one-dimensional curve. The first and second one-dimensional curves each comprise respective first and second portions lying on respectively the slanted surface portion and the main surface portion. The first one-dimensional curve is superimposable on the second one-dimensional curve such that at least the respective first portions and the respective second portions are superposed.

Abstract: A system for controlling a manufacturing process for packaging units is disclosed, the packaging units are manufactured from a packaging material comprising machine readable identifiers. A control unit associates the identifiers with corresponding data images of the packaging units, wherein for a first process application to manipulate packaging material based on a first set of process parameters, the control unit is configured to store at least part of the first set of process parameters to the associated data image, wherein for a subsequent second process application to manipulate said packaging material, read at least part of the first set of process parameters stored in said associated data image to control the second process application based on at least part of the first set of process parameters.

Abstract: There is described a spout for a package having a designated pour opening and being filled with a pourable product. The spout comprises at least a collar extending along a longitudinal axis, carrying a pouring outlet at a first axial end and an inlet opening for the pourable product at a second axial end and delimiting a flow channel for the pourable product extending between the pouring outlet and the inlet opening a closing element configured to interrupt a fluidic connection between the pouring outlet and the inlet opening. The closing element is interposed between the inlet opening and the pouring outlet and is rupturably fixed to an inner surface of the collar.

Abstract: A spout is for a package having a designated pour opening and being filled with a pourable product. The spout comprises a collar carrying a pouring outlet, an inlet opening and a closing element controllable between an active position in which the closing element interrupts a fluidic connection between the pouring outlet and the inlet opening and an inactive position in which the closing element is configured to allow a fluidic connection between the pouring outlet and the inlet opening. The closing element comprises a peripheral portion contacting prior to a first control of the closing element from the active position to the inactive position an inner surface of the collar along an initial contact portion. The inner surface comprises a main surface portion extending from the initial contact portion towards the pouring outlet and an auxiliary surface portion extending from the initial contact portion to the inlet opening.

Abstract: There is described a lid-spout assembly for a package. The lid-spout assembly comprises at least a spout having a collar carrying a pouring outlet, a coupling ring arranged around a portion of the collar, a lid and a hinge element hinging the lid to the coupling ring. The lid is controllable between at least a closed configuration and an open configuration. The lid-spout assembly comprises an interaction assembly partially associated to the collar and partially associated to the lid and being designed such to determine a threshold force needed to be exceeded, in use, in order to control the lid from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

Abstract: A computer device implements a method of scheduling production of packaged dairy products in a production plant by simulation. The method obtains a production target for dairy products to be produced and packaged in the production plant, recipes for production of the packaged dairy products, where each recipe defines ingredients and recipe activities, and production unit data that specifies existing production units and available fluid paths in the production plant and associates the existing production units with unit activities and production capacities. The method further performs the simulation by generating, as a function of the recipes and the production unit data, time schedules of recipe activities performed at least partly by one or more combinations of the existing production units to achieve the production target data, and evaluating the time schedules for selection of at least one time schedule for the production plant.

Abstract: There is described a lid assembly for a container having a spout. The lid assembly comprises at least a coupling ring configured to be arranged around at least a portion of the spout; a lid configured to selectively cover a pouring outlet of the spout; and a tethering element tethering the lid to the coupling ring. The lid comprises at least a first gripping wall and at least a second gripping wall defining respective engagement surfaces configured to be engaged by at least a portion of an application device and/or to support gripping and/or alignment and/or rotation of the lid during a coupling of the lid assembly to the spout and being arranged on opposing portions of the lid. Each one of the first gripping wall and the second gripping wall lies on a respective plane distinct from the other one.

Abstract: A unit configured to form a tube for producing sealed packages starting from a sheet of packaging material having opening devices pre-applied thereon, comprises at least one guiding assembly configured to interact with the sheet of packaging material to fold it gradually into a tube shape; the guiding assembly comprises a plurality of folding rollers delimiting a passage for the sheet of packaging material and each having a lateral wall configured to cooperate in contact with the sheet of packaging material to control the folding thereof; the folding rollers comprise at least one folding roller having at least one recess on the lateral wall thereof, the recess defining a slot configured to be engaged by the opening devices.

Abstract: An assembly for producing sealed packaging units (14) from a sheet packaging material, comprises: an advancement device (21) for advancing the sheet packaging material along an advancement direction (F), a longitudinal sealing device for sealing opposite borders of the sheet packaging material along a longitudinal sealing band arranged parallelly to the advancement direction (F), thereby forming a continuous tube (15), a transverse sealing device (29) for sealing the continuous tube (15) transversely to the advancement direction (F), so as to define a sealed packaging unit (14). The transverse sealing device (29) comprises a sealing element (30) and an abutment element (31) that are intended to mutually cooperate during sealing while being located on opposite sides of the continuous tube (15). The sealing element (30) is so configured as to act on a side (27) of the continuous tube (15) on which the longitudinal sealing band is provided.

Abstract: A method of operating a centrifugal separator is provided. The method includes supplying a liquid mixture to be separated to the inlet of the centrifugal separator, separating the liquid mixture into at least one separated liquid component and a separated sludge component, discharging at least one separated liquid component from at least one liquid outlet of the centrifuge rotor, removing gas from a space surrounding a centrifuge rotor of the separator, to obtain a sub-atmospheric pressure in the space, and discharging a separated sludge component from at least one sludge outlet arranged at a periphery of the centrifuge rotor to the space which is delimited by a frame, wherein the discharging is performed when the sub-atmospheric pressure in the space surrounding the centrifuge rotor is within a preset pressure interval ?P.

Abstract: A filling machine configured to form, fill, and seal individual packages is provided. The filling machine comprises a sterilization station configured to provide a flow of gaseous sterilizing agent towards open ends of ready-to-fill packaging containers passing through said sterilization station. The filling machine comprises at least one clean air supply and at least one baffle plate arranged above the at least one clean air supply, wherein the air supply is configured to direct a stream of clean air towards the ready-to-fill packaging containers. The clean air supply in turn comprises at least one distribution pipe and wherein the distribution pipe extends in a horizontal direction, the horizontal direction being in the direction of the flow of packages through the filling machine.

Abstract: A support plate for supporting a package during filling with a food product is disclosed. The support plate can include a wall defining a cavity for receiving a top portion of the package. The wall has a slanted interior surface that is complementary to the top portion of the package. The support plate also comprises a support projection extending in a parallel direction to and away from the wall, the support projection being complementary to and for abutting the top portion of the package, wherein the top portion can include a concave top surface and a second concave surface. A system that can include the support plate for use in a filling machine and a filling machine that can include a plurality of the systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is described a packaging apparatus (1) for forming a plurality of sealed packages (2) from a tube (3) of a web of packaging material (4) which is continuously filled with a pourable product. The packaging apparatus comprises a delimiting element (37) arranged, in use, within the tube (3) and being designed to divide the tube (3), in use, into a first space (38) and a second space (39). The packaging apparatus (1) also comprises a sterile gas supply device (43) for pressurizing the isolation chamber and the second space (39) by means of a respectively a first flow of sterile gas and a second flow of sterile gas.

Abstract: A cardboard packer is provided, comprising a blank magazine, a blank feeder, and a blank picker for transporting a single blank from the magazine to the feeder. The blank picker comprises an upper picking unit configured to attach to an upper portion of the blank, and a bottom picking unit configured to attach to a bottom portion of the blank.

Abstract: An apparatus for quality assessment of a sealing section of a package for food products. The package includes at least a robustness layer and a plastic layer. The sealing section is formed by holding a first section and a second section of the package against each other while providing heat such that the plastic layer of the first and second section melt and the first and second section adhere to each other. The apparatus includes a sample holder arranged for fixating a sample including the sealing section of the package. At least part of the sample holder is transparent, a magnification device arranged on a first side of the sample holder, and an illumination device arranged on a second side of the sample holder. Light is provided to the magnification device through the sample holder The first and second side are opposite sides of the sample holder.

Abstract: A flap folding unit is provided, comprising at least one flap folding device having a disc-like member being configured to be arranged in a first position to urge passing front flaps of an associated cardboard case to fold, and in a second position to allow unfolded rear flaps of the associated cardboard case to pass the disc-like member.

Abstract: An anvil for forming a transversal sealing of a sleeve-shaped portion of packaging material holding a liquid product, said anvil comprising a main surface, in operation, facing the tube, and a ridge provided on the main surface, the ridge comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the first section of the ridge is placed below the second section such that, in operation, a stress in the packaging material formed by a hydrostatic pressure formed by the liquid product is shifted from a first part of the sleeve-shaped portion placed above the first section of the ridge to a second part placed above the second section.