Abstract: A packaging apparatus has a lift mechanism to lower and raise a tool, such as a formation box that functions to form cavities in a web of flexible material. The lift mechanism has a series of arms, supported by belt driven carriages, which move in tandem to raise and lower the formation box. The arms are arranged into two sets such that when the arms within each set are moved closer to one another, the formation box is raised, and when the arms within each set are moved away from one another, the formation box is lowered. The common driving of all arms by a belt allows the indexing of the formation box to be well controlled.

Abstract: A packaging machine includes a clamping arrangement, composed of a series of clamps designed to grip and release a web of flexible material, and which are coupled to a belt that is advanced along a predetermined path to advance the web of flexible through the machine. The belt is made up of side-by-side belt portions that are spliced together in axially spaced locations by the clamps, to withstand the forces and stresses placed thereon as the web material is advanced. Each clamp is formed of an upper jaw member and a lower jaw member that are pivotably interconnected together, in combination with a guide member the guides movement of the belt through the machine. The belts are independently driven by operation of a pair of motors, which are synchronously operated in order to advance the opposite edges of the web material at the same rate of speed through the machine.

Abstract: A conveyor belt construction includes a flexible conveyor belt defining inner and outer surfaces, and a series of clamp assemblies that are used to mount conveying members to the conveyor belt. One of the clamp members defines a convex engaging area that engages one of the surfaces of the conveyor belt, and the other of the clamp members defines a concave engaging area that engages the other surface of the conveyor belt. The clamp members are secured together and the belt is sandwiched between the concave and convex areas of the clamp members. The conveyor belt construction is engaged about a pair of rotatable members. The concave and convex areas of the clamp members take up a length of the conveyor belt, to tighten the conveyor belt onto the rotatable members without the use of a belt tensioner. The conveying members may be in the form of platens mounted to the outer clamp members.

Abstract: A linear motion, reciprocating vacuum packaging apparatus and method. Articles to be packaged are advanced in linearly in an upstream-downstream direction, such as by a platen conveyor. A linearly movable, reciprocating vacuum system includes a series evacuation chambers (116a-c), each of which is moved into engagement with one of the platens so that the article enclosed within the evacuation chamber (FIGS. 1 and 2).

Abstract: A vacuum control valve includes a valve body defining a cavity, an inlet opening and a vent opening. A vacuum supply control member is movably mounted at the inlet opening, and is movable between an open position to open the inlet opening, and a closed position to close the inlet opening. A vent control member is movably mounted at the vent opening, and is movable between an open position to open the vent opening, and a closed position to close the vent opening. The vacuum supply control member and the vent control member are movable independently of each other, for selectively controlling the supply of vacuum when the vacuum supply control member is in the open position and the vent control member is in the closed position, and for selectively venting vacuum when the vacuum supply control member is in the closed position and the vent control member is in the open position.

Abstract: A vacuum packaging system includes a series of vacuum chambers that are carried by a movable combination support member and vacuum manifold, which defines an interior connected to a vacuum source. The vacuum chambers are in communication with the interior of the combination support member and vacuum manifold, through vacuum valves carried by the combination support member and vacuum manifold and conduits that extend between the vacuum valves and the vacuum chambers. The combination support member and vacuum manifold is movable between a lowered position and a raised position, to move the vacuum chambers into and out of engagement with platens that support packages located below the vacuum chambers. The vacuum chambers and platens are movable in an upstream to downstream direction, to advance the packages while the packages are being evacuated by the vacuum chambers.

Abstract: A system for packaging of perishable food products involves initially packaging the food product in a receptacle containing an inert gas atmosphere and sealing a film to the receptacle. The inert gas atmosphere prevents deterioration of the food product subsequent to shipment from a central processing facility. The receptacle includes a sealing flange and a tab portion extending from the sealing flange, to which the film is sealed. To prepare the food product for display at a retail establishment, the tab and the film sealed thereto are removed from the package, by operation of a severing mechanism, to form an opening between the film and the receptacle. An atmosphere exchange operation is carried out through the opening, by injecting gas through the opening into the receptacle cavity. The severing mechanism includes a knife member, and gas is injected into the opening through a gas injection port formed in the knife member.

Abstract: A system for packaging of perishable food products involves initially packaging the food product in a receptacle containing an inert gas atmosphere and sealing a film to the receptacle. The inert gas atmosphere prevents deterioration of the food product subsequent to shipment from a central processing facility. The receptacle includes a sealing flange and a tab portion extending from the sealing flange, to which the film is sealed. To prepare the food product for display at a retail establishment, the tab and the film sealed thereto are removed from the package, to form an opening between the film and the receptacle. An atmosphere exchange operation is carried out through the opening, by inserting a nozzle through the opening and introducing an oxygen-containing gas into the receptacle cavity through the opening. The inert gas atmosphere initially contained within the receptacle is exhausted through the opening.

Abstract: A system and method of obtaining precise registration of a forming web in an indexing motion web advancement mechanism wherein the web has spaced registration marks for defining an area of distorted printing provided thereon. The web is passed from a supply roll through a braking arrangement, a photosensing mechanism for sensing the registration marks on the web and a heater system movable back and forth relative to the web to a nip roller arrangement having one or more rolls driven by an unwind motor. The web is indexed from the supply roll by operation of the unwind motor. A first registration mark on the web is sensed by a photosensing mechanism and the feeding of the web from the supply roll is immediately stopped using the braking arrangement. The web is stretched downstream of the heater system by continuing to operate the unwind motor to apply tension to the web.

Abstract: A system for packaging of perishable food products involves initially packaging the food product in a receptacle containing an inert gas atmosphere and sealing a film to the receptacle. The inert gas atmosphere prevents deterioration of the food product subsequent to shipment from a central processing facility. The receptacle includes a sealing flange and a tab portion extending from the sealing flange, to which the film is sealed. To prepare the food product for display at a retail establishment, the tab and the film sealed thereto are removed from the package, to form an opening between the film and the receptacle. An atmosphere exchange operation is carried out through the opening, by inserting a nozzle through the opening and introducing an oxygen-containing gas into the receptacle cavity through the opening. The inert gas atmosphere initially contained within the receptacle is exhausted through the opening.

Abstract: A support for rotatably mounting a roll of web material includes a braking and roll position adjustment mechanism. The support is in the form of a series of support rods extending between a pair of end plates, which engage the internal walls of the roll core at spaced locations. The braking mechanism consists of a brake shaft which extends through the roll core, and which bears against the roll core during its rotation to apply resistance as the web is being unwound from the roll. The brake shaft can selectively be moved to a disengaged position in which it is moved out of engagement with the core. The roll position adjustment mechanism includes a rotatable shaft which extends through the roll core, and to which the brake shaft is pivotably mounted via a pair of arms. One of the arms is threadedly engaged with external threads provided on the rotatable shaft, and a pair of collars are engaged with the brake shaft such that one collar is located immediately adjacent each end of the roll core.

Abstract: An indexing motion apparatus and method for advancing and vacuum sealing a plurality of connected, preformed trays. The connected, preformed trays are supplied by an indexing conveyor belt assembly which delivers the preformed trays to an advancement mechanism indexingly driven by a programmable servo motor. After the preformed trays are loaded and evacuated, a flexible web of packaging material is disposed in overlying relation to the preformed trays and sealed thereto. A cutting mechanism severs the sealed, preformed trays longitudinally and transversely.

Abstract: An indexing motion apparatus and method for advancing and vacuum sealing a plurality of connected, preformed trays. The connected, preformed trays are supplied by an indexing conveyor belt assembly which delivers the preformed trays to an advancement mechanism indexingly driven by a programmable servo motor. After the preformed trays are loaded and evacuated, a flexible web of packaging material is disposed in overlying relation to the preformed trays and sealed thereto. A cutting mechanism severs the sealed, preformed trays longitudinally and transversely.

Abstract: A reclosable package consists of an inner peripheral seal around a product cavity within which the products is disposed, and an outer seal around the inner seal. The area inside the inner seal, containing the product, is preferably evacuated. The outer seal is defined in part by a reclosable assembly which, after breaking of the inner seal, provides access to the interior of the package and reclosability of the package. A method of constructing a package and of packaging a product are also disclosed.

Abstract: An indexing motion apparatus and method for vacuum packaging of articles such as hot dogs, sliced luncheon meat, cheese or pharmaceuticals. A lower web of packaging material is indexingly advanced by a lower web drive driven in an indexing manner by a servo motor. Forming tooling is provided for vacuum forming the lower web to form one or more product cavities, and the forming tooling is movable between raised and lowered positions by a lifting and lowering system driven by a servo motor. A plug assist mechanism is provided for assisting the web to conform to the forming cavities. The plug assist mechanism is also movable in response to operation of servo motors, which actuate a pair of linear actuators. After the formed product cavities are loaded with product, the cavities are evacuated and an upper web applied to vacuum package the product. A slitting mechanism severs the upper and lower webs into individual product packages.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supplying web material to an indexing advancement mechanism, such as may be associated with a packaging machine which forms the web into a component of a package. The web is supplied from a supply roll to an unwind mechanism, which continuously unwinds the web during indexing advancement of the web by the advancement mechanism of the packaging machine. The unwind mechanism includes an unwind motor which is operable to vary the rate at which the web is unwound from the supply roll. Tension is maintained in the web upstream of the advancement mechanism by a take-up mechanism interposed between the unwind mechanism and the advancement mechanism. The unwind motor speed is controlled by the position of a movable arm associated with the take-up mechanism.

Abstract: A web retention and advancement mechanism for a rotating drum utilizes a pair of spaced belts operating in grooves formed in the drum peripheral surface to retain the web to the drum for an arcuate portion of its rotation. Pulleys spaced from the grooves guide the belts in a path that extends about a portion of the drum and about the pulleys. The pulleys are spaced axially a distance greater than the inner edges of the grooves to cause the belts to travel a convergent path toward the drum to grip edges of the web in the grooves and hold the web to the drum while the belts are disposed in the drum grooves. A divergent path from the drum permits the belts to release the web.

Abstract: A clamping arrangement is disclosed for gripping and carrying web material about a die turret of a packaging machine for molding the web and for carrying the web through and off the packing machine as product is loaded and the package is sealed. The clamping arrangement includes a pair of aligned drive chains and a plurality of facing clamps mounted on each chain. Each clamp includes a lower jaw and an upper jaw pivotally mounted to the lower jaw and actuable between an opened and a closed position. A spring is connected between the upper and lower jaws which biases the upper jaw to the closed position. The lower and upper jaws each define complemental gripping teeth along an edge thereof, the respective teeth being disposed intermediate and adjacent one another when the upper jaw is in the closed position. The teeth of the lower jaw are horizontally aligned with the pitch line of the drive chain when assembled to the chain.

Abstract: A continuous motion packaging machine which forms packages from overlying webs advanced along a path at a constant speed. A tooling carriage traverses a repetitive path which includes an "on-line" increment during which the tooling carriage matches web movement and package operations are performed. The tooling carriage is driven by linkage including a power input shaft operated at varying speeds throughout each cycle to maintain carriage position relative to the webs. Two brushless servo motors are used. One drives the webs, the other drives the tooling carriage. A computer program compares relative motor positions at points throughout each cycle to a pre-established position pattern and adjusts motor controller output to maintain one motor position relative to the sensed position of the other motor.