Abstract: An apparatus is provided for packaging and taking away packaged sequenced product such as mail pieces. The apparatus includes a packaging device having an output end, and adapted to package sequenced products. A clamping device is adjacent to the output end of the packaging device. A conveying system is downstream from the clamping device. The conveying system incrementally moves a drop off tray. The clamping device holds one of a plurality of packaged sequenced products such that the drop off tray is in a position to stack multiple packaged sequenced products of the plurality of packaged sequenced products into the drop off tray. In one embodiment, this allows the packages not to hit the drop off tray during the stacking process. A method of packaging is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process used for packaging a product in a web of material that has a zipper attached thereto. The process includes providing a web of material having first and second edges and a zipper including first and second interlocking members. The first and second interlocking members of the zipper are interlocked together. The first interlocking member of the zipper is attached to the web at an intermediate portion of the web between the first and second edges of the web. The second interlocking member has an attachment region that is facing away from the web. One edge of the web is folded away from the zipper and toward the other edge of the web. Unit operations are performed on the zipper to create zipper segments from the zipper while the zipper is exposed. Each of the zipper segments is associated with an individual food package made from the web.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for making reclosable packages having slider-actuated string zippers.

Abstract: Waste disposal device including a housing defining a waste compartment for receiving enclosed waste, flexible tubing received in the housing and which operatively receives waste therein, a retention mechanism for holding a quantity of waste received in a length of the tubing and a rotation mechanism for rotating the retention mechanism when the quantity of waste is held thereby and while a remaining length of the tubing is rotationally held stationary in order to twist the length of tubing receiving the waste and enclose the held quantity of waste. The compartment in the housing receives the enclosed waste. The waste is thus rotated while the cartridge is held against rotation thereby enabling the formation of the twist above the waste to enclose or encapsulate the waste. A pushing mechanism may be provided on a cover of the device to push the waste into engagement with the retention mechanism.

Abstract: A method and device for producing a rigid container, having two end walls and a lateral wall, from a flat blank having two flat first portions, each of which has a relative panel defining a relative end wall of the container, and a drawn rim integral with the panel, extending along at least one portion of an outer edge of the panel, and square with respect to the panel; and three flat second portions alternating with the two panels; each panel being folded squarely with respect to the flat second portions adjacent to it; the second portions being wrapped about and onto the rims to form the lateral wall; and each panel being stiffened by means of an external stiffening member, at least when forming the lateral wall.

Abstract: A machine and method for producing a package by folding a sheet of packing material about a respective article; a packing conveyor feeds along a packing path a folding head, which houses the package and has an electrically heated activating member for applying heat to a portion of the package; the folding head also has a movable magnetic core, which has a coil connected electrically to the activating member, and is positioned facing and coupled magnetically to a fixed magnetic core positioned parallel to the packing path; in use, a coil coupled to the fixed magnetic core is supplied with electric current to induce flow of a corresponding electric current through the coil of the movable magnetic core.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for depositing a filament tow in a stationary can. To this end, the filament tow is conveyed to the can by a conveyance means, and for deposition into the can the filament tow is guided in such a way that the feed position of the filament tow in the can constantly changes. To allow the filament tow to be deposited with a high filling density, for deposition into the can the filament tow is guided according to the invention by oscillating motions of the conveyance means during conveying which are transverse to the conveyance direction. In this manner, undesired reactions on the filament tow are advantageously avoided during deposition.

Abstract: Reclosable bags having a slider-actuated string zipper and a tamper-evident feature. In one aspect, the reclosable bag comprises: a receptacle having a mouth and an interior volume; a string zipper installed in the mouth; a slider mounted to the string zipper; and a tamper-evident feature that blocks access to all or a portion of the interior volume. The tamper-evident feature may take the form of an internal membrane that partitions the interior volume or an external header that covers the string zipper. In some embodiments with a partitioned interior volume, the tamper-evident feature comprises a peel seal.

Abstract: A forming jaw for producing a succession of sealed packages from a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product and fed in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis is disclosed. The jaw includes sealing structure that seals a cross section of the tube; and forming structure that imparts a predetermined shape to the tube between two successive sealed cross sections. The forming structure has first and second surfaces for interacting with the tube and which extend respectively in a direction crosswise to, and in a direction parallel to, the axis of the tube. The first surface has a convex portion which exerts pressure on, to control filling of, the packages being formed.

Abstract: A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage, having a filling element of a filling machine with a rotary construction for filling bottles or similar containers with a liquid has, in a filling element housing, a liquid duct for the controlled dispensing of a liquid at a dispensing opening. The dispensing opening is located in a recess into which the respective container extends with its container mouth during the filling, and into which at least one additional duct of the filling element empties. During a cleaning or rinsing phase, the recess can be closed by a plate-shaped closing element.

Abstract: An opening device for a solid material package includes a package supporting unit for fixedly supporting a main body of a solid material package having a pair of pulling flaps, an opening unit formed from grips for gripping the pair of pulling flaps so that an opening angle formed by the pair of pulling flaps is 10° to 180°, a pair of movable pieces for supporting the grips, and pulling units for pulling the pair of movable pieces to open the package, and a moving unit for moving the package supporting unit upward in conjunction with the pulling unit such that the solid material package is caused to move upward as the movable pieces grip the pulling flaps with the grips and the pulling units pull the movable pieces within the opening angle to peel off a seal section of the solid material package to discharge the solid material from the package.

Abstract: A method for packaging electronic components wherein each of the electronic components having a first surface and an opposite second surface is placed in each of a plurality of pockets of a first film, bottom of each of the pocket has a protrusion that contacts the second surface of the electronic component, the pockets of the first film with the electronic components therein is covered with a second film, a pressure difference between the pockets as covered with the second film and an exterior of the pockets is created so that part of the second film is stuck to the first surface of each electronic component by the pressure difference to secure the electronic components within the pockets.

Abstract: The system uses a shrink film covering all the products (12) arranged inside a cardboard box (1) and holding these products against one another and also against the base (2) of the box. At least two heat-shrinkable sheets (9, 10) are attached, by one of their edges, in the region of the join between the base (2) of the box and the sides (4) of the lateral band (3) of this box. An additional heat-shrinkable sheet (14), supplied at the upper level of the lateral band (3) or of the products (12), is joined by welding to the previous sheets (9, 10) in order to form a single film that is shrunk over the products (12). A heat-protection sheet (13) may be inserted between this film and the products (12). The invention applies to packaging for the preparation and dispatch of product orders.

Abstract: A film folding and supplying apparatus for machines for packaging products with stretchable film comprising a pleating means for folding ends of a film traveling in a direction, to modify the width of the film in such a manner that the last edges of the film on the bottom of a product to be wrapped do not laterally project from the bottom of the product. The pleating means cooperates with rolling friction of the traveling film and comprises an elongate, flat and fixed guide having longitudinal edges with projecting rows of flat, idle and rounded edges wheels; and respective lateral guides having projecting rows of flat, idle and wheels with rounded edges which fold the film.

Abstract: While the manufacturing of integrated circuits (IC) has become a mostly automated process, the loading of the ICs into storage and shipping tubes 105 still requires a large amount of human interaction. A major stumbling block to the automation is the removal and insertion of retention pins 115 in the tubes. The present invention uses pressurized air 406 to hold a partially extracted retention pin 115 in position while the tube 105 is loaded. Once loaded, the retention pin 115 is reinserted. By not fully extracting the retention pin 115, alignment is maintained, simplifying the reinsertion step.

Abstract: In order to store thermoplastic preforms in a container, the outside faces of the preforms are treated so as to make said outside faces more slippery, and the preforms are stored in bulk in the container, with the outside faces of the preforms after treatment presenting a coefficient of friction that is low enough to ensure that the packing density, i.e. the number of preforms stored per unit volume, is greater than the packing density that would be obtained under the same conditions with non-treated preforms.

Abstract: A unit for sterilizing a web (2) of packaging material on a machine (1) for packaging pourable food products, the unit having a bath (7) containing a sterilizing agent, in which the web (2) is fed continuously; a process chamber (8) connected to an outlet (12) of the bath (7), and which houses wringing rollers (18) interacting with the web (2), and a nozzle (22) for directing a stream of air on to the web (2) and removing residual sterilizing agent from the web; an aseptic chamber (25) communicating with the process chamber (8) via an opening (27) for passage of the web (2), and in which the web (2) is folded and sealed longitudinally to form a tube (29) which is filled continuously with the product for packaging; and an air processing circuit (24) for controlling process conditions, and having a conduit (56) for feeding a first stream of sterile air into the aseptic chamber (25), a conduit (54) for feeding a second stream of sterile air to the nozzle (22) and housing a heater (69) for controlling the tempera

Abstract: A method of packing a glass base material (10, 20, 30), which is a base material of an optical fiber comprising packing the glass base material (10, 20, 30) into a cylindrical container (16, 26, 36). The packing has: putting the glass base material (10, 20, 30) into a plastic bag (12, 22, 32); and packing the glass base material (10, 20, 30), which is put into the plastic bag (12, 22, 32), into the cylindrical container (16, 26, 36). The packing further has: wrapping the glass base material (10, 20, 30), which is put into the plastic bag (12, 22, 32), with air packing material (14, 24, 34), which contains air inside; and packing the glass base material (10, 20, 30) wrapped with the air packing material (14, 24, 34) into the cylindrical container (16, 26, 36).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming void-fill packaging wherein a tubular plastics material (11) is periodically fed via driver rollers (15) along a longitudinal guide path (12), first and second transverse spaced parallel heat seals are formed substantially across the plastics material via a transverse heat sealer (36, 38) to define a chamber (104) between the seals, a fluid is discharged into the chamber via a nozzle (20) positioned along the guide path and adapted to extend inside the tubular plastics material adjacent to one longitudinal edge of the plastic material, a third heat seal is formed via a longitudinal heat sealer (78) to seal the chamber (104), and the longitudinal edge of the tubular plastic material is cut via a cutting element (22) so that the movement of the tubular plastics material is not hindered by the nozzle.

Abstract: A method of loading a tray with at least one layer of items includes forming a plurality items into a group of items, moving the first group in a first generally horizontal direction so that the items are received through a top opening of the tray to form a layer of items that at least partially covers the upper surface of said base. The method also includes moving the tray loaded with the group of items in a generally vertical direction. The vertical direction may be downward. The tray may then be moved again in a horizontal direction. Also a system is provided to perform the aforesaid method.